Sheep Shearing with hand clippers

Emily Chamelin, from Westminster Maryland, is competing in the International Sheep Shearing Competition in New Zealand in February-March 2012.
Here she shows how she shears sheep with hand shears.

[@GSSarai]

My 3 year old daughter loves this video. I've lost count how many times we've watched it before her bedtime. She always asks for "sheep haircut movie"

[@chie6294]

😂

[@thelogicalanswer937]

That's awesome! I love how your kid thinks!

[@hrothgarisroger]

There's many ways to shear a sheep. Ms. Chamelin is good enough she doesn't need to follow a single model but adapts her method to the situation. I've seen her do a full day of it and though I couldn't make out exactly the way she does it, I can vouch for her skill. And the fleeces are so beautiful:)

[@efough]

Thank you for this video, it is wonderful to know that not only is it theoretically possible for a woman to do this job, but there are women out there DOING it and doing it old school, too!

[@DonovanPete]

I think this has completely changed the way I shear sheep! Especially with the sheep we raise on the Navajo Nation, and I'll admit, I'm a complete novice. This really helps!

[@Serendipity-Divine]

I'm here to learn before I get my ewe lambs tomorrow. Trying to train brain of best traditional method in shearing before I have to do it! Good luck to you!😊

[@melmothbarany]

Emily, well, this is absolutely great! Wish you the best of luck int he competition. God bless you to keep this old kind of shearing alive! Congrats! I like sheep and I can see you still look after the animal and handle it with much care. Respect. Your fan from Hungary

[@VoluptuousB]

I wonder if Emily is still doing this? Always impressed watching this

[@Danielle-qw2xe]

thank you for sharing. finally a video with an aggressive sheep. I hope to be good at shearing one day. and it is true about the electric shears., my dad hates using the electric shears because it shaved them too close to the skin.

[@hfelton]

Somehow I find watching sheep shearing peaceful, so as you said, doing it by hand is quieter, and thus more serene. Machine shearing sure looks easier so you are to be congratulated for doing it the more labor-intense ''old-fashioned'' way.

[@nataliaseitzer4067]

Emily is my shearer!! She is so incredibly fast! XD

[@twisted_witch]

Always great to see a woman shearing. Useful video for those of us who want to blade shear

[@mreastky]

My granpa used to do that.I didn't think anyone still did it by hand.Nice to see some things haven't changed.

[@DXWXMX44]

I'm glad you explained the advantage of hand shearing. Good video - thanks!

[@peteacher52]

Nice commentary and skilful display of blade shearing. Cheers, Emily. Col, NZ.

[@axolotlsinatoilet]

Wonderful informative video, and the sheep looks great when it's finished.

[@z0mbieninja]

This is really cool. I was explaining to my kids what sheep shearing is and this video was excellent. They're city kids so they're lucky to even see a sheep. :p

[@DeborahKuo]

that is so unnerving to watch!! i know she's a pro and been doing it forever but i have this image of cutting the animal and blood everywhere. well done!!!

[@HowToHistory]

Refreshing to see some of the younger generation taking this up. I know from experience here in Maine, finding a shearer who will come by and do a small holding can be quite a challenge.

[@longrthanu]

That was incredible. Great Job! I have a lot to learn.

[@klaudiad6053]

Wow, this is my regular shearer, electric. Was looking for hand shearing tips and found this one!

[@visionforwardacademy8596]

Ur looking soo pretty and smart.

[@kathycrooks2980]

This is an inspiring video - so much that I tried to hand shear two of my sheep. A friend gave me her hand shears, she'd only used them once. I tried to sharpen them anyway, before I started to shear, but they were apparently still dull... It took me an hour to shear. I had great difficulty getting the shears to cut the fleece. I'm not sure if the blades were dull, or if the blades aren't connecting properly, or if it's my technique. So, I'm wondering, do you recommend any particular brand of hand shears? They all look the same to me, with the red handles.

[@JesterEric]

We always used the hand shears for sheep on high moorland because it left a bit of wool and there was no electricity. There was a different older method for hand shears as opposed to the New Zealand method that was used with machine shearing. We used to do the neck then belly first then lie the sheep down and clip the body and tail then stand her up again and finish the other side. You needed something soft like an old carpet but it was easier on the back

[@USA6I]

Man, you made it look so easy! I tried to shear Wilda this morning and she refused to trance out and go on her back. But she is a super sheep, anyway.

[@kilimanjarno]

informative and useful. thank you for posting this.

