Sort Your Shit — Because Sharp Nights Make Sharp Mornings

A selection of shearing gear essentials

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: you can’t half-arse this job and expect significant results. Whether you’re a shearer, presser, woolhandler or farmer — being organised after work isn’t a luxury, it’s a bloody necessity.

Do you want your mornings to be smooth, your sheep to be flowing, and your mind to be calm? Then the work starts after the last sheep is down the porthole. When you get your shit sorted the night before, you’re not just setting up tomorrow — you’re investing in your headspace, your career, and your reputation.

You’re Not in Kindy — Get Organised Like a Pro

We are not here to be babysat. You’re an adult, working in a professional industry. This isn’t a backpacking gap year — it’s a bloody job. And that means getting your gear prepped, your clothes washed, and your bag packed without someone chasing you around in the morning.

You might think “it’ll be sweet,” but one missed grind or forgotten combs can turn into a shitty day on the tools, a bad tally, or the boss wondering if you’re worth the hassle.

After-Work Flow: Lock It In

Those after-work chores might seem mundane, but they are crucial to help give you a leg up for the next day and those long, hard seasons.  Do them in any order, find your own routine, but make sure they are done!

Gear & Grinding

• While you’re still filthy and in work mode, wash your gear (if you haven't at the shed already) and get on the grinder.

• Do it Right! - Blunt gear doesn’t just slow you down — it stresses the sheep, pisses off the farmer, and throws the whole team off balance.  Don't be shy to ask for help if you are having trouble making your gear cut!

• Match the combs to the sheep tomorrow. Crossbred Lambs? Merino Wethers? Big Rangy, Full Wool Romney Ewes? Each needs a different bit of steel to throw at it!  Hell! You could be changing sheds or breeds at any time in different areas, so it pays to be ready for anything!

• Strip, clean, and oil your handpiece regularly. If something feels off, fix it now — don’t wait until it falls apart or stops cutting mid-run.  These are expensive bits of kit and have a lot of moving parts that need attention to last the year and pay you back on your investment.

Wash, Eat, Chill

• Get clean, eat properly, chuck your gear in the wash, and then relax. Your time is yours after the job’s done right.

Prep for Tomorrow

• Pack your bag, double-check your gear, fill your water bottles, sort your lunch, and set your bloody alarm.

• Don’t leave it for the morning — you’re not at a 10 am office job, mate.

And Do It Sober

• Sort your shit before the beers — or don’t have any at all if it’s going to stuff you up the next day.

• You can’t grind clean or pack your gear properly when you’re half-pissed.

• We’re professionals, not teenagers sneaking into town. Get the job done right, then unwind

👉Gears before beers (now where have we heard that one before🤔🤣)

The Right Gear for the Right Sheep

This bit matters: you need the right combs for the right stock. Not “close enough” — right. Different breeds, different times of year, different wool types — they all demand different gear. If you’re running the same old bent comb through Merinos, crossies and lambs and wondering why things aren’t flowing, it’s not the sheep — it’s you.

And let’s be honest: the excuse of “I’ll just borrow someone else’s” gets old quick.

You’re a pro — act like one.

Here’s the deal:

• Have enough gear to last the whole day — plus a few spares.

• Keep a decent string of cutters going for a season (at least 100).

• Keep a solid mix of combs: both cover combs and flat combs.

• You want - Fine wool combs, Crossbred combs, Mid micron combs, Lamb combs, Crutching combs and Dagging combs.  The more prepared and stocked up you are on combs, the easier this job can be.

• There are a shit load of different combs out there now, made by a range of manufacturers.  Use what works for YOU, not what's working for your mate next door.

• Keep 'em sharp and ready to go. Replace them when they’re flogged out.

• Change your bloody papers when they need it!

• The days of grinding at the shed during work hours are fading fast!

• Spend money on gear. Good gear is an investment, not a cost.

  
  

A good crew notices the shearers who come prepared — and trust me, so does the farmer.

This Isn’t Just for Shearers

Let’s be clear — this post isn’t just for the board boys.

Woolhandlers — if your broom's lying in the wrong van and you've still got yesterday's dirty towel and clothes in your bag, you’re not giving yourself a fighting chance.

Pressers — you know how much smoother the day goes when your bale plan’s locked in, the press is clear, and the sheep are moving.  Set up your work area for efficiency.  Get your own gear - Bale hook, Pens, Spare clips.  At least you will be organised if the farmer is not!

Classers — Sort your plan out with your team.  Iron out any issues and make a plan for tomorrow the night before, so everyone is on point come go time the next day!

Farmers — you’ve got stock to move, gear to fuel, dogs to feed and a shed full of workers relying on things running like clockwork. If the yards are a mess and there’s no plan in place, everyone’s morning turns to shit real quick.

Every role in the industry is a cog in the machine — when we all show up organised, the day hums. When even one person turns up in chaos mode, that chaos spreads.

The same goes across all professions. Builders, nurses, sparkies, business owners — the more prepped you are, the more mental space you free up to actually enjoy your job (and your life outside it).

