Recent YouTube inteview

[Jymm Hoffman]

For those that have not seen it and are interested in an interview of me in my shop:

[Sask Mark]

That is a very interesting interview. Thanks for posting the video Mr. Hoffman.

[Glenn]

Jymm I like the shoes and the spats ,, well what can you say, the spats are not only cool but functional as well.

[thecelticforge]

Way cool video. Funny, we are both ex Fort New Salem blacksmiths and both of us have a photo of Ronald Regan in our shop. Glad to know there are other blacksmith Gipperites out there!

[kevan]

Excellent. Wonderful interview.

Kevan

[lordcaradoc]

Wonderful video.

Regards,
Tim

[Double Y]

Nice interview...

[chyancarrek]

Nicely done Jymm, thanks for sharing it.

[Kenny O]

Thanks for sharing, and for your commitment to historical accuracy . Very informative, and entertaining as well.
My back kills me after a day on concrete floors, do those shoes alleviate that issue? If so, I must make a pair.

(The Math Dude scares me)

[Mick C]

I really enjoyed the interview, loved the footwear!!

Mick

[Jymm Hoffman]

Thanks for the compliments.
I have been wearing wooden shoes in my for over 20 years (not the same pair though.) I had thrown out something about them previously,not sure where they are in the archives. I prefer them over any work shoe, work boot or walking shoe I have ever tried. These are made in Holland. I used to be able to get some from a factory in Holland, Michigan until they closed a few years back. My legs and back are in much better shape at the end of the day than with any other shoe, they have a great arch support. I put iron "shoes" on them to slow down wear. I can normally get several years out of a pair if I replace the "shoes" when the wear down to the wood, about once a year. The pair in the video have broken on the tops from drying out and me twisting in them. This is the first pair that ever did that. Glued them back together and put a steel top on one, might do that to the other. I have a new pair, I oiled these a couple of times with linseed and may paint them as I have done with others. Not good for walking, great if you stand in one place all day. I am also wearing welders' spats with these. I have had troubles with scale falling onto the top of my foot, especially while running the power hammer. I wear these all year round with a pair of cotton socks and a pair of heavy rag wool socks, no other padding as I used to try to pad the tops. They are cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter as my feet can really breath. When it has been really cold and my office heat was off or way down, it would appear as though steam would rise off my feet when I slipped them out of the wooden shoes. I have pour circulation in my hands and feet, they are either hot and sweaty or cold and clammy. The wooden shoes help with this as well.
The last pair cost me $38.00 at a reenactment. I am not sure if I saved the dealer's card.

[peacock]

Great video. We met briefly at SOFA in 2008 Toms last year. Tom and I were close friends you made some of your nails on Tom's hammer. I got a pair of wooden shoes right after your other post way back when. They are indeed just as you say. My feet stay nice and warm in the winter and cooler in the hot weather. An 8 hour day at the power hammer used to kill my back and legs but not with the cloggs. I have spent hundreds on boots but nothing is as good as my $5o wooden shoes.

[Randy]

Top notch interview, Jymm! Thanks for sharing.

Randy

[kraythe]

nice video. Very inspirational to folk