The coarse comb can be used to loosen dense or matted portions of the coat. The teesth of this specially designed comb are turned 90 degrees away from the handle. This helps prevent "raking" the skin of your dog. While combing, the metal teeth of the comb are almost automatically placed parallel to the skin, not perpendicular to it. This is important when grooming a silky coat with little or no undercoat.