u/AdLucem2

My Andis blades always go dull!

Today, I opened a brand new blade and sliced through HALF of my poodle's freshly washed, dried, and brushed hair. Halfway through the blade went from amazing to essentially unusable. This is not the first time I didn't get a complete clip before my blade went bad. I purchased it from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XWF4HN9?ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details&th=1

Meanwhile, my $19 cordless clippers keep on cutting; they finished this grooming job and have done numerous clean and dirty clips in the past.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092QMVDYR?ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details&th=1

https://preview.redd.it/k98gwhit0w6h1.png?width=559&format=png&auto=webp&s=8492b62e3e84b1cfe916dbf5d19a682c7268e863

What's up with the radar?

UPDATE: Thanks for helping a newbie out!

What destroys blades?

We have our first poodle (11 months) and are trying to groom at home. For his body, we are using Andis ultraEdge 7FC. A new blade works so well, but by the second clip it is useless.
How long should it last?

TLDR: I have a FULL SUN, HEAVY CLAY area that I would like to turn into a deciduous, privacy hedge. HOWEVER, for access reasons, it may need to be cut to the ground every few years. What plants can you recommend?

Our neighbor's house looks straight at ours. I would really like a privacy hedge alongside my driveway, but the space is small (no more than 12 feet wide), and I will occasionally need to cut the area to the ground to have access to the backyard drive gate.

Prairie grasses seem like a good fit; however, I've struggled to get them to grow in our clay. Bonus points if it looks nice with the two Pawpaw trees and the Silky Dogwood that I have established further down the line.