Do you wonder how to get those leg and neck lines just right when doing a lion cut? It is a common struggle amongst groomers. I've seen some generally nice looking lion cuts done by others in the past, but they are missing the mark on the lines at the leg and neck edges. The end result is a messy over all finish - not so good for the groomer as the work looks sloppy and unprofessional.
As we near the end of our first year here at the cat grooming school, I have learned that the set and define technique for creating nice lines is one of the things we end up going over repeatedly. Why? Probably because it's hard. But also because it is a strange way of doing things for those that have been dog groomers all along.
To simplify the process and break it down into a workable plan that is easier to remember, I've tagged it the "set and define" process. The demonstration and explanation of "set and define" is making it easier for the students to grasp this concept and then learn to perform it to purr-fection.
demonstration of lines at foreleg, rear leg, neck, and tail pom
How do you set and define those lines?
Set - Shave with the growth of hair at the leg or tail line, using the edge of the clipper blade (#10) to set the placement of the line.
Define - Turn clipper around and shave against the growth of hair, cutting a perfectly smooth edge between the shaved area and the area that is not shaved. The goal would be to have smooth shaved skin that meets up neatly with non-cut hair. No "in-betweens" allowed as they will obscure the line and make the over all finish look messy.
Want to see this in action? Enroll in the school. We do a LOT of "setting and defining" on all sorts of cats. And we keep doing it until it's done right! After all, cats deserve quality grooming too!
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