My beautiful friends, how do you feel about 5 in 1's?

[annlei]

I've been wanting to get some bravura's but all my coworkers that have had a 5 in 1 blade hate them. We can't find any good sharpeners in the area, we've tried them all. My coworkers have said when they get them sharpened they don't work as well. What are your thoughts? I've also thought about sending my blades somewhere but I've been nervous about them getting lost or damaged in shipping. I'm using store smaller corded Clippers for everything I'd use a bravura for and I'm sick of the cord!

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@annlei Send your stuff off to Ryan's in Arizona. They are trained from the manufactures of clippers and blades. They are legit, I use them myself and have been to the warehouse when I lived in AZ. It does take time so your best off sending some and keeping some to use for work still.

5 in 1 are nice for small dogs but they do go downhill quick. Instead of trying to sharpen them, your better off buying a new 5in 1 blade (not the whole clipper, just the blade). Also I only use them for pads, eyes and sanitary.

 

[seeingbabylon]

@annlei I love my bravura but I only use it on clean (washed) feet, sani's, and faces - otherwise the blade dulls faster than you can finish the dog. It is a game changer for clean feet/faces though, I hate using my regular clippers for those now.

 

[strings51415]

@seeingbabylon Same!

 

[thankfullness]

@annlei I have the wahl arco and I love it. I have about 3 blades for it so I rotate them and keep them cleaned well so they last a bit longer.

 

[strings51415]

@annlei I LOVE my bravura’s (& my chromado) in my experience people who don’t like them aren’t great at coat prep (getting super clean & drying properly!) I did full body clips with mine for over a year before I bought my Opal & I still use it for itty bitty dogs, puppy’s & sound sensitive dogs.

Get the bravura it’s amazing! As far as Sharpening I use Frank Southall who is the in-house sharpener for The Groomers Mall. I’ve also heard you can mail them directly to whal as well.

DO NOT buy blades off Amazon you will get crappy knock offs 90% of the time. Buy them from a legit groomer supply company directly (like The Groomers Mall)

 

[carl78]

@strings51415 I use my bravura and snap on combs for almost all my small breed grooms (aside from shave downs, I use my "regulars" for that.) If I use nothing but my bravura (I have two sets so charging isn't a big deal) for a few days, I'm floored at how freaking heavy my "lightweight regular" clippers are.

About 20 years ago I had a clipper I really liked that was the size/shape of a "regular" set, but had a huge, heavy battery pack so you didn't have to mess with the cord. Those things were HEAVY.

 

[kuurt]

@annlei For dogs, I only really use my 5-in-1s on clean faces/clean feet. Also if a dog is getting a 10 all over because I think they cut smoother than a regular 10 blade.

For cats, I use them for all shaving needs.

The bravuras are super nice. I have one of those, looking to get another (mine is used with a clipper vac so the attachment gets annoying if I don't want to use it).

I also have the creativa and I like them EXCEPT the battery is often loose because of how the clippers are curved. But that makes me not grab them unless I forgot to shave a butt or paw and don't feel like switching my blade back to a 10. It can get really annoying.

 

[yakdip]

@annlei Love them for clean faces and feet and sanitariums BUT they dull so dang fast no matter what you do. I got tired of buying new blades and sending the others off I haven’t used my bravura’s one over a year they just sit in the drawer now

 

[widower]

@annlei I have the kenchii 5in1. The good thing about them is that the blades are disposable and you can send them back to be recycled and get a small discount on a new one .

 

[dinhthaihoang]

@annlei You don’t sharpen 5 in 1 you have to replace them.

 

[amy15]

@annlei Hate hate hate them. 1 blade lasted me all of 1 month and I was only doing paw pads and sanis.

 

[greycat]

@annlei i would get the kenchii flash clippers if you’re afraid of getting blades sharpened. they have individual blades but instead of getting them sharpened, you can either throw it away or send the blades back to kenchii to be recycled when you’re done with them.

i’m sure there are other clippers like this but the kenchii flash is the only one i have personally used. and i love the way my grooms look when i use them.

 

[killuminati17]

@annlei I absolutely love mine! Use them daily, they’re awesome with the guard comb set you can get for them (the metal set, not the plastic combs they come with). I will do a whole small dog with them. Also the typical uses for them of clean feet/faces, sanis, pads, etc. (doing dirty sanis and pads will severely shorten the lifespan of the blades just like typical blades)

There are some tricks to keeping the blades working as long as possible, like swiping a business card between the cutting surfaces to remove trapped debris causing poor cutting performance.

Sharpening isn’t really a thing for these blades, but some sharpeners will “refurbish” them, though I find it’s honestly easier to just get a new blade. I just watch prices often and snatch any I ever find on sale.

ETA: There are different kinds of blades for these, I don’t really find much difference in how long the normal blades last compared to the “diamond” ones.

 

[brandilynn17]

@annlei I'm obsessed with mine! Everyone in my shop is a bravura. Most sharpeners will not sharpen them though. We all have a bunch of backup blades, and once per year we put them all in a box and send them off to andis for sharpening. They sharpen them or replace the ones that can't be sharpened, and then we divide them up again when we get them back.

They're mostly intended to be used for detail work, so I use mine on clean dogs only. I do face, feet, and sanitary trims with them and it really helps to not have to change a blade on my regular clippers. I also love to use the 40 blade for skimming, which I do a ton.

 

[vvmyrss2013]

@annlei Love my bravura. I learned to buy a years worth of blade at once, you can go through one a month or one can randomly last three. You never know. Overall a small expense to have a nice smooth clip

 

[mariamelody]

@annlei 5-in-ones are nice to have. They making doing pads, sani, clean face, and clean feet so much easier. It’s also nice to use to get places like in between the eyes.

 

[cathya]

@annlei I can’t live without mine just don’t get the Arco. The clipper (nothing wrong with blades or batteries) dies in like a year.

And all my local sharpeners will do the 5-in-1 blades they just charge extra. Which I am willing to pay.

 

[rickyd213]

@annlei I use Heinigers Opal. But for as cheaper option you can go with the sapphires they are just as good and really quiet. Cordless as well!

 

[annlei]

@rickyd213 I have the saphir and they're super loud. I contacted the company and they said they were fine and were also very rude. But they're loud enough I have to turn them off to hear my coworkers talk to me. I've had them just over a year and the motor is already failing.