Hi All, New here and I have a 13 month old Border and he needs stripping - he currently looks like a mop with eyes! I know that he shouldn't ever be clipped but is hand stripping an absolute necessity or could I use a blunt stripping knife? I'm asking because a parlour I took him to professed to do hand stripping but then talked about clipping, so I wasn't impressed and I'll do it myself if I can. Thanks for any replies!
You will probably find videos on YouTube. The purists used to hand strip using chalk or rubber finger grips, but as long as the coat is truly on the blow I'm sure you will find a blunt knife quicker and easier. Don't try to pinch too much at a time, and finish off with a light scrape in the direction that the coat grows. Using a clipper will lead to the coat becoming thicker and softer - and is best avoided completely.
My girl is a blue and tan border terrier and like so many with that colouring, her coat has always been soft. In the end, with the coat not showing any signs of blowing, we decided clipping was the way forward with her.