[@woolywonders5546]

Excellent job lady! Same here anyone tells me I can’t because of my gender, I have to go out of my way and prove them wrong, so annoying but satisfying. You do what makes you happy :)

[@FatFemPinUp]

That's so cool

[@Phoebs2800]

Great skills

[@thelogicalanswer937]

I am shearing my own sheep and have a pair of electric clippers but they are so heavy and scary to use I am going to try the blade method

[@noniward9073]

excellent job well done

[@karaamundson3964]

I love this.

[@filipechannel]

she is really a pro.

[@lauriesfarm]

Excellent

[@hughhanara6042]

awesome Emily good on you.

[@hyppiequest]

Wow, three and a half months with no sleep!!!

[@nuts4goats]

What is that strap called? A friend who raises Jacobs told me about an old shearer he met who showed him a strap that sounds similar - takes a lot of strain off the wrist, instead letting the forearm "push" the shears forward. This is the first time I've seen anything like that being used, though. Is it homemade? If yes, I'd love to see a close-up pic of the strap and how it's attached to the shear. Great video! Really helpful to this 1st time hand-shearer - off to shear ewe #3 ;) Thanks!

[@pheenix42]

Always wondered how the hand shears were used...thanks for the upload!

[@Northdevonfarmer]

I enjoyed your video. I shear my sheep with blade shears and use a similar pattern: but this year I broke my arm when I was halfway through the flock...

[@semm_69]

Здравствуйте какая марка ножниц у вас? как их можно заказать

[@muneebmaneer8104]

good job

[@SilverFlame819]

I just watched a video showing how, when you get to the last step, you should have the head behind your leg to stretch out the skin so you don't cut them. Then I watch this video, and she has the head in front of her leg, which is exactly what the last video said not to do. I know the sheep came out fine if this video was published, but I still cringed! :)

[@TopFurret]

I would feel terrified shearing a sheep with giant pointy scissors. Be way too afraid to accidentally skewer the sheep

[@amazing7633]

No danger of that at all if you're careful about the neck. The mechanical shears, being faster and more powerful, carry more risk to the sheep. With the hand shears the sheep lets you know if you are about to make a bad cut that'll nick the sheep, but with the mechanical, it's already happened. The hand shears make you feel more connected to the sheep. In my opinion every shearer should know how to use both methods. Knowing Godfrey Bowen's pattern for handling the sheep makes shearing almost like dancing. And as with dancing, if you don't know what you are doing it'll be a right mess. Maybe some day I'll be able to do it right.

[@dylanjoyce3035]

amazing763 I’m from Ireland and everyone learns to shear with the hand shears when starting off so everyone can use both

[@LovieN44]

What brand of hand shears do you use?

[@cockroachfather9501]

not me falling down a rabbit hole of these videos after having to watch one for writing purposes-

[@visionforwardacademy8596]

Too much lovely.Can I know the name of your hand shear machine?.I wants to buy it

[@Penfold8]

How much is the growing rate for one shorn sheep?

[@dragovukovic2299]

Bravo

[@ioanbodea1588]

How can i buy this product scissors

[@cowdog1967]

Hat up , This is darn hard work!! i have don it bevor and do prefer the shearing maschine! this is real good work.

[@celestinaizquierdo6084]

esa es la mujer mas hermosa de todo este mundo me gustaria una espoza asi por cierto saludos desde mexico

[@vanadeoantonio5276]

HAha sheep are so cute.

[@secoty911]

🐑👍👍👍

[@1975480able]

Thats how i shear.. check out " Achill Hand shearing " on here.. Well done emily

[@Zlinky111]

Wow! Super woman.

[@kamrynloewen6978]

Please, it makes it so much less stressful for the sheep if those dogs are not around, barking and giving anxious energy. It's the same with donkeys as well, and many other animals. There is a natural fear and stress towards canines. Please make sure to have a quiet and peaceful place for the sheep...

[@thisbushnell2012]

How large is your herd?

[@user-lv2qn1rk7i]

اتوريدين هذا _|_

[@bosteroresentido8134]

El pepe

[@scooby196I]

electric sucks

[@thisbushnell2012]

I bet you cry when your hair is trimmed.

[@maximus-6788]

Remove the dogs, they make the sheep nervous.

[@MaximumPowerSheep]

You monster.

[@thisbushnell2012]

You eejit.

[@kidswilliamshorne6938]

this is horrible it looks like ur turchering it, rude

[@Stella77_7]

Qhat a Mornon! Without being sheard the sheep would die.

[@thisbushnell2012]

Your vast ignorance is showing.