This post has been ... a long time coming. Hold on to your butts, it's LONG. It will be updated as I have updates to add to it. This post has a LOT of personal experience in it, from 12 years of pet grooming and dealing with this equipment. This post probably also has some underlying salt in it, mostly directed at companies who can't get together on a standard. But I'm trying to keep it to a minimum.
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Clippers and you!
I've been formulating this post for the better part of the time I've been a pet groomer (which is 12 years at this point...) and over that decade, I've learned a lot of tips and tricks and what to do and not to do when it comes to clippers and fursuiting.
This is going to be the link version of this post. I will update this in the near future with video to show some visuals on certain things on a day when it's not 33 degrees Farenheit for a high in TX so I can stand to be in the garage for a bit. I'll do pictures/video next time I groom my dog (coming soon, he's wooly). There will be pictures/a video for the bonus question at the bottom.
I'm breaking things down into individual questions, and each answer will be under a LJ cut, so all you have to do when you're looking at the post is to click that cut.
This is a LONG post.
1: What clippers should I buy?
Firstly, are you planning on doing more than one head? If no, then you can go get that sub-$20 set from Wal-mart or Target and that will be fine. Just be aware that those clippers will be ruined by faux fur, and you're best off throwing them away. It will cost more to fix them than to repair them. Most of this post is not going to be relevant to you if you only are doing a head once in a blue moon. The bonus question might help though.
Have you done a head or two and want to have something better, and you plan on continuing to make heads, especially to sell? Time to stop buying cheap, and buy some clippers worth their salt.
I direct people to PetEdge.com over and over again, because while they are a resource for groomers, they do sell to the public. So my links will reflect their stock. It's usually cheaper, if you're buying new, to go through PetEdge than a retail store.
I work in a retail store that carries many of the same products, and there are times I can get things cheaper through PetEdge than I can with my employee discount (and my store has an above-average discount policy).
If you find a broken link, comment and I will fix it. I'm not poofing from LiveJournal until this place is gone.
So, clippers. Do not buy fixed-blade clippers if you want to have something that will last. Just don't. Please. They don't have the durability.
You want to find a clipper that is an A5 clipper. These are made by Wahl, Andis, Conair, Oster, and some other brands. My personal preference is the Andis AG Plus 2-speed. https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain/catalog/productDetail.jsf?area=&sort=RD&wec-appid=PEDM_WEBSHOP_TR&page=72A214C22827430A9795247F1BF064D6&itemKey=005056A633791ED2B5863B3A43134FB3&show=12&view=grid&wec-locale=en_US
A close cousin (as in, they share many of the same parts) is the Andis AGC 2-speed, or the UltraEdge 2-speed.
AGC 2-speed: https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain/catalog/productDetail.jsf?area=&sort=RD&wec-appid=PEDM_WEBSHOP_TR&page=72A214C22827430A9795247F1BF064D6&itemKey=005056A633791ED2B5863B3A4313AFB3&show=12&view=grid&wec-locale=en_US
UltraEdge 2-speed: https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain/catalog/productDetail.jsf?area=&sort=RD&wec-appid=PEDM_WEBSHOP_TR&page=72A214C22827430A9795247F1BF064D6&itemKey=005056A633791ED2B5863B3A4316EFB3&show=12&view=grid&wec-locale=en_US
The UltraEdge has a higher base strokes per minute, and higher on the high speed. The AG Plus and the AGC are the same clipper in a different housing.
I started off with an UltraEdge, and purchased a 2nd one 2 years into my grooming career becasue back-ups are good to have. Both of these clippers endured some real abuse on my part, and only 4-5 years or so ago did I have to purchase my AG Plus when both UltraEdge clippers needed more parts for repair than I could find locally. The AG Plus are still going strong.
I am... really bad about taking care of my clippers. I will admit that readily. But they have survived incredibly well. I still have both UltraEdge clippers and am just waiting to have an excuse to repair them. (I do not groom full-time anymore, due to my health, so I am fine with one set of clippers.) I have borrowed the AGC from groomers I worked with over the years, and those are never disappointing either.
I recommend these three clippers because they have proved the best for weight, heat, volume, and comfort in handling than any others I have tried. My favorite to handle is the AG Plus.
