# Trimming hooves with razor knife



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

Does anyone use a razor knife to trim hooves and if so which one?


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

When I first started, I tried to use a farrier's knife to trim hooves. Did not work well for me. Lots of blood a couple times. I now stick to hoof trimmers and a farrier's rasp. Occasionally a grinder.


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## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

I know alot of people who use knives to get the sole even with the wall. I've been taught how and done it before. I can't seem to get it all flat like I want with trimmers and my Goats have real soft hooves so rasps don't do much on them

Im looking at utility type razor knifes. Hopefully I don't mess up and cut one too deep.


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

Dani-1995 said:


> I know alot of people who use knives to get the sole even with the wall. I've been taught how and done it before. I can't seem to get it all flat like I want with trimmers and my Goats have real soft hooves so rasps don't do much on them Im looking at utility type razor knifes. Hopefully I don't mess up and cut one too deep.


Yeah, you're right, the rasp doesn't do well with the soft sole sometimes. I just try to get it with the trimmers. I'm too dangerous with the knife. 
The angle grinder will level it off. You have to be careful with those though too. Both for you and the goat. Too hot for the goat and flesh eating for humans. I wear a leather glove on the hand holding the foot. Same with the rasp actually. Sorry I have no good knife advise for you. :hammer:


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## Sylvie (Feb 18, 2013)

I use a utility knife, or sometimes my pocket knife, which ever is nearby.  Works great!

I have Nigerians, so I don't know if it is harder to hold a large goat so you don't cut any fingers off


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Im in the same boat as you dani, I tryed to use a knife but I kinda freaked and stopped before I ever started. Since I have a lot of goats, they are not done as often as they should in most of their cases, what I have been doing is trimming the out side just a little shorter then the 'sole' (the center stuff lol) and I think they wear it down to where it is even over a few days since it is softer. Im also looking into a grinder, I just dont know what blade to get, I think if I had one it would take up less time per goat and in the long run every one will get done more often.


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## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

I think I will get avery no e.razor.knife.and get to work... I have a pretty steady hand and I have done it before... just wanted to see of anyone had suggestions for what type, how to trim different hoof problems and all that. 

Thanks for all the answers... now lets hope the Goats survive this haha jk


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## oxhilldairy (Mar 24, 2013)

My goats have monster hooves i just use trimmers and a rasp works just as well as a knife but les scary!:E i also use a file and sometimes a hoof pick  my new goats i got today had bad hooves bad hoof rot to!!


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## TrinityRanch (Mar 26, 2013)

Garden shears, garden shears, garden shears!!!!! I have tried EVERYTHING else and these are like a piece of cake!!! I get them from Miner's and they last a long time too.


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## KymberLeAnn (Sep 16, 2012)

I Just ordered myself a hoof knife, they're a bit more sturdy than a razor blade I'll let you know how it works out!


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## KymberLeAnn (Sep 16, 2012)

Here's a photo of what they look like


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

KymberLeAnn said:


> Here's a photo of what they look like


Yep that's the one I maimed my goats with. I use it to open hay bales now.


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

Jessica84 said:


> I Im also looking into a grinder, I just dont know what blade to get, I think if I had one it would take up less time per goat and in the long run every one will get done more often.


A big Boer breeder I know that is a whiz with the grinder recommends a 36 grit sanding disk.


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## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

I've heard terrible things about hoof knives. Too dull, hard to use, awkward shaped.... it just seems like they would be the wrong thingit for a goat... but still let me know how it works for you


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## imthegrt1 (Jan 13, 2013)

Shears here from tsc 20 bucks works good

A knife I cut my finger off with the luck I have ...


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

I use an exacto knife like this. I can't find hoof trimming shears where I live, but haven't tried the garden shears yet.



What kind of garden shears do you guys recommend? The ones I have at home are curved...would those work or should I get some straight ones?


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## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

imthegrt1 said:


> Shears here from tsc 20 bucks works good
> 
> A knife I cut my finger off with the luck I have ...


That'll probably be me... the goats will be fine but me, I'll be missing things haha. I think i'll the knife... I have one whose sole grows fast and the trimmers I have (orange handle) won't get around it without making her bleed alot.


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## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

nchen7 said:


> I use an exacto knife like this. I can't find hoof trimming shears where I live, but haven't tried the garden shears yet.
> 
> http://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j...gIAuxLASwUj8OO8Hu48vGYQQ&ust=1366115659089678
> 
> What kind of garden shears do you guys recommend? The ones I have at home are curved...would those work or should I get some straight ones?


That's basically what I am going to try. You can order hoof trimmers off Jeffers or another livestock site. I'm sure you.can order off of TSC's website too


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## KymberLeAnn (Sep 16, 2012)

I plan on just using the hoof knife on my doe who has really hard thick hooves.
She has had problems with hoof rot many times, and I cannot trim them with normal trimmers.
I am also not very comfortable with the nippers, they're awkward to try to hold a hoof & use all at once.
And they can do just as much damage as a knife if the goat twitches at the wrong moment,.


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## KymberLeAnn (Sep 16, 2012)

& to me it seems like a box knife would break pretty easily & pieces could get stuck In the hoof.


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## olfart (Mar 7, 2013)

I built a stand to hold my belt sander upside-down and put the belt at the height of the milking stanchion. After trimming the walls with nippers, I just stick each foot down briefly on the running sander belt to even up the soles with the walls. Don't press down too hard or leave it on the belt too long, as the hoof gets hot pretty quick. Several short contacts with the belt work well without overheating the hoof.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

oxhilldairy said:


> My goats have monster hooves i just use trimmers and a rasp works just as well as a knife but les scary!:E i also use a file and sometimes a hoof pick  my new goats i got today had bad hooves bad hoof rot to!!


You need to take a lot more off that hoof. You can see along the edges, rot starting to build up, that all needs to be cut down.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Is there any reason why you'd want to use a knife over a regular pair of hoof trimmers? You can get a much cleaner, precise trim and they only cost $12-25 generally. I just can't imagine using a knife successfully on goat hooves.


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## cimarron (Dec 5, 2012)

If I use a razor knife I would be in the ER! I use the orange scissors, and a dremel sander works really well for the heels and sole!


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## goatgirlzCA (Mar 9, 2011)

I use the orange handled trimmers, but my friend who has raised goats for years, uses some kind of knife and it works fabulous! I am going to get him to teach me, as it works so much better on doing the middle part where the trimmers just don't "cut" it!


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## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

KW Farms said:


> Is there any reason why you'd want to use a knife over a regular pair of hoof trimmers? You can get a much cleaner, precise trim and they only cost $12-25 generally. I just can't imagine using a knife successfully on goat hooves.


I know a really well known Boer goat fitter that suggests using a knife. He taught me how to do it and it seems like you can get a better cut on the sole. He told me it works better to taking off sole without drawing blood from the wall.

I will still trim the wall with regular trimmers but finish up the sole and heel with a knife.


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## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

KymberLeAnn said:


> & to me it seems like a box knife would break pretty easily & pieces could get stuck In the hoof.


Its not a box knife. Box knives are a very narrow, thin blade that breaks off at segments. Utility are made thicker and used for heavy duty cutting


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