A5 10# Blade
The 10# Blade — 1.5mm, the Cut Every Other A5 Blade Is Measured Against
Ask for a close clip in any yard and the number that comes back is 10. It is the blade most A5 clippers are sold with already fitted, the length other blades are described relative to, and the cut at which a horse is considered properly clipped out: 1.5 mm, or 1/16 inch. That makes the 10# less of a specialist blade and more of the reference the rest of the A5 range is built around — and the one blade a dealer can sell to a show yard, a veterinary practice and a riding school in the same week.
10# 1.5 mm A5 blade. Full-tooth stainless steel comb, sold as a pair with a ceramic or stainless steel cutter.
Why the 10# is the number everyone already owns
Blade numbers are not a ranking of quality; they are a hair length. The 10# happens to sit on the line where grooming stops being tidying and becomes clipping, which is why it became the industry's yardstick:
- It is the blade in the box. Andis AGC, Oster A5 and Wahl KM clippers are commonly supplied with a 10# fitted, so most buyers already run one before they buy any other size.
- It is the reference length. Groomers describe a clip as "a 10# clip" or "half a millimetre off a 10#" — every other blade in the range is positioned by how much longer it leaves the coat.
- It is the definition of clipped out. A horse clipped for show, for work or for welfare is normally taken down to this length across the body, with the longer blades reserved for the parts that keep their coat.
- It is the veterinary default. Surgical sites, scan sites and wound margins are prepared with a 10#, so the blade has to be sharp, flat and free of burrs.
One blade, several lengths. A standard 10# comb is a full-tooth finish comb. A 10# cutter is also sold on its own, so a yard that keeps a spare cutter and a spare comb can keep one blade in service across a whole season instead of buying complete sets.
Where a 10# actually goes on a horse
The blade is short, so it is used where the coat has to go — and left off where the horse needs cover. In practice that means these areas:
| Area | What the 10# is doing there |
|---|
| Bridle path and poll | Hair taken off where the headpiece sits, so the bridle lies flat and the mane line stays tidy. |
| Muzzle, jaw and cheeks | Short, clean finish around the nose and jaw, where longer blades leave a shadow in photographs. |
| Inside the ear and around the ear base | Close work with a narrow blade that will sit flat where a wide one will not. |
| Body — full show or hunter clip | A complete body pass at 1.5 mm on horses in work: the outline that judges and buyers read first. |
| Legs, knees, hocks and heels | Clipped out to the skin so mud and bedding fall away and legs dry quickly after work. |
| Mane | Hogged or taken short where the discipline calls for it, worked in the direction of growth in short passes. |
| Patterns and marks | Straight lines, quarter marks, breed and stable marks — all of which need a blade that cuts to the skin without drifting. |
| Veterinary preparation | Clean coat around a wound, a scan or a surgical site, where a nick is not acceptable. |
Where 1.5mm sits in the A5 system
The A5 range is easier to understand as three working zones rather than one long list. The 10# is the last blade of the shave zone and the first blade a buyer is likely to own:
| Zone | Blades and lengths | What the zone is for |
|---|
| Shave zone | #40 (0.25 mm), #30 (0.5 mm), #15 (1.2 mm), #10 (1.5 mm) | Skin-close work: surgical prep, patterns, faces and ears, and the body of a show clip |
| Close zone | 9# (2 mm), #8.5 (2.4 mm), 7F / 7FW (3.2 mm) | Finishing the head and legs, blending a body pass, leaving a little cover on thin skin |
| Body zone | 5F / 5FW (6.3 mm), 4F / 4FW (9.5 mm), 3F / 3FW (13 mm) | Blanket, hunter and trace clips and full clips on horses that still live out |
Read across that table and the trade-off is clear: the further into the shave zone a buyer goes, the less coat is left and the more the blade depends on a clean coat, a steady hand and a correctly tensioned head. The 10# is the shortest blade most yards need, and the point past which only a #15, #30 or #40 makes sense — all of them blades for detail work, not for a horse's body.
What a 10# is not for
- Horses living out in cold weather. 1.5 mm leaves almost no cover; a body clip at this length belongs to horses that are stabled, rugged and in work.
- Dirty, matted or wet coats. The cutter cannot feed through grit or felted hair and will dull or chip. Wash, dry and brush out first.
- Nervous horses on thin skin. There is no margin for a slip. Where a finish is wanted without the risk, the 9# at 2 mm does the same job with half a millimetre of protection.
- Oster 76 and livestock shears. Those use a larger blade system and will not take an A5 blade.
Two pieces, sold as one pair
An A5 blade is not a single part. Every 10# leaves the factory as a matched pair: the lower comb, which guides the hair and controls the length, and the upper cutter, which oscillates and does the cutting. The comb is stainless steel on every pair — ground, hardened and matched to the 1.5 mm height — and it is not a choice. The cutter is: 18-teeth ceramic, 25-teeth ceramic or 22-teeth stainless steel, all fitting the same comb.
| Lower comb | Full-tooth stainless steel, 1.5 mm height, standard on every pair |
|---|
| Upper cutter — stainless | 22 teeth, the original specification: toughest edge, lowest replacement cost, best in coarse or dirty coat |
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| Upper cutter — ceramic | 18 or 25 teeth, runs cooler and stays sharp longer in clean coat, which is why it suits long body passes and thin-skinned horses |
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| Why it matters | A pair that is refreshed with a new cutter keeps its original comb and cutting height, so a yard can run one blade for years |
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Cutter options for the 10#. 22-teeth stainless steel, 18-teeth ceramic and 25-teeth ceramic cutters — all fitted to the same 1.5 mm stainless steel comb.
