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Baird'sBears
I'm trying to trim a mink muzzle to reveal the velvety pale undercoat, but I'm having trouble making it smooth.
I've tried hand-clipping and shaving, with and against the direction of growth, and nothing seems to work. 
Any fur-bear artists online? :pray:
Eileen
LuxembearsEileen, Mink is a very tricky fur to trim to get a nice smooth finish. The best thing I can suggest is to use hair cutting scissors..or mustache scissors. This is what I use. The serrated blades grab the fur as you cut. With regular scissors the fur tends to slip.
Also, blow on the fur after you do few snips and shake it . Sounds funny but this will get the fur to lie where it would naturally so you can see where you need to trim. Working in various direction helps too.
Good luck...and I hope this helps.
Posts: 3,540Judi's right, you'll need to get some hair or fur trimming scissors to get the best results. Any other scissors will just leave you completely frustrated.
Personally, I always trim and scissor with the grain if scissoring the top of the muzzle. You won't want to scissor against the grain as you'll end up with a blunt line that takes a bit to blend... if ever.
You can find reasonably priced dog grooming shears in the vet supply catalogs....
Past Time BearsI don't have any suggestions, but will commiserate with you on how hard it is to trim mink! When I was making my sister's mink bear, I nearly went bonkers trying to cut it evenly, so it's no easy task! Good luck!
Ditto what Sue Ann said. Nothing I usually did worked well when tried on mink. It's a bugger! Just be patient and go very slowly. You'll get there.
Ellen, I have nothing more to add, but lots of patience is all that I have found to work. I use regular scissor then trim a bit with a mustache trimmer to get a smoother finish. I'll have to get some of those hari cutting shears. Sounds interesting. I have found that some mink is just more fine / less dense than others and that creates more of a challenge to get those hairs to look even. Good luck, I hope it works out for you. I know how you feel !!!
Baird'sBears Thanks, everybody.
I'm going to look for those scissors and be patient. I am getting a lot of slippage.
Hair by hair by hair. By hair.
Eileen
Winneybears and Friendssnip. snip..hair by hair...yes, I know all about trimming mink...
To clip for LENGTH ....I use 4" Ginghers scissors.... trim with the scissors direction pointed "growing" with the fur.... ...keep the scissors rather flat , do not " dip " into the fur at any time.. ...work only small areas at a time ...first on one side then exactly on the other side. That way you wont get lost. I use a bunka brush or fine tooth comb to gently brush the fur up each time... then snip. snip...a little at a time...brush, snip. brush, snip.....and so on....
For just under the eyes I hold the scissors with the points directed towards the muzzle bridge....but be careful you do not use the whole blade to do one clip...you may cut into the bridge you don't want that....I only clip a little at a time...just under the eyes....
Clipping Mink really takes a lot of THOUGHT and time . I have never used anything but the Ginghers.. .. except once I used the electric scissors and did not like it....I started out doing minimal clipping then later did more...so go slow and stop when you are unsure of what next to do until you figure it out.... Winney
Posts: 3,540As a former dog groomer, I just can't trim a ted without my trusty shears. I've done practically all my trimming with my curved shears...both as a dog groomer and a ted groomer. Although I do use my short straight Fiskars for getting close to the inner eye corners.
You can't got wrong with a decent set of shears, and my $30.00 ones from Fromm did just as well as my extra spendy ones. I use the sharpening tool from Fiskars to self sharpen my own shears, as I've had bad experiences in the past with others messing with my shears!
Have a look here http://www.kvvet.com/KVVet/search_resul … se&GiftID= and here http://www.petedge.com/shopping/product … =2105&AS=1 to get you started.
Trust me, you'll save yourself LOADS of grief and frustration if you use the right tool! 
Baird'sBears
Thanks, Winny and Deb. Great help! :hug:
Winny--I hadn't thought of going side to side, but it really helps . . . works on noses, why not muzzles?
Deb--I've got a few groomers in my general neighborhood, and you've inspired me to pay them a visit. Those shears look well worth the money, for someone who loves working with fur.
I think I've been holding my Fiskars at odd angles, without meaning to, and expecting too much progress too fast. The last minky muzzle I trimmed was smaller, and cut from a section of the fur that had no joins (single pelt piece). The presence of even small pelt seams makes trimming much harder, esp on a curve. Add my own gusset seams, and it's yet harder to trim short.
Thanks, all you great TTers!
Eileen
Winneybears and FriendsThanks Debbie....I was looking for a good person to sharpen my Fiscars...I keep 4 pairs as hair/fur dulls them real fast.