Another option some groomers and suit makers like, though I am not as fond of, are Oster's Turbo A5 2-speed clippers. https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain/catalog/productDetail.jsf?area=&sort=RD&wec-appid=PEDM_WEBSHOP_TR&page=72A214C22827430A9795247F1BF064D6&itemKey=005056A633791ED2B586435850028FB3&show=12&view=grid&wec-locale=en_US
I am not as much of a fan of these as they are, to me, louder and hotter than needed, and the shape is not comfortable for smaller hands. They vibrate a lot as well, so can get uncomfortable quickly for me. Also, the on/off switch being on the back of the clipper is awkward. They work really well through thick dog fur on the high speed, though. (I used them to shave down an otterhound who was matted to the skin.)
I would not recommended a cordless clipper, as tempting as they can be. You are going to pay a premium for less work time. These are best for groomers like myself who are mobile and may need to work outside and not be near an outlet, or grooming livestock. The cords on the clippers are usually 10+ feet, so in a space where you're working on suits, you should be fine.
I would not recommend a livestock clipper for shaving suits. I know it's tempting for the strength, but you will be missing out on attachments and different blade lengths.
PetEdge will, at least 4 times a year, put their Andis UltraEdge or ACG clippers on sale for $99.99. Keep an eye out for those sales. Sign up for their mailing list.
2: What's A5 mean?
A5 is a type of replaceable blade. You can use any A5 blade on any A5 clipper. These are what make the purchase of an A5 clipper worth the cost. A5 blades come in various lengths, and the length on the blade is the length of the fur/hair when used AGAINST the grain of the coat. Double it for length with the grain.
There are variations between manufacturers, and within the same manufacturer as well. Oster's #10 blade is a different length than Andis's blade length. I can't use my original Andis #10 with my metal combs (the fixed part of the blade is a different side than other blades, but the newer blades are fine). My Andis ceramic #10 is a slightly longer cut than my steel Andis #10 blades.
There is a difference in all ceramic and steel blades, regardless of manufacturer. This is only really a concern for show groomers. Pet groomers and suit makers don't need to worry unless you have both in your kit.
There are two types of some blades, a skip-tooth, and a finishing blade, which are denoted with an F after the number. For making suits, don't bother with skip-tooth blades. It will catch in your backing. Skip tooth blades are "take-down" blades, and meant for getting coat off a dirty dog fast before a bath.
Here are some quick, average lengths for you, going WITH the grain of the fur. Again, may vary depending on manufacturer and if the blade is ceramic or steel.
#3F - 1 inch
#4F - 3/4 inch
#5F - 1/2 inch
#7F - 1/4 inch
#10 - 1/8 inch (see note below)
#15 - 1/16 inch (this varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and it's more noticeable at these shorter lengths, so I will stop at #15)
3: Are there any good non-A5 clippers?
Yes, though for suit use, I don't know how much I'd recommend them, because they're cordless. Great for touch up grooming, grooming a very, very clean dog with thinner fur, or doing horse faces since they're quiet, but their power is low.
The Wahl Bravura is one of my favorite non-A5 clippers, with an adjustable, 5-length blade and a really great battery (but again, it's power output is really low and the teeth are kind of too close set to use on heavy fur). Blade length ranges from a #30 to a #7F. https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain/catalog/productDetail.jsf?firstRow=12&area=&sort=RD&wec-appid=PEDM_WEBSHOP_TR&page=72A214C22827430A9795247F1BF064D6&itemKey=005056A6CE9C1EE2BEA8B460937B54F7&show=12&view=grid&wec-locale=en_US
Any non-A5 clipper you look at or consider, you want to see if the blade is removable. If you cannot remove and replace the blade, don't bother with it. You're back in the same spot with those as the sub-$20 clippers.
Most of your clippers in the non-A5 but replaceable blade area are going to have close-set teeth, which is not good for coarse fur like faux fur. It will clog them fast.
4: What blades should I look at? There are so many!
For suit making purposes No shorter than a #30, which you should only use with a guard (this is a surgical length blade), and no longer than a #4F, perhaps a #5F or #6F. The longer blades will leave a rougher, choppy look on the fur. This happens on certain fur textures. For example, my dog is a Lhasa Apso, and I won't use anything longer than a #4F on his body because it looks choppy. At that point, I might as well hand scissor him.
For ease of use, I would recommend that all suit makers use CERAMIC blades. Ceramic stays cooler longer, cools off faster than steel, and you are less likely to have faux fur melt between the fixed and cutting blades and gum everything up. Ceramic also stays sharper longer. You can have them sharpened, or you can just replace the cutting blade. The downside of ceramic is they can be more brittle. But then again, I have broken the teeth on 2 steel #4F blades. Try not to drop things.