The Mental Game: What the Science Says

Routines aren’t just for tidy types or control freaks — they’re a bloody weapon when it comes to mental health. Research shows that predictable routines help lower anxiety, reduce decision fatigue, and give your brain space to focus on what matters most.

Why it works:

• You reduce the number of “little stresses” — like hunting for your belt or missing lunch.

• You free up your mind — to focus on work, to stay calm, or just be present with your mates or family.

• Your confidence goes up — because you're prepared, and that shows.

  
  

Studies out of mental health research (including Harvard and mental wellness orgs in NZ) show that people who establish consistent daily routines are more resilient, better problem-solvers, and report lower levels of work-related stress.

So if you're feeling constantly behind, flustered or overwhelmed — try getting your routines right first. The rest will follow.

And if you still need convincing? Just look at the pros.

Take the All Blacks, for example. Part of what’s made them one of the most successful sporting teams in history isn’t just raw talent — it’s structure, consistency, and routines. From pre-game prep to post-match recovery, everything is thought out, drilled, and done the same every time. Why? Because it frees them up to focus on the job in front of them without wasting energy on unnecessary decisions.

Studies from High Performance Sport NZ have shown that elite athletes who follow well-planned routines and prep habits experience better performance outcomes, less stress under pressure, and greater team cohesion. And when you break it down, that’s exactly what a good shed day is about too.

So yeah — routines might not win you the Bledisloe Cup, but they sure as hell make your next day in the wool shed feel a whole lot smoother.

Shearer’s Daily Checklist

Want to walk into the shed knowing you’re locked and loaded? Here’s the gear list I check off every single day I'm on the stand:

BUCKET OR TOOLBOX ESSENTIALS:

✅ 2 handpieces in good nick.  Any sort.  Just make sure they're well-maintained.

✅ A good selection of combs:

-10 of each sort, suited to the breed or breeds you’re on, including different thicknesses.

-Be prepared for where you are and what you're shearing - A selection of 10 Super Chargers won't give you much of a chance in most of the South Island, for example!

✅ If you're in an area that frequently uses lifters, have them in your kit!

✅ At least 50 sharp cutters for the day — and more if you’re shearing sandy, dusty or shit

sheep.

✅ Strop or Strop n Shine to keep those combs smooth and burr free!

✅ Gear pot that holds at least a day's worth of dirty gear

✅ Gear towel & soap (if you wash your gear at work)

✅ Mocs (pretty much explains itself)

✅ Sandpaper, Comb Stone, or whatever your preference is there!  Don't just think you can throw on a thinnie and get away with not scratching sheep up!

✅ I like to keep a selection of small nails, screws etc for those sheds you rock up to and there's nothing to hang your shit on!

✅ Needle & thread setup and ready to go!— It pays to have a spare one set up or at least in your kit as well.

✅ Extra thread — because running out during emergencies is not the look.

✅ Antiseptic spray (Iodine, Tetravet, etc.) — not a necessity but handy to have if there is none around and makes it look like you give a shit about your job!

✅ 2 tally counters — one on hand, one as backup (those little buggers always go missing!).

✅ Oil bottle — full, not leaking in your bag.

✅ Screwdriver — speaks for itself.

✅ Grease - Because moving parts need lube and friction causes heat!

✅ Vice grips & an adjustable crescent — for when something needs adjusting or removing!

✅ Spare comb screws — chuck in a couple, they’re good until they’re missing.

✅ 1x set of chicken feet & 1x set of cogs — for when shit hits the fan mid-run.

WORK BAG ESSENTIALS:

✅ Sweat towel (or two) — you’re not in a wet t-shirt comp. Keep dry.

✅ Spare singlets and shearing jeans (if necessary).  Change between runs! Relax and reset!

✅ Water bottles — full and ready to go.  You can't trust some of that shed water.

✅ Electrolyte Sachets to replenish what you're burning through each day!

✅ Clean change of clothes — Socks, Jocks, Pants, Singlet - a dry change after work makes all the difference, it also goes a long way to start resetting and recharging the body and the

mind.

✅ Finger tape — every shed worker's best friend.

✅ Band-aids & light first aid — nothing fancy, just the basics to get through and a bit of antiseptic cream for those whoopseys on yourself.

✅ Panadol, Anti-inflammatory rub, plus any medication you may be on.

This is what I carry in my bag — it’s the routine that works for me after plenty of years on the job. Everyone’s setup will look a bit different, and that’s sweet — as long as you’ve got what you need and you’re not borrowing half your kit off the rest of the crew or dipping back into your gear pot for cutters you forgot to grind!

If someone’s constantly asking for combs, cutters, tape or tally counters — it’s time to give them a nudge. Start saying no and help get them on the right track. They’ll either get sorted or get left behind. Either way, you're not the shed supply store.

Final Word: You Want to Last in This Game? Then Sort Your Shit!!

Don’t just survive this industry — stand out in it. And that starts the moment you clock off.

Sharp people aren’t just born that way — they’ve got habits. And the best habit you can build? Owning your time after work.

Because at the end of the day, the difference between dragging your arse around the shed or standing up proud and professional… is about 30 minutes of prep and the decision to give a shit.