I know a bad sharpner can ruin a good pair... so I have a stone.....I'll do it myself. ....Winney
Baird'sBears Winney,
My favorite alltime maintenance sharpeners are the microabrasive sheets sold at LeeValleyTools. I use them on chisels, scissors, carving knives, and razor blades. Mounted on the right shape, or a base at the right angle, they're very easy and accurate. I find that stones take off too much steel.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx … at=1,43072
Eileen
Matilda Huggington-beareEileen, when I trimmed the seams of the mink I used for my latest bear I found the moustache trimmers took the pelt right off down to the leather. I suggest that when you try this with trimmers that you keep the comb attachments on. To determine the lenght of the pile left on the muzzle. Good luck, dont envy you one bit. 
regards Matilda
Back Road BearsSee, this is one of the major reasons I quit doing fur bears.... the mink ones are buggers!!!
Eileen, I sympathize with you more than you can ever imagine!! :hug: :hug: :hug:
Baird'sBears
Do I ever appreciate all your sympathy! But I'm forging on, after I finish tutoring today.
I did experiment with the moustache trimmer, and got the same result--bald. It's find for trimming seam allowances, but I can't imagine that it leaves much of a moustache behind. 
Anyway, I tried my larger hair clippers with the deepest comb attached, and I'm working down to about 1/4" of pile.
I tried something new (for me). I used ShowSheen on the fur, brushed it the wrong way, against the direction of growth, and let it dry. The clippers worked much better. One of my problems seems to be that the mink undercoat is so fine and hard to grab.
Eileen
Winneybears and FriendsYup... Hmm, I haven't tried the Show Sheen.... only to clean the top layers of the fur after I am done....
Try the 3/8" attachment, that works for me if I ever use a shaver. Its great for just doing the mid section of the muzzle just to take it down a bit....then I continue with the scissors free hand. The best teacher is PRACTICE....no one gets away with it easily when it come to mink...he, he...Winney
Thank you, Debbie, for the great links...I need some new shears. My favorite shears were purchased at a dog show. But I have never tried sharpening my own but maybe I will give it a try.
I agree with all of the mink trimming tips given so far. I start with my barber shears and finish with my little mustache scissors...no special tricks, just a slow and steady hand and a ton of patience.
Winneybears and FriendsKathy Myers !!!! I did not know you had joined here...welcome !!! I absolutly love your bears ! I met you some years ago when I lived in Anaheim and I went to my first show " Ceramic, Doll and Teddy Bear Show " right across from Disneyland. Your booth was in the very first row after getting in the door. I was so shocked....you only had a few bears left...they said you sold out within 30 min,. after the show opened ...
I had just started making mink bears....so that was a real treat seeing your in the fur ...and your workman ship is perfectly wonderful.... Winney
Posts: 3,540:clap: BEAUTIFUL bear, Kathy!!!! :clap: I'm glad my links and little bit of advice has helped....but, just to clarify what I'm doing...
When I sharpen my grooming shears, I use this tool http://www.dickblick.com/zz570/15/ I have two or three of them, as they came with sets of Fiskar shears that I bought yonks ago..at Costco I believe it was. Its the ONLY tool I have EVER used to sharpen my grooming shears!!!! I just wanted to make that ultimately clear, as I've only used a sharpening stone for pocket knives (and I do them badly according to my husband 
)
With this little dandy tool, you slide the lower blade through the opening, and then you open and close the scissors making a 'cutting' action over the white recessed stones. After about three 'cuts' stop and test them...and mind your fingers!! I used mine all the time in my grooming shop because some of the different breeds were exceptionally rough on grooming shears, dulling them in no time flat....cockers, springers and lhasas spring to mind.
This one's sold via Dick's art supplies, so perhaps you can also find them at different crafting stores? If nothing else, I do see them still in the sets of Fiskar shears. We have the scissors all over the house, so makes it worth having the sharpening tool, too....
Hi Loretta! Thanks so much. It's nice to reconnect. I love Teddy Talk and I try to check in often but I don't always talk...but this question was right up my alley.
Yeah, I've been in the business so long I feel like I'm as old as dirt...but I still love it and I'm learning everyday. I've gotten a lot of great new tips here on Teddy Talk.
I was truly blessed with great collectors when I was doing shows and I actually remember one show where I sold out before the show even opened. How did that happen? All my bears were adopted by other artists. How cool is that!!!
Bear Hugs to you and everyone else,
Kathy Myers
Hi Debbie,
Thanks for the extra instruction. I actually have that Fiskars sharpening tool but I forget to use it. I'll try it on my paper scissors for sure.
I would love your advise on which hair shears would be good to add to my collection.
~Kathy
LuxembearsKathy, Your bears inspired me when I first started making bears from real fur in 1999. Working wit mink is such a challenge and not only have you totally mastered it you even do tiny mink bears....which is so much more of a challenge... WOW..Amazing :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: You are one talented lady. 
