Hand Shearing

Snow Flake before I sheared her today.  This is her coat that she grew for the past year since her birth.
I bought a used electric shears last fall but still need to buy new blades for it and give it a tune up.  I've always hand sheared my fiber animals since I haven't had shears and don't have very many.  I'm glad I got the electric shears but truth be told I'm a little nervous to use them when they are done being refitted with new blades.  So I ended up getting a new pair of scissors with a spring.  I read on someone's blog that they hand sheared with some and helped keep their hand from being so tired.  So the pic below is not the prettiest but it shows starting on her.  My almost 4 yr old daughter took this picture.  She did a good job.

I like hand shearing and these new scissors with the spring did help tremendously.  She is not ending up smooth and sleek but she will be cooler now.  So every nice day when I'm at home I am going to try to work on one at a time.  Lets see 2 rams, 6 ewes, 3 angora goats, and 2 nigoras (I may be able to just brush them).  So not including the nigoras I have done 1 of 11; 10 more to go!  Not all will be so cooperative at Snow Flake.