# Sheering HELP



## Drk_wlf (Apr 29, 2011)

Ok I need to get my shetlands sheered but I am having no luck finding anyone to do it. I don't care about keeping the wool, so could I just start hacking away at them with a pair of scissors? 

I just need to get the stuff off them before they get fly strike or something.


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## aggieterpkatie (Apr 29, 2011)

You will want to cut your hand off if you start hacking away at wool with scissors.  Seriously.  Can you afford to buy a pair of clippers and do it yourself?  Something like these ?   It really would pay for itself in several years if you plan on keeping sheep for a while.  

If you can't invest in a pair of clippers or a shearing machine, you can handshear them with handshears.  That is also a long process but it can be done.  You have to be careful not to cut the skin, which can be easy to do when you're trying to clip closely.


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## Drk_wlf (Apr 29, 2011)

That's why I figured I would use scissors, it may take FOREVER but I would be less likely to cut them then with hand shears. While I would love to by a nice pair of sheers like those it just isn't in my budget right now. 

I had 2 people email me in responce to a craigslist ad I posted saying they knew a sheerer and then asked if I wanted to sell my shetlands. I said no thanks can I get the info for the sheerer you use and they never got back to me. 

I don't know how much a sheerer costs but for only 2 small sheep I figured it would be cheeper then buying the sheers.

I plan on keeping sheep, but I'm not getting anymore then the two shetlands. I love them to bits but I just don't want to deal with wool so I'm going to get more hair sheep.


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## patandchickens (Apr 29, 2011)

I am not sure you'd be a lot less likely to cut them with scissors than with hand shears. Fundamentally the problem is that it can be hard, especially on some sheep, to see where the wool ends and the sheep begins. 

You can certainly *try* it with scissors. There is no law that says you gotta shear the whole sheep in one day so you could do it on the installment plan if your hand starts to fall off.

Last spring I did my two shetlands with hand shears, there is a thread on it somewhere if you want to search back but IIRC it took like 30 min per sheep maybe? I tipped them for a little bit of it but most of it was done with them either laying on their side or tummy, or standing. (The ram, in particular, once he figured out that I was turning on the air conditioning, was VERY cooperative )  I did not do a professional job, if you find that thread you will see they appear to have been sheared by a swarm of hungry moths, but the fleece came off in one piece and my handspinner m-i-l said it was perfectly fine and in fact I have a nice little scarf she knitted me from the ram and gave me for xmas 

If you want efficient, though, you'd be better off biting the bullet and buying a used set of electric clippers, even if it is just GOOD QUALITY horse clippers that should be ok for just 2 sheep, or finding someone you can borrow them from.

Lotsa luck getting someone to come shear two sheep, unless you want to empty out your bank account 

Good luck, have fun,

Pat


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## aggieterpkatie (Apr 29, 2011)

I do think hand shears would be better than scissors, for sure.  The main thing to remember when using hand shears is to NOT pull the wool.  You'd think pulling the wool and cutting at the bottom would make it easier, but that's what pulls the skin up and gets it cut.  This is kinda hard to explain, but I'll try.  When you use the hand shears, insert them in the wool and clip.  So each time you're only clipping a narrow but long row.  You can get pretty close and do a pretty good job that way, but you'll need nice sharp shears.  

I recently sent in my combs and cutter for my shearing machine.  I was thinking of just hiring someone to do it this year since I didn't want to wait to have them done.  I called 2 people and the price was about the same....$50 for 2 sheep.  No thank you!  I finally sent in 3 combs and a cutter to be sharpened and it was $14.50.


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## aggieterpkatie (Apr 29, 2011)

I just looked at Plattsburgh on a map.  I have friends w/ a sheep farm in the NEK of VT, so I emailed them to see if they have any info on shearers.  I'll let you know if they do!


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## Drk_wlf (Apr 29, 2011)

aggieterpkatie said:
			
		

> I just looked at Plattsburgh on a map.  I have friends w/ a sheep farm in the NEK of VT, so I emailed them to see if they have any info on shearers.  I'll let you know if they do!


Thank You! I know there is a ton of shearers in VT but most of them won't travel to NY just to do 2 sheep.


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## The Old Ram-Australia (May 1, 2011)

G'day, if you decide on the scissors option,get yourself a pair of "dressmakers shears",they are really sharp and the blades are strong enough to snip the wool without distorting,but they will not be cheap but may be easier to handle than wool hand shears.

Good Luck,hope the above is of some value...................T.O.R........................


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## TheSheepGirl (May 17, 2011)

I will be sheering today with a nice set of titanium, non-stick, 8 inch, scissors from Wescott. They were 8.99. Should be no problem with my small sheep and Shetlands are a breeze. 

Last year we sheared the llama with a pair of scissors.


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## TheSheepGirl (May 26, 2011)

I got one sheep shorn. it took about 20 minutes all together and I had no blisters, just a small sore spot on my thumb. Ninja, my other ewe, will be shorn soon. It was not nearly as bad as I assumed it would be. Just had one little nick, but other than that no problems and she doesn't look half bad considering. It will be grown out enough by the Fair that i can even it up a little more.

I cut the entire portion of clean and usable wool, from half way down the belly up, into the actual fleece. Mostly so that I had less to skirt later. This portion I trimmed while she was standing in the stanchion and I just rolled it up toward her head as I trimmed. I then laid her down on her side on a bed sheet to trim the belly wool and legs. Sheep just laid there and ate a bit of alfalfa I placed by her head. 

My scissors are still super sharp even after shearing an entire small sheep. When they said lifetime guarantee, they meant it.


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## Drk_wlf (May 26, 2011)

Because my town STINKS! (wanted to use a much worse word ) we decided to move. I'm still stuck in Plattsburgh  but all of my animals are now living at my husband's aunts until we can purchase a property around Erie, PA (where my husband is now working). Luckily our aunt's neighbors have sheep and he put us in contact with a man who sheared both of ours for $50. So problem solved. Thanks for all the advice!


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