It can sometimes feel a little confusing when you are perusing a grooming supply catalog for clipper blades. For instance, some blades from size 7 to 3 ¾ have teeth that, instead of all being the same length, alternate every other tooth from long to shorter. These are known as "skip tooth"blades, and I don't mean to date myself, but those were all that were available when I was a new groomer. I had been grooming for a while before being introduced to "F" or "FC," or finish-cut blades.
The best way to keep your blades sharp and ready for use is to clean and oil them regularly and often. They will stay sharp longer if maintained properly and less likely to cause clipper irritation (commonly called clipper burn but it’s caused by dull or dirty blades or poor clipping technique more often than hot blades – or just by supremely sensitive skin on a dog).