Brand wise: Use actual name-brand blades. The PetEdge "Master Grooming Tools" blades are in my experience (and found out by fellow groomers) poor quality and the lack of a headache over the hassle is worth it to just buy Andis, Oster, or Wahl blades. (Geib/Buttercut are good as well, but depending on sales, they may be pricier.)
You can also buy ceramic cutting blades to upgrade your other A5 blades.
Don't use cat blades on faux fur. The closeness of the teeth on the cutting blade is going to be detrimental to using them on faux fur.
5: What guards/guide combs should I use?
This is my personal preference with combs: Don't use them unless you absolutely have to. Change your blade length. For the same reason as I don't recommend longer blades, you'll want to avoid the combs. They can leave you a choppy mess that you'll just need to scissor smooth.
If you want some shorter combs, I would recommend the stainless steel Wahl guards. I have used plastic ones, and the static created from them is just infuriating. https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain/catalog/productDetail.jsf?wec-appid=PEDM_WEBSHOP_TR&itemKey=005056A633791ED2B5915A250C840FB3&wec-locale=en_US
I do love the shortest combs in that set (the 2, 4, and 5), but again, om some coats, they leave a choppy mess.
If you are going to use those combs: buy a #30 or #15 specifically for them. You can take it off and on from your A5 clipper with the comb still attached to the blade. One common thing for me is to go "Where the hell is my 15...?" only to find it attached to one of those combs after some 20+ minutes of searching.
6: How do I care for my blades?
Okay, as I mentioned above, I'm terrible about caring for my equipment. I know how, I just don't do everything I'm supposed to. This is in part because I want to be able to say "Look, if you take care of your stuff, it'll last forever. It's lasted me X amount of time and I haven't done the best with care."
I never oil my blades. I had a dog react very badly to an oil-based cleaner that I wasn't able to completely clean off and I've not used it since. I also don't like the film that stays behind since it's just more for me to clean off before I can use it on a pet. No one wants a greasy spot on their dog.
You won't have to worry about allergic reactions with your suit itself, but someone who comes into contact with the suit might. And getting greasy residue off faux fur is more difficult than off a dog.
Andis Cool Care Plus is my BFF. Make it your BFF. https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain/catalog/productDetail.jsf?area=&sort=RD&wec-appid=PEDM_WEBSHOP_TR&page=72A214C22827430A9795247F1BF064D6&itemKey=005056A633791ED2B5863B3A430B2FB3&show=12&view=grid&simpleSearchString=cool+care&wec-locale=en_US
Use this after using the blades. Use this WHILE using the blades. Leave your blade running when it starts getting hot, spray the back of the blade, and spray the SIDE of the blade while you angle it down to let fur wash out from between the cutting blades. Even if you have multiples of the same blade length (and you should if you're going to make several suits), spray it on the running blade before you turn it off to take the blade off to cool.
This is an alcohol-based cleaner. It dries incredibly fast. I still keep an old washrag in my kit to wipe the blade off, but you can use your jeans or t-shirt as well.
Personally, I find the Oster coolant stinks to high heaven and leaves a residue (they likely have a separate disinfectant). The Wahl one smells pretty bad too, but it's never left a residue for me. This is the least offensive of the ones you're most likely to find in PetSmart/Tractor Supply/etc. I find it's the best value for the money. (They're all about the same price.)
Keep an old tooth brush with your clippers and blades. Use it often to brush fur out of the blade teeth.
If you want to oil your blades, you are best to do this when you are done (never while working because residue). Place 3 drops of oil on the blade, left, center and right, then run the blade for a few seconds. Hold it at an angle to help anything fall out. You can let the oil sit overnight, or you can immediately spray it with the Cool Care (the alcohol will break up the oil). Again, I don't do this myself. Having a dog's face swell up on me like he'd eaten a bee in reaction to an oil-based cleaner made me swear off oiling my blades. I go through a lot of Cool Care in it's place. I also use a mostly ceramic blades now.
If you want to more thoroughly clean the blade, you can disassemble the blade. Remove the two screws on the front, the harp will come off, and you will have a Teflon-like piece on the end of the harp that holds the cutting blade in place fall off somewhere (don't lose this, omg), two screws, your cutting, and your fixed blade. You can brush them off thoroughly at this point. (I don't do this very often. Losing that little Teflon piece means the blade is useless.)
If your blades aren't cutting (dragging, or leaving lines), they likely need to be sharpened. Or they're really gunked up and need to be taken apart and cleaned. If that's not the case, there's a solution in the next answer.
I don't recommend at-home sharpening. You're likely to damage your blades. Go to/call a grooming salon and ask if they have a blade sharpener they recommend. Then go to/call two or three more and get their opinions. I have seen blade sharpening run from $5-$10 (US) a blade. Usually, it's in the $5-$8 range. More than worth it to not replace a blade every time it dulls. Steel blades can only be sharpened a finite amount of times.
Again, you can extend blade life by using ceramic cutting blades.
7: How do I care for my clippers?
Firstly, don't drop them. This is the cause of most clipper problems outside of the one piece you will replace fairly often (more on that in a moment). Dropping clippers can cause the solders on the boards to break. Just... try not to.
There's one piece on the three Andis clippers I linked that needs to replaced fairly often, depending on hoe heavy use they're getting. If all I'm doing is paws, sanitary, and some very light clipping, I can get more use than if I'm doing shave down after shave down. This piece is the Blade Drive Assembly Lever. https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain/catalog/productDetail.jsf?area=&sort=RD&wec-appid=PEDM_WEBSHOP_TR&page=72A214C22827430A9795247F1BF064D6&itemKey=005056A633791ED2B5863B3A43132FB3&show=12&view=grid&wec-locale=en_US
If you have an Andis clipper and your blades are still fairly sharp and you're getting lines, this little bit probably needs to be replaced. On the AGC and the UltraEdge, this is easy. Pop the top of the housing off (it's a separate piece), remove 2 screws, take the old one out, put the new one in, replace screws, replace housing and get back to work. The AG Plus needs the whole back of the housing removed.
Replacing this solves most problems. If there are still lines or your clippers are dragging, you need to sharpen your blades. If your clippers are loud, this can also be the cause.
With faux fur, you will want to keep these around and go ahead and replace it between heads. They're cheap, so just have them on hand.
That is really the thing that breaks on most clippers, unless you're like me and have clippers that are really old and abused. Don't abuse your clippers.
8: *Bonus answer!* Can I finish a suit with hand scissoring?
Yep. Work either with or against the fur's grain, not across (across means choppy). Have scissors JUST for that. Get some nice, sharp, light-weight scissors that move well. If you have to fight to open or close them, your hands will hate you.
Trim where you want to trim, get a comb or brush to fluff it, and trim it again. Repeat as needed until it's smooth. This will be time consuming, clippers to at least rough it out will be useful, but if your clippers break, yeah, you can.
Hold your scissors properly as well. You don't want to death grip, your hands will hate you. You don't want your hands to hate you. The following are pictures and a 2+ minute video of me talking about and demonstrating scissor handling.
![Scissors for Fursuit community post...]()
![Scissors for Fursuit community post...]()
![Scissors for Fursuit community post...]()
![Scissors for Fursuit community post...]()
(Click on this image to get to the video. At the beginning, I say clipper. I mean shear. My brain went to bed.)
I'll show how choppy it can be going across the grain when I groom my dog next. He'll get to be a "what not to do" model (since he's going to be shaved pretty short again). You can also look at this picture of the Lhasa mix I had growing up, and my mom's attempt to get the hair out of his eyes and shorten his beard. https://www.flickr.com/photos/snowhawk/5791649489/in/photolist-9PMHBF (That dog is a huge reason I became a pet groomer.)
All of my notes from the past years have wandered off. I had some videos previously made, which also wandered off. But I will have more coming, using better equipment than my old MacBook's webcam. If there's anything you have a question about that I missed, don't hesitate to ask. I'll keep a list of questions asked directly under this bit, and a list of edit made under that.
(We need "clippers" and "finishing" tags...)
Added Questions/Answers:
1: Can I buy used A5 clippers?
Yes, just test them before hand to see what condition they're in. Check someplace like Craig's List or ask at a local groomer if they have any used clippers for sale, or know of anyone clearing out equipment.
2: What can I do about fur shavings?