Specifications
| Blade system | A5 detachable, two-piece (comb + cutter), full tooth |
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| Model | 10# |
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| Cutting height | 1.5 mm (1/16″) |
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| Zone | Shave zone — shortest blade of the standard A5 working range |
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| Supplied as | One pair: 1 upper cutter + 1 lower comb, packed together |
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| Lower comb | Full-tooth stainless steel (standard on every pair) |
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| Upper cutter options | 22-teeth stainless steel, 18-teeth ceramic, 25-teeth ceramic |
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| Compatibility | Andis, Oster, Wahl and Heiniger A5 clipper heads |
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| Typical use | Full show clips, bridle path, muzzle, ears, clipped-out legs, hogged manes, patterns, surgical prep |
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| Packaging | 100 pcs / 1 carton; carton size 38×23×27 cm; N.W./G.W. 7/8 kg |
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Fits the A5 clipper head
The blade is machined to A5 dimensions — hinge slot, mounting rail, cutter fork and tension point — so it seats on the heads the main brands have supported for years:
- Andis: AGC, AGC2, UltraEdge and Super 2-Speed
- Oster: A5, Golden A5 and Turbo A5
- Wahl: KM2, KM5, KM10 and Show Pro
- Heiniger: A5-compatible models such as Saphir
A 10# runs closer to the skin than any other blade in a normal kit, so preparation decides the result. Clip a clean, dry coat, set the tension before the first pass, keep the blade flat and let it cut at its own speed instead of pushing, oil every ten minutes of running time, and wash the comb out between horses. A blunt or over-tensioned 10# is what leaves tram lines in an otherwise good clip. Sample oil sachets can be packed with the blades on request.
The wider FOLK blade programme
The 10# is one blade in a range built for the three head systems distributors meet most often: the A5 platform, the A-Series for Lister-type clippers and the H-Series for Heiniger-type clippers. A dealer who stocks the shave-zone blades and the body-zone blades from one supplier can cover a whole clipping season without splitting orders across brands.
The A5 range. Shave-zone blades (40#, 30#, 15#, 10#) through the 9# at 2 mm and the 7F and 7FW at 3.2 mm, up to the 13 mm 3F — with wide FW versions for faster coverage.
Wholesale, OEM and packaging
Ningbo FOLK Tools is a professional animal clipper factory in Yuyao, Zhejiang, producing electric sheep shears, horse clippers, livestock clippers, replacement blades and blower dryers. The 10# is ground and hardened in our own plant, packed 100 pcs to a carton, and can be supplied with your logo on the blade, your own blister card or as a bulk carton for distributors who pack locally. Cutters, springs, combs and other spare parts ship separately so equine grooming retailers can support after-sales properly.
| Minimum order | 100 pcs (each piece is one matched pair of cutter + comb) |
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| Packaging | 100 pcs / 1 carton; 38×23×27 cm; N.W./G.W. 7/8 kg |
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| Delivery time | 7–15 days for stock blades; artwork approval and printing add time for private label |
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| Supply ability | 50,000 pcs per month |
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| Payment terms | T/T, L/C, Western Union |
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| Certification | ISO, BSCI, GS, CE, CB, ROHS, UL, ETL |
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Frequently asked questions
Why does a 10# come with the clipper?
Because 1.5 mm is the length most clipping work is done at. Manufacturers fit a 10# so the machine is usable out of the box for a body clip, head work and leg work, and buyers then add longer blades for the parts of the horse that keep their coat.
Can one 10# clip a whole horse?
Yes — a full body clip can be done with a 10# alone. Most professional clips are a mix: body pass with a 10#, then the same blade for the head and legs, with a 5F or 4F used instead where the horse keeps more coat.
Is a 10# too short for a horse living out?
It leaves only 1.5 mm, so it suits stabled, rugged horses in work. Horses living out through winter are usually clipped with a 5F, 4F or 3F, or given a blanket or trace clip.
What is the difference between a 10# and a 15#?
The #15 cuts to about 1.2 mm and the 10# to 1.5 mm. The 10# is the working length; the #15 is a detail blade for patterns, lines and very close finishing.
How is the 10# supplied — a blade or a pair?
As a pair: one upper cutter plus one lower comb, packed together as a single piece. The comb is always stainless steel; the cutter is chosen in ceramic or stainless steel.
Which cutter should I choose?
Ceramic for long body passes where heat builds up and for thin-skinned horses; stainless steel for coarse or dirty coats and the lowest replacement cost. All three cutters fit the same 10# comb.
Will it fit my clipper?
If the clipper uses the A5 detachable system, yes. Andis AGC series, Oster A5 series, Wahl KM series and A5-compatible Heiniger models are supported. The Oster 76 series and livestock shears are not A5.
Can I order private-label packaging?
Yes. Logo on the blade, custom blister card and bulk carton are available. Minimum order is 100 pcs, with artwork approval before production.
Stock the blade that defines the clip
Ask Ningbo FOLK Tools for a sample, the A5 zone chart and a wholesale quotation for the 10# 1.5 mm pair — stainless steel comb, your choice of ceramic or stainless steel cutter, and your own branding.
Contact Ningbo FOLK Tools →
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