Who, What and How about Aprons?

I don't forge. I wear a fabric apron to protect my clothes.

- Paul Meske
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
 
HSC /// said:
wish it had split legs.
Click to expand...

What's stopping you from just cutting it down the middle?

I wear a Harbor Freight leather welding apron for everything. El cheapo and has worked for years without any problems. I guess I never was some that required a great amount of thought. I have to remind myself that a lot of knife makers are like engineers and have a habit of overthinking and redesigning everything :D

I thought about busting out one of my plate carriers for buffing, but I'm too lazy. lol :D
 
I don't forge. I wear a heavy denim apron when in the shop. Ebay is a good source, basic denim apron for less than $10.
 
I wear a leather apron around the shop, it works well as a first line of defense and keeps those pesky steel grindings and buffing crud off my clothes and body. I also found it very helpful for the same reasons when running the chainsaw on the firewood pile of 8 foot birch, and great for weed whacking.
 
I wear a split leather apron for Hobart. I have probably 10 or 15 at this point, some denim, most leather, some split legs, some strapped "I always buy them at estate sales." The way I see it, its an extra layer of protection. Sparks, fire, hot metal, sharp things and fast moving tools are all really easy ways to hurt yourself, and a layer of leather between you and that is always welcome.
 
I wear the Brownell's brown long shop apron with rings. I'll look into leather if I ever start forging blades.
 
I wear a simple cotton apron with daisies and little unicorns playing in a field and I embroidered a yellow pansy in the middle for some fun. I make butter knives with little pearl handles.

Just kidding. I wear a heavy leather apron with a neck strap that I just hang on my neck when I'm using my angle grinder or buffing a knife. I step back from the buffer so my feet are not under it and I always wear eye protection. I have a 3 inch bolt on my drill table and a large vise grip type blade clamp next to it but I don't wear the apron for drilling. When using the angle grinder I have to choose between earmuffs and the full face shield so I always go for the earmuffs but I am going to buy those earplugs with the string between them to wear while using the face shield. Larry

8Okb0Mvm.jpg
 
I always wear a heavy leather apron. I think I got mine from USA knife maker supply. I don't have full use my hands like most people do so I have to be more careful. So I am fully PPE while metal working. Steel Toes, leather apron, leather gloves, safety glasses as well as hearing protection when grinding. Not to forget my respirator. I have seen too many people lose body parts while working over the years. I plan on keeping all of mine. Plus not have all the dexterity, never know when the blade might go diving into my foot and I don't even realize its not in my hands anymore.
 
Coke said:
At all times Adam?

What else do you wear with them? :D LOL!!
Click to expand...

When in the shop, yep always. What else? Shorts, tank top and sandals.

This is Southern California after all :)
 
Oh... in the shop only...if I worked with knives, I'd try and have a thin stainless sheet on the back of my apron covering the entire torso. A thick Kevlar sheeting would be better. Just in case a piece of blade decided to break off and come flying into me. In the end, to be certain, one may need to look like a Borg drone wearing a bike helmet, but every little bit helps. Occupational hazards; knife making would have its fair share.

But I've seen accidents occur in numerous metal fabrication workshops in my time that would freak you out. Even a fatality with a MIG gun. A newbie was training and wanted to check if there was any airflow coming through the gun's nozzle. The workshop had a fair bit of ambient noise coming from other power tools and MIG welders being used at the time. Normally one places the gun at an angle pointing AWAY from one's face/head and listens for the gushing insulate gas coming out. The newbie without realizing, points the friggen gun STRAIGHT into his ear and presses the trigger. Over two feet of 1.2mm thick mild steel wire was removed from within the kid's brains during the autopsy causing a near instant death when it happened. There were over a hundred people in the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology welding dept's workshop when in happened about 25 years ago. I was there doing some consulting on a robotics device they were trying to build. NOT A GOOD DAY that's for sure. It was also found that the kid had been smoking the funny herb during lunch break, just before he came in and it happened, it was detected in his blood by the Coroner.

In metalwork, as in all aspects of life, and more so than in other lines of work, it can come at you when you least expect it. Being clear minded and focused at all times helps to prevent it. You only get one chance with metalwork, and sometimes, you don't get any.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top