See this Twitter post: https://twitter.com/dub_mutt/status/709434452896845824
If that post ever poofs, I have it mirrored on my Tumblr, since I could never find if dub_mutt has a Tumblr with that post: http://damantru.tumblr.com/post/141059528042/see-here-on-twitter-not-my-pictureidea-it
Edit 1: Added about used/second hand clippers, since I forgot that bit.
Edit 2: Added how to save your lungs.
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Clippers and you!
I've been formulating this post for the better part of the time I've been a pet groomer (which is 12 years at this point...) and over that decade, I've learned a lot of tips and tricks and what to do and not to do when it comes to clippers and fursuiting.
This is going to be the link version of this post. I will update this in the near future with video to show some visuals on certain things on a day when it's not 33 degrees Farenheit for a high in TX so I can stand to be in the garage for a bit. I'll do pictures/video next time I groom my dog (coming soon, he's wooly). There will be pictures/a video for the bonus question at the bottom.
I'm breaking things down into individual questions, and each answer will be under a LJ cut, so all you have to do when you're looking at the post is to click that cut.
This is a LONG post.
1: What clippers should I buy?
Firstly, are you planning on doing more than one head? If no, then you can go get that sub-$20 set from Wal-mart or Target and that will be fine. Just be aware that those clippers will be ruined by faux fur, and you're best off throwing them away. It will cost more to fix them than to repair them. Most of this post is not going to be relevant to you if you only are doing a head once in a blue moon. The bonus question might help though.
Have you done a head or two and want to have something better, and you plan on continuing to make heads, especially to sell? Time to stop buying cheap, and buy some clippers worth their salt.
I direct people to PetEdge.com over and over again, because while they are a resource for groomers, they do sell to the public. So my links will reflect their stock. It's usually cheaper, if you're buying new, to go through PetEdge than a retail store.
I work in a retail store that carries many of the same products, and there are times I can get things cheaper through PetEdge than I can with my employee discount (and my store has an above-average discount policy).
If you find a broken link, comment and I will fix it. I'm not poofing from LiveJournal until this place is gone.
So, clippers. Do not buy fixed-blade clippers if you want to have something that will last. Just don't. Please. They don't have the durability.
You want to find a clipper that is an A5 clipper. These are made by Wahl, Andis, Conair, Oster, and some other brands. My personal preference is the Andis AG Plus 2-speed. https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain/catalog/productDetail.jsf?area=&sort=RD&wec-appid=PEDM_WEBSHOP_TR&page=72A214C22827430A9795247F1BF064D6&itemKey=005056A633791ED2B5863B3A43134FB3&show=12&view=grid&wec-locale=en_US
A close cousin (as in, they share many of the same parts) is the Andis AGC 2-speed, or the UltraEdge 2-speed.
AGC 2-speed: https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain/catalog/productDetail.jsf?area=&sort=RD&wec-appid=PEDM_WEBSHOP_TR&page=72A214C22827430A9795247F1BF064D6&itemKey=005056A633791ED2B5863B3A4313AFB3&show=12&view=grid&wec-locale=en_US
UltraEdge 2-speed: https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain/catalog/productDetail.jsf?area=&sort=RD&wec-appid=PEDM_WEBSHOP_TR&page=72A214C22827430A9795247F1BF064D6&itemKey=005056A633791ED2B5863B3A4316EFB3&show=12&view=grid&wec-locale=en_US
The UltraEdge has a higher base strokes per minute, and higher on the high speed. The AG Plus and the AGC are the same clipper in a different housing.
I started off with an UltraEdge, and purchased a 2nd one 2 years into my grooming career becasue back-ups are good to have. Both of these clippers endured some real abuse on my part, and only 4-5 years or so ago did I have to purchase my AG Plus when both UltraEdge clippers needed more parts for repair than I could find locally. The AG Plus are still going strong.
I am... really bad about taking care of my clippers. I will admit that readily. But they have survived incredibly well. I still have both UltraEdge clippers and am just waiting to have an excuse to repair them. (I do not groom full-time anymore, due to my health, so I am fine with one set of clippers.) I have borrowed the AGC from groomers I worked with over the years, and those are never disappointing either.
I recommend these three clippers because they have proved the best for weight, heat, volume, and comfort in handling than any others I have tried. My favorite to handle is the AG Plus.
Another option some groomers and suit makers like, though I am not as fond of, are Oster's Turbo A5 2-speed clippers. https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain/catalog/productDetail.jsf?area=&sort=RD&wec-appid=PEDM_WEBSHOP_TR&page=72A214C22827430A9795247F1BF064D6&itemKey=005056A633791ED2B586435850028FB3&show=12&view=grid&wec-locale=en_US
I am not as much of a fan of these as they are, to me, louder and hotter than needed, and the shape is not comfortable for smaller hands. They vibrate a lot as well, so can get uncomfortable quickly for me. Also, the on/off switch being on the back of the clipper is awkward. They work really well through thick dog fur on the high speed, though. (I used them to shave down an otterhound who was matted to the skin.)
I would not recommended a cordless clipper, as tempting as they can be. You are going to pay a premium for less work time. These are best for groomers like myself who are mobile and may need to work outside and not be near an outlet, or grooming livestock. The cords on the clippers are usually 10+ feet, so in a space where you're working on suits, you should be fine.
I would not recommend a livestock clipper for shaving suits. I know it's tempting for the strength, but you will be missing out on attachments and different blade lengths.
PetEdge will, at least 4 times a year, put their Andis UltraEdge or ACG clippers on sale for $99.99. Keep an eye out for those sales. Sign up for their mailing list.
2: What's A5 mean?
A5 is a type of replaceable blade. You can use any A5 blade on any A5 clipper. These are what make the purchase of an A5 clipper worth the cost. A5 blades come in various lengths, and the length on the blade is the length of the fur/hair when used AGAINST the grain of the coat. Double it for length with the grain.
There are variations between manufacturers, and within the same manufacturer as well. Oster's #10 blade is a different length than Andis's blade length. I can't use my original Andis #10 with my metal combs (the fixed part of the blade is a different side than other blades, but the newer blades are fine). My Andis ceramic #10 is a slightly longer cut than my steel Andis #10 blades.
There is a difference in all ceramic and steel blades, regardless of manufacturer. This is only really a concern for show groomers. Pet groomers and suit makers don't need to worry unless you have both in your kit.
There are two types of some blades, a skip-tooth, and a finishing blade, which are denoted with an F after the number. For making suits, don't bother with skip-tooth blades. It will catch in your backing. Skip tooth blades are "take-down" blades, and meant for getting coat off a dirty dog fast before a bath.
Here are some quick, average lengths for you, going WITH the grain of the fur. Again, may vary depending on manufacturer and if the blade is ceramic or steel.
#3F - 1 inch
#4F - 3/4 inch
#5F - 1/2 inch
#7F - 1/4 inch
#10 - 1/8 inch (see note below)
#15 - 1/16 inch (this varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and it's more noticeable at these shorter lengths, so I will stop at #15)
3: Are there any good non-A5 clippers?
Yes, though for suit use, I don't know how much I'd recommend them, because they're cordless. Great for touch up grooming, grooming a very, very clean dog with thinner fur, or doing horse faces since they're quiet, but their power is low.
The Wahl Bravura is one of my favorite non-A5 clippers, with an adjustable, 5-length blade and a really great battery (but again, it's power output is really low and the teeth are kind of too close set to use on heavy fur). Blade length ranges from a #30 to a #7F. https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain/catalog/productDetail.jsf?firstRow=12&area=&sort=RD&wec-appid=PEDM_WEBSHOP_TR&page=72A214C22827430A9795247F1BF064D6&itemKey=005056A6CE9C1EE2BEA8B460937B54F7&show=12&view=grid&wec-locale=en_US
Any non-A5 clipper you look at or consider, you want to see if the blade is removable. If you cannot remove and replace the blade, don't bother with it. You're back in the same spot with those as the sub-$20 clippers.
Most of your clippers in the non-A5 but replaceable blade area are going to have close-set teeth, which is not good for coarse fur like faux fur. It will clog them fast.
4: What blades should I look at? There are so many!
For suit making purposes No shorter than a #30, which you should only use with a guard (this is a surgical length blade), and no longer than a #4F, perhaps a #5F or #6F. The longer blades will leave a rougher, choppy look on the fur. This happens on certain fur textures. For example, my dog is a Lhasa Apso, and I won't use anything longer than a #4F on his body because it looks choppy. At that point, I might as well hand scissor him.
For ease of use, I would recommend that all suit makers use CERAMIC blades. Ceramic stays cooler longer, cools off faster than steel, and you are less likely to have faux fur melt between the fixed and cutting blades and gum everything up. Ceramic also stays sharper longer. You can have them sharpened, or you can just replace the cutting blade. The downside of ceramic is they can be more brittle. But then again, I have broken the teeth on 2 steel #4F blades. Try not to drop things.
