What's the difference between FC and ST blades?

Blades come in 2 types, FC or ST. ST means Skip Tooth. F or FC means Finish Cut or Fine Cut. F and FC mean the same thing (so a 7F and a 7FC mean the same). Shorter blades (listed below) are always FC, so you won't often see F or FC in the blade name. For blades longer than a 10 (listed below), look for either ST or FC in the blade name, or the blade description. If a blade does not say FC or ST, look at the teeth (photo below) to double-check.

Which blades come in both FC and ST?

Blade sizes longer than a 10 (9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3) come in both ST and FC.

Blades sizes 10 and shorter (10, 15, 30, 40, 50) only come in FC.

Important: If you are less experienced, an F or FC blade gives extra protection from skin being pulled in with the hair, so ST blades are best used by experienced or trained groomers only.

What do ST and FC blade teeth look like?

On the left is an FC or Finish Cut blade. The teeth are all the same length for a smoother, finer finish. On the right is an ST or Skip Tooth blade. Every second tooth is shorter. Finish Cut blades almost always say F or FC on the face of the blade. ST blades usually do not say ST on the blade.