▁Zealand ▁where ▁approximately ▁half ▁a ▁million ▁sheep ▁are ▁still ▁sh orn ▁with ▁bla de ▁she ars ▁each ▁year . ▁For ▁those ▁areas ▁where ▁no ▁power ed - m ach in ery ▁is ▁available ▁bla de ▁she ars ▁are ▁the ▁only ▁option . ▁In ▁Australia ▁bl ades ▁are ▁more ▁commonly ▁used ▁to ▁she ar ▁stud ▁r ams . ▁ ▁Machine ▁she ars ▁ ▁Machine ▁she ars , ▁known ▁as ▁hand pie ces , ▁operate ▁in ▁a ▁similar ▁manner ▁to ▁human ▁hair ▁cli ppers ▁in ▁that ▁a ▁power - dri ven ▁to oth ed ▁bla de , ▁known ▁as ▁a ▁cut ter , ▁is ▁driven ▁back ▁and ▁forth ▁over ▁the ▁surface ▁of ▁a ▁comb ▁and ▁the ▁w ool ▁is ▁cut ▁from ▁the ▁animal . ▁The ▁original ▁machine ▁she ars ▁were ▁power ed ▁by ▁a ▁fixed ▁hand - c rank ▁linked ▁to ▁the ▁hand pie ce ▁by ▁a ▁sh aft ▁with ▁only ▁two ▁universal ▁joint s , ▁which ▁afford ed ▁a ▁very ▁limited ▁range ▁of ▁motion . ▁Later ▁models ▁have ▁more ▁joint s ▁to ▁allow ▁easier ▁position ing ▁of ▁the ▁hand pie ce ▁on ▁the ▁animal . ▁Electric ▁mot ors ▁on ▁each ▁stand ▁have ▁generally ▁replaced ▁overhead ▁g ear ▁for ▁driving ▁the ▁hand pie ces . ▁The ▁joint ed ▁arm ▁is ▁replaced ▁in ▁many ▁instances ▁with ▁a ▁flexible ▁sh aft . ▁Sm aller ▁mot ors ▁allowed ▁the ▁production ▁of ▁she ars ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁motor ▁is ▁in ▁the ▁hand pie ce ; ▁these ▁are ▁generally ▁not ▁used ▁by ▁professional ▁she ar ers ▁as ▁the ▁weight ▁of