Brand wise: Use actual name-brand blades. The PetEdge "Master Grooming Tools" blades are in my experience (and found out by fellow groomers) poor quality and the lack of a headache over the hassle is worth it to just buy Andis, Oster, or Wahl blades. (Geib/Buttercut are good as well, but depending on sales, they may be pricier.)
You can also buy ceramic cutting blades to upgrade your other A5 blades.
Don't use cat blades on faux fur. The closeness of the teeth on the cutting blade is going to be detrimental to using them on faux fur.
5: What guards/guide combs should I use?
This is my personal preference with combs: Don't use them unless you absolutely have to. Change your blade length. For the same reason as I don't recommend longer blades, you'll want to avoid the combs. They can leave you a choppy mess that you'll just need to scissor smooth.
If you want some shorter combs, I would recommend the stainless steel Wahl guards. I have used plastic ones, and the static created from them is just infuriating. https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain/catalog/productDetail.jsf?wec-appid=PEDM_WEBSHOP_TR&itemKey=005056A633791ED2B5915A250C840FB3&wec-locale=en_US
I do love the shortest combs in that set (the 2, 4, and 5), but again, om some coats, they leave a choppy mess.
If you are going to use those combs: buy a #30 or #15 specifically for them. You can take it off and on from your A5 clipper with the comb still attached to the blade. One common thing for me is to go "Where the hell is my 15...?" only to find it attached to one of those combs after some 20+ minutes of searching.
6: How do I care for my blades?
Okay, as I mentioned above, I'm terrible about caring for my equipment. I know how, I just don't do everything I'm supposed to. This is in part because I want to be able to say "Look, if you take care of your stuff, it'll last forever. It's lasted me X amount of time and I haven't done the best with care."
I never oil my blades. I had a dog react very badly to an oil-based cleaner that I wasn't able to completely clean off and I've not used it since. I also don't like the film that stays behind since it's just more for me to clean off before I can use it on a pet. No one wants a greasy spot on their dog.
You won't have to worry about allergic reactions with your suit itself, but someone who comes into contact with the suit might. And getting greasy residue off faux fur is more difficult than off a dog.
Andis Cool Care Plus is my BFF. Make it your BFF. https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain/catalog/productDetail.jsf?area=&sort=RD&wec-appid=PEDM_WEBSHOP_TR&page=72A214C22827430A9795247F1BF064D6&itemKey=005056A633791ED2B5863B3A430B2FB3&show=12&view=grid&simpleSearchString=cool+care&wec-locale=en_US
Use this after using the blades. Use this WHILE using the blades. Leave your blade running when it starts getting hot, spray the back of the blade, and spray the SIDE of the blade while you angle it down to let fur wash out from between the cutting blades. Even if you have multiples of the same blade length (and you should if you're going to make several suits), spray it on the running blade before you turn it off to take the blade off to cool.
This is an alcohol-based cleaner. It dries incredibly fast. I still keep an old washrag in my kit to wipe the blade off, but you can use your jeans or t-shirt as well.
Personally, I find the Oster coolant stinks to high heaven and leaves a residue (they likely have a separate disinfectant). The Wahl one smells pretty bad too, but it's never left a residue for me. This is the least offensive of the ones you're most likely to find in PetSmart/Tractor Supply/etc. I find it's the best value for the money. (They're all about the same price.)
Keep an old tooth brush with your clippers and blades. Use it often to brush fur out of the blade teeth.
If you want to oil your blades, you are best to do this when you are done (never while working because residue). Place 3 drops of oil on the blade, left, center and right, then run the blade for a few seconds. Hold it at an angle to help anything fall out. You can let the oil sit overnight, or you can immediately spray it with the Cool Care (the alcohol will break up the oil). Again, I don't do this myself. Having a dog's face swell up on me like he'd eaten a bee in reaction to an oil-based cleaner made me swear off oiling my blades. I go through a lot of Cool Care in it's place. I also use a mostly ceramic blades now.
If you want to more thoroughly clean the blade, you can disassemble the blade. Remove the two screws on the front, the harp will come off, and you will have a Teflon-like piece on the end of the harp that holds the cutting blade in place fall off somewhere (don't lose this, omg), two screws, your cutting, and your fixed blade. You can brush them off thoroughly at this point. (I don't do this very often. Losing that little Teflon piece means the blade is useless.)
If your blades aren't cutting (dragging, or leaving lines), they likely need to be sharpened. Or they're really gunked up and need to be taken apart and cleaned. If that's not the case, there's a solution in the next answer.
I don't recommend at-home sharpening. You're likely to damage your blades. Go to/call a grooming salon and ask if they have a blade sharpener they recommend. Then go to/call two or three more and get their opinions. I have seen blade sharpening run from $5-$10 (US) a blade. Usually, it's in the $5-$8 range. More than worth it to not replace a blade every time it dulls. Steel blades can only be sharpened a finite amount of times.
Again, you can extend blade life by using ceramic cutting blades.
7: How do I care for my clippers?
Firstly, don't drop them. This is the cause of most clipper problems outside of the one piece you will replace fairly often (more on that in a moment). Dropping clippers can cause the solders on the boards to break. Just... try not to.
There's one piece on the three Andis clippers I linked that needs to replaced fairly often, depending on hoe heavy use they're getting. If all I'm doing is paws, sanitary, and some very light clipping, I can get more use than if I'm doing shave down after shave down. This piece is the Blade Drive Assembly Lever. https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain/catalog/productDetail.jsf?area=&sort=RD&wec-appid=PEDM_WEBSHOP_TR&page=72A214C22827430A9795247F1BF064D6&itemKey=005056A633791ED2B5863B3A43132FB3&show=12&view=grid&wec-locale=en_US
If you have an Andis clipper and your blades are still fairly sharp and you're getting lines, this little bit probably needs to be replaced. On the AGC and the UltraEdge, this is easy. Pop the top of the housing off (it's a separate piece), remove 2 screws, take the old one out, put the new one in, replace screws, replace housing and get back to work. The AG Plus needs the whole back of the housing removed.
Replacing this solves most problems. If there are still lines or your clippers are dragging, you need to sharpen your blades. If your clippers are loud, this can also be the cause.
With faux fur, you will want to keep these around and go ahead and replace it between heads. They're cheap, so just have them on hand.
That is really the thing that breaks on most clippers, unless you're like me and have clippers that are really old and abused. Don't abuse your clippers.
8: *Bonus answer!* Can I finish a suit with hand scissoring?
Yep. Work either with or against the fur's grain, not across (across means choppy). Have scissors JUST for that. Get some nice, sharp, light-weight scissors that move well. If you have to fight to open or close them, your hands will hate you.
Trim where you want to trim, get a comb or brush to fluff it, and trim it again. Repeat as needed until it's smooth. This will be time consuming, clippers to at least rough it out will be useful, but if your clippers break, yeah, you can.
Hold your scissors properly as well. You don't want to death grip, your hands will hate you. You don't want your hands to hate you. The following are pictures and a 2+ minute video of me talking about and demonstrating scissor handling.
(Click on this image to get to the video. At the beginning, I say clipper. I mean shear. My brain went to bed.)
I'll show how choppy it can be going across the grain when I groom my dog next. He'll get to be a "what not to do" model (since he's going to be shaved pretty short again). You can also look at this picture of the Lhasa mix I had growing up, and my mom's attempt to get the hair out of his eyes and shorten his beard. https://www.flickr.com/photos/snowhawk/5791649489/in/photolist-9PMHBF (That dog is a huge reason I became a pet groomer.)
All of my notes from the past years have wandered off. I had some videos previously made, which also wandered off. But I will have more coming, using better equipment than my old MacBook's webcam. If there's anything you have a question about that I missed, don't hesitate to ask. I'll keep a list of questions asked directly under this bit, and a list of edit made under that.
(We need "clippers" and "finishing" tags...)
Added Questions/Answers:
1: Can I buy used A5 clippers?
Yes, just test them before hand to see what condition they're in. Check someplace like Craig's List or ask at a local groomer if they have any used clippers for sale, or know of anyone clearing out equipment.
2: What can I do about fur shavings?
See this Twitter post: https://twitter.com/dub_mutt/status/709434452896845824
If that post ever poofs, I have it mirrored on my Tumblr, since I could never find if dub_mutt has a Tumblr with that post: http://damantru.tumblr.com/post/141059528042/see-here-on-twitter-not-my-pictureidea-it
Edit 1: Added about used/second hand clippers, since I forgot that bit.
Edit 2: Added how to save your lungs.