1. The English brand "Burgon and Ball" self-opening, hand-held sheep shears is my preference. Five inch long blades work well for a person with average size hands. If your hands are small, you'll find the three inch blades more comfortable. Hand shearing can be a quiet, gentle process that produces a natural looking surface. It's the easiest way to leave an inch or two of fiber on the llama. Knowing how to sharpen the shears yourself is helpful as this may be necessary several times when removing heavily matted or dirty fiber. A glove on your shearing hand will help prevent blisters.

If you shear more than a dozen llamas each year, you might want to invest in electric shears. I have Heinigers, with a 17-tooth mohair comb and 4-point cutter. They're powerful, produce a smooth finish, and hold their sharpness well.

2. Before shearing, give the llama a thorough surface cleaning with a blower and brush. This should be all that's required. However, if the architecture of the fiber -- the natural arrangement of undercoat and guard hair -- has been destroyed by brushing to the skin, clean as deep as debris is found. Vegetable matter is easier to remove while the fiber is still on the llama. It's best to do deep cleaning several days before shearing so the lock structure can re-form and help keep the fleece together. Annual shearing, with only surface grooming in between, eliminates the need for deep cleaning and minimizes matting. Keep the blower nozzle far enough away that the fiber fans out rather than cupping in and tangling.

Don't try to brush out matted fiber -- it's painful for the llama. Use the blower only to remove as much dust as possible. Dust dulls shearing blades.

3. Confine the llama according to its cooperation with the shearing process. Ideally, you've worked with it enough that it will stand quietly in a small pen, perhaps distracted by a flake of hay. If it won't settle down, put it in a chute -- don't take chances hurting it or yourself. When the llama has had enough, stop and give it a break. There's no rule that shearing must be completed in one session. A llama that becomes restless may need to use the manure pile. Work on a clean surface to avoid contaminating the shorn fiber.

4. Consider the density of the fiber, your climate and the season when deciding how close to shear. A white llama with pink skin may need more than an inch of fiber to prevent sunburn. In cold climates, a llama will need to have at least 3 inches of undercoat available before winter. Leaving 2 inches over the backbone helps protect the llama's skin when it rolls. You can shear closer from the mid line of the side to under the stomach because that fiber grows back the fastest and the sun doesn't shine directly on that area. Leaving more than 2 inches of fiber defeats the purpose of shearing for heat relief.

5. Evaluate the llama's conformation and plan a cut to accentuate its best features. For example, repeat the line of the back of the neck from withers to arm pit to emphasize the neck. Trim the stomach close to show off the legs. Cut close to the base of the tail only if the tail set is high and arched.

Step back occasionally to access your work. To quote Sandy Mubarak, who shears over 100 llamas every year, "Plan your cut, then cut your plan."

6. Use a pin brush to part the fiber -- down to the skin -- that covers the llama's backbone. This makes it easier to see what you're doing on the first row. Make vertical parts to give you starting and stopping points when giving a barrel cut. If you're right-handed, begin at the front, on the llama's right side. Cut your first row from the left (opposite) side of the part down the llama's backbone. That first cut is the hardest; just grit your teeth (but keep your eyes open) and do it. Use the first row as a guide for cutting the second row on the right side of the part. According to your plan, continue down the llama's right side, in horizontal rows about one inch wide. This method gives you the most control over the final results. You'll work from back to front on the llama's left side.

After several rows the weight of the fleece will begin to pull on the skin resulting in a closer cut. To prevent this, have a helper support the fleece or pull it off gently.

When shearing the neck, work from back to front in horizontal rows.

7. To produce a relatively smooth surface and reduce the number of second cuts, keep these things in mind:

Hold the flat side of the blades parallel to the llama's body at all times (this is also a safety measure). You'll need to change the position of the shears in your hand as you follow the contour from the backbone down under the stomach. Also watch the angle of the shear tips to avoid making "V"-shaped cuts.

With your free hand lift -- don't pull -- the section of fiber that you intend to cut and feel the distance from the skin. (This also helps you avoid cutting the llama.) Work the lower blade of the shears into that section about an inch down from the previous row. Position the upper blade so that it cuts at the intersection of the previous row and the new section. If the lower edge of the previous row is uneven, use the upper blade to push those edges out of the way. Don't cut them along with the new row or your fleece will contain second cuts. Resist the temptation to even out any rough places at this time. Yarn spun from fiber with second cuts will be full of noils (lumps).

If you've forgotten to measure and find that the row you just cut is too short, go back to the right length for the next row. Call the short row a "racing stripe."

8. Blow and brush the shorn areas thoroughly, then trim up the uneven spots. Hold the shears in a vertical position -- at right angles to the horizontal rows -- when smoothing the surface. Keep the blades parallel to the llama's body. Save pieces over an inch long for felting.

Don't be discouraged if the results aren't as smooth as you'd like. As with a person's haircut, the difference between a bad and a good job is about 3 weeks. Tufts of guard hair, released by the shearing, may continue to appear on the surface for several days.

9. Spread the shorn fleece out, cut side down. If you do this on a frame covered with hardware cloth or chicken wire, gentle shaking will cause some dirt and debris to fall away. Separate neck and leg fiber from the prime areas on the sides. Pull off the weathered strip from along the backbone and any dirty or matted fiber from the stomach area. Discard any mats that you can't pull apart with your fingers. Pull out any guard hairs. Cut off weathered tips if they're brittle enough to break when you pull on them. Don't let cut pieces contaminate the fleece. Turn the fleece over and remove any second cuts. Keep prime and secondary value fiber separate.

10. Put the shorn fiber into old pillowcases or large paper bags, never plastic. Label and store with a natural moth repellent, such as cedar blocks or small bags of dried lavender and rosemary, until you're ready to process it. If you're shearing to remove accumulated debris and mats, it's best to discard the fiber -- give it to the birds for their nests or cut it into small pieces for garden mulch.

11. These directions also apply when using electric shears. You'll be making 3 inch wide rows, so go slowly and be sure to use your free hand to lift the fiber and measure the distance from the skin. Keep the shears the same distance from the body the entire length of the row -- angling up at any point will cause second cuts if you continue the row from that point.

Heat from the shearing head can make a llama uncomfortable or even cause burns. Cool the shears frequently.

Use a blower to fluff the shorn surface before going back to even out rough places. Skim the shears over the surface -- with the direction of the fiber's growth -- to make a smooth finish. Let the density and grain of the fiber keep the shears a consistent distance from the skin.

12. Record the date and amount of fiber removed. If done on a regular basis, this will give you a measure of the llama's fiber growth rate. Consider having a micron analysis done. These figures could become useful in your promotional efforts.