All dog grooming scissors feature one of two essential tension systems for easy, adjustable tension.
What do the Tension Screws or Adjusters look like?
The pair of images displayed below illustrate the raised screw and the flat tension screw;
The Raised Adjuster
This system generally consists of 5 components, the barrel, a white washer, a silver washer, a copper washer, and the jewelled screw top. The screw of this system rests on top of the blade and is easily accessible to adjust when necessary.
Whilst this system is very popular, having the screw raised can cause potential issues such as ‘snagging the coat’ or losing the tension if knocked by a dog or falls off the grooming table.
How are the components positioned?
The barrel of this system fits through both blades and sits comfortably through the top blade. The silver washer, which is shaped like a bowl must be placed facing downwards onto the tip of the barrel, followed by the copper washer. The copper washer has a notch and when placed on top of the silver washer, this must be placed facing downwards.
Once in place, the jewelled screw will then fit through both washers and directly into the barrel. The notch on the copper washer will now fit into the groves on the bottom of the jewelled screw and a clicking can be heard and felt, as the screw is turned to the right or left.
The Flat Adjuster.
Like the Raised Tension System, this system consists of a barrel, a white washer, a copper washer, and a flat tension screw. The differences, however, are the length of the barrel and the tension screw itself. The barrel's length is shorter compared to the barrel in the Raised Tension System and the screw itself sits inside the top blade. This design enables the tension system to remain at the correct tension for a longer period.
How are the components positioned?
Once the barrel is sitting through both blades, the top of the barrel will not protrude through the top blade. The copper washer is then placed into the top blade and over the tip of the barrel. The flat tension screw is then placed over the tip of the barrel and wound into place with a tension key.
Like the raised screw system, the notch of the copper washer fits into the groves of the underside of the screw and once turned, the dog groomer will hear the sound and feel the screw clicking.
What is the Tension Key?
The tension key is a universally designed tool which can be used on all makes and models of dog grooming scissors with the flat tension screw. This tool allows the dog groomer to manually adjust the tension of the scissor to ensure that it is set correctly.
Conclusion
When positioned correctly, either tension system of a dog grooming scissor will help maintain the scissor’s correct tension and with the tension adjuster, the dog groomer can adjust the tension as and when it is needed. For information on how to check and adjust the scissor's tension, please click here.