Understanding A5 Style Blade Sizes

When it comes to professional pet grooming, choosing the right clipper blade makes all the difference. Among the most widely used options in the grooming industry are A5 style blades. These detachable blades are compatible with many popular clipper brands, making them a versatile and essential tool for groomers. One of the key factors in using A5 blades effectively is understanding their sizes—since each size is designed for a specific coat length, texture, and grooming style.

What Are A5 Style Blades?

A5 style blades follow a standardized system of numbering and sizing, which allows them to be interchangeable across multiple clipper brands such as Furzone, Andis, Heiniger, Wahl, and more. This standardization makes it easy for groomers to switch blades while maintaining consistent results.

How Blade Sizes Work

Each blade size corresponds to the length of coat left behind after clipping. Generally:

• Smaller blade numbers (e.g., #3F, #4F, #5F) leave more coat.

• Larger blade numbers (e.g., #10, #15, #30, #40) cut shorter, leaving less hair behind.

The "F" in some blade sizes stands for “Finish,” meaning the blade leaves a smoother finish compared to skip-tooth blades. Skip-tooth blades, by contrast, are designed to glide through thick, matted, or coarse coats before finishing with a finer blade.

Common A5 Blade Sizes and Their Uses

• #3F Blade (13 mm / 1/2")
  Leaves a longer coat, ideal for summer trims or fluffy styles on larger breeds.

• #4F Blade (9.5 mm / 3/8")
  Great for a neat, even cut on breeds with soft or curly coats.

• #5F Blade (6.3 mm / 1/4")
  Provides a clean finish on medium to long coats, often used on spaniels and retrievers.

• #7F Blade (3.2 mm / 1/8")
  Popular all-rounder blade for short summer cuts, suitable for many breeds.

• #10 Blade (1.6 mm / 1/16")
  A widely used size for sanitary trims, face, and paw pads. Often considered the “default” grooming blade.

• #15 Blade (1.2 mm / 3/64")
  Typically used for closer sanitary work and on sensitive areas.

• #30 Blade (0.5 mm / 1/50")
  Leaves hair extremely short. Commonly used under snap-on combs to control coat length.

• #40 Blade (0.25 mm / 1/100")
  A surgical-grade blade used by veterinarians for pre-surgery prep or extremely close trims.

Choosing the Right Blade

The choice of blade size depends on:

• The breed and coat type of the pet.

• The desired style or cut length.

• Whether you are doing bulk trimming, fine finishing, or close sanitary work.

Groomers often keep a full range of A5 blades in their toolkit to ensure they can handle any coat condition or client request.

Final Thoughts

A5 style blades are the backbone of professional grooming. By understanding the sizing system and knowing which blade to use for each situation, groomers can achieve safe, efficient, and stylish results for every pet.