I recently described different types of clipper blades here:
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...ming-home.html
As far as scissors, I only use a curved shear. The professionals uses straight shears, but I learned w/curved & love it, much easier too. I use it to trim the hair around their paws, legs, face. I also have a small blunt nosed scissor to trim the edge of their ears. My grooming school instructor told us that it's not necessary to spend hundreds of dollars on scissors bc once you drop it, it's never the same, the alignment goes off. Plus I've cut myself so many x's when I 1st started grooming, that I was so glad I didn't have super sharp shears. I only use economy shears like fromm. It's sharp, cuts very well & it's inexpensive, so if I drop it, can replace it w/out worry.