Best body clippers?

[Hunter_s_Rest]

My old Oster (clipmasters? Loud, blows hair in my face, but great) are on their last leg. I got 3 of 4 hunters blanket-clipped today – just pray I can get the other horse done tomorrow before these dinosaur clippers turn off and just won’t ever turn on again.
Took them to the hardware shop in Marshall, who sent them to their ‘guys’ in Maryland. They kept not turning on when I’d flip the switch, and not really staying on very well - if I sort of squeeze the body they work better, but they’re hiccuping all the time. The guys at the shop sent them back saying they’re too old and that Oster does not make replacement parts anymore etc.
Short story long - I guess I’ll be wanting new clippers before next fall.
I’d love some guidance.
I did a search but found mostly show stables and discussion of smaller clippers, not big body jobs.

1. I’d like them to have withstood test of time - no newbie brands or models.
2. I’d like this to be my last-ever set of clippers
3. Need to be hardy - I rarely bathe before clipping so they need to be tough. I do 4-5 horses 2-3 times a year, and a few outside horses.
4. My dad told me about KK (?) brand that has a clipper head separate from the motor. He says they’re expensive but worth it. Anybody know?
5. I’d like them to be not too expensive.
6. Replacement blades ditto. And able to be sharpened etc. so I can keep costs under control.
7. Clippers go on sale – When? Who? Where?
   Ideas?
   Discuss.

[JSwan]

Hey!

Deltawave raves about her Wahl Lister Stars. I haven’t bought a pair yet but she and a few others swear by them.

I do hunter clips on 3 yaks several times during the season (only 1 hunts but the other two get clipped because I can’t stand the mud and dirt).

These folks swear those clippers are up to that sort of continual clipping.

You could send her a pm or maybe she’ll peek in here from the eventing forum.

[Elghund2]

We have the KK’s you were told about and love them. Their easy to use and handle. We’ve had them for about five years. No problems.

[511]

Have to go with the Wahl also. Would love a set of KK but I have twoclipmasters and three smaller type. I wind up using the small Wahls more than the clipmasters.

[SLW]

Lister Star, hands down. I’ve owned my Listers for four years and they are powerful, reliable and light. I do my three large horses and two Yak coated mini’s throughout the year. Fabulous product.

[Badger]

Absolutely love the Lister Stars. HUGE improvement over the A5s. Easier to use, lighter weight, more efficient, don’t overheat nearly as easily, and they don’t blow hair all over kingdom come (and down your bra), and they’ve held up better. What’s not to love?

[TheBrightSide06]

I have a pair of Andis clippers. They are VERY fast, light weight, strong, durable, and really quiet. I clipped my younger horse for his first time w/ no problem as they were so quiet. They got through clipping him and my old guy, who both closely resembled Chewbacca at the time. They are great!

[mvp]

Laub clippers

Look for these in Schneiders’ catalogue, I think. I think they are as strong as Oster’s big body clippers, but have a different design-- the body of the clipper goes up-- it’s not behind the blade, so you will always have a much easier time moving them around your horses nooks and crannies.

[fatorangehorse]

Laube

check them out. Great!!!

[Hunter_s_Rest]

Oh, most excellent. Nice to wake up to all these recc’s.
Now … where to get them? And when? Surely some shops and catalogs run sales on winter type products like clippers during spring and summer?
Suggetions?
Elghund - maybe I could come down and (finally) see your place and check out your KKs.

[Elghund2]

HR absolutely. Bring your riding gear and we’ll do a ride too.

[CrossRail_Queen]

Double K’s!

I too had the Oster lawnmowers, and kept breaking the springs in them. Plus, they are so loud and heavy and hard to do faces and legs with, and seem to leave clip marks easily. I went for the Double K’s on a friends reccommendation and I really love them. They put a nice clip on a horse and are really quiet. I like to use them with the Andis T-84 blade, it leaves the hair a smidge longer then the standard 10 blade and it looks sharp (plus it’s wider). I clip for lots of folks, and everyone is always fascinated by these clippers as they are so quiet. I’ve also got several Oster a5’s, and a set of Laube’s that I wasn’t very imperssed with. They are powerful, but not as quiet as the DK’s, and they run hot quick (the DK’s never run hot!). I also know a few other people who have the DK’s and love them. I recommend them 100%!

[HillaryH]

I love my Lister/Wahl Star clippers! They are lightweight & easy to use. My horse doesn’t grow a yack-like coat so I can’t speak to the durability aspect.

[Jleegriffith]

I clip several horses a year ranging from thin coated tb’s to yak pony type of hair and the lister star clippers rock. So much better than the Osters!

[rivenoak]

Laube.
Light, quiet, don’t blow hair.
Get the variable speed and then both the rechargable battery packs & the plug-in cord. So versatile.

Mine are purple.

I hate my big Osters. But, they still work, so once in a while they are put to use.

[Tiki]

For those of you who have the Double K’s, do you have - or have experience with - the belt model or the portable model? Any preference? I understand that the clippers themselves are very quiet, but I’m wondering about the motor. Do you have constant noise at the motor on your belt as you move around the horse? For the portables, if you hang them on the wall, is there noise at a fixed point on the wall where the motor is? Trying to understand how these really work as they really sound interesting.

TIA

[Elghund2]

The motor for the belt model is pretty quiet.

[CrossRail_Queen]

belt model DoubleK

I’ve got the belt model, and the noise is minimal, similar to the Oster A5 if you’ve had those. Plus, it’s a variable speed, so you can turn it down for faces and ears. I will say, the stiffness of the cord can take a little getting used to, but after a while you won’t notice it. I just hook the motor part into my pants pocket, I don’t even use the belt. I’ve got a friend with the wall unit and I didn’t like it as much because the cord from the box to the wall unit is so long and awkward. I haven’t met a horse yet that gave me any trouble with these clippers…you’ll love them.

[Nlevie]

Ok - I appreciate this thread because we also have the big noisy Oster Clipmaster and I am looking forward to replacing them with something lighter and easier. But what is the purpose of variable speed ? This is for body clipping mainly. When would you not use the higher speed ?

Thanks

[CrossRail_Queen]

Variable speed

It comes in handy for ears and faces, especially for problem horses, or greenies that have never had it done. Just makes the experience a bit nicer.