Wow, Judi. Thank you!!! The admiration is mutual. I am so proud to know that I was considered an inspiration to such a talented artist.
To be honest, I envy your airbrushing skills. I took a class way back before I even started making bears and I wish I had continued. I think that you will be my inspiration because I am seriously thinking about taking another airbrushing class. :hug: ~Kathy
Winneybears and FriendsMe too...I want to get some real fur trimming scissors..... In my post above I said " Fiscars" which is wrong ...I only use to 4'" Ginghers...they are really sharp and have very sharp points that can break off easily..but any scissors gets dull real fast with real hair , probably fur too.
I bought a Gingher stone and in reading the directions it says to only sharpen one side of the blade....gotta go get it...for all of you who want to know how to sharpen your scissors with a stone or if you lost your directions....OK, its says....
Only one blade is ground with a knife edge...learn to recognize it and respect it. The blade can be resharpened in SECONDS by honing firmly witha fine grit whetstone or sharpening stone in the manner shown ...
They hold the scissors OPEN and upside down with what looks like the larger thicker blade pointed towards them...then the stone is placed flat along the side ( that blades angle ) facing them. Then they say...
CAUTION : All honing must be done on the OUTSIDE BEVEL SURFACE OF THE KNIFE EDGE ( the inside surface must not be disturbed) . ( same thing as I already said above ).Grasp scissors or shears firmly , hold sharpening stone against the outside bevel surface of the knife edge AT THE STEEPEST ANGLE which will permit contact with the extreme edge. With firm UPWARD STROKES hone the edge, working from the tip of the blade to the shank with OVERLAPPING STROKES .
Proper honing will create a continuous burr along the INSIDE CUTTING EDGE which can be removed by simply closing the blades.( but not over your fruit salad, ha ). It is important that the inside surfaces of BOTH BLADES be wiped clean before futher use.
The blade bearing the Gingher trademark is ground with a conventional edge ( what's that ? the usual thing ?) so
it therefore should, ned not ,nor should not be honed.
Ask for Ginger sharpening GS stone for sharpening stone for scissors or shears.
Notice that the directions say you can re sharpen in SECONDS...and my hubby says do not bear down on the stone/ scissors like an Amazon woman or man... any more then just firm contact is what takes the steel off too much...let the simple honing do the work for you.
I think I can handle sharpening my own scissors instead of paying $7. per shears...heck we learn to do everything else why not this ?....LOL.... gotta get some doggie shears that grab the mink...so what kind ?..... Winney
Posts: 3,540...sorry ladies, I've been busy this afternoon working on my swap bear
Okee dokee... what's worked beautifully for me whilst dog grooming and ted grooming have been my trusty Andre Tisserande 6.5" curved with ball point. I've had these ...eeek since '94 and they're still going strong. I've done some looking on the internet, and found they're getting harder to find. I did find a pair here http://newedgesharpening.com/shears.html#atc Scroll down, they're number 312017.
I've also used Double Duck, Fromm and Miller's Forge
http://www.petedge.com/shopping/product … =2405&AS=1
http://www.petedge.com/shopping/product … D=124&AS=1
http://www.petedge.com/shopping/product … =2105&AS=1
I learned to groom with mostly the curved shears. Oh I still had my straight shears, but to be honest, I was so scared that one of my dogs was going to hurt themselves with the straight shears. Dogs are 'moving targets' at best, and I truly treasured the ball point on my curved shears. Besides, one thing you will come to treasure is the fact that a round shape is so much easier to create with curved shears. All those years of trimming pompons and poodle heads makes it easier for me to 'see' a chubby cheek on a teddy's face.
Its also interesting to note that the curved shears come in different sizes, so you might find it even easier to trim your mini teds with a 4 inch shear http://www.petedge.com/shopping/product … =2101&AS=1
You'll have to play around and find if the finger rests work for you or not. I had them on one pair and had to send them back, as my fingers would NOT accept that extra bit of scissor...simply got in the way...but it'll be up to you to see what's comfortable for you hand. Each person's different.
Also....scraps, and PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE on scraps until you're comfortable with your new shears. If you feel the shears are a bit tight, and your hand is getting tired as you scissor, there is a screw on the shears (the only one there!) that you can take and loosen a touch so that its comfortable for you.
I've ordered from Petedge (used to be called New England Serum Company), and KV Vet Supply for years. Both are wonderful and fast to order from. And if you have pets, KV Vet has all sorts of great things for sale!
And lastly, I think its an honor you gals are asking me which shears I love to use the most!!! 
:hug: Happy scissoring!!! :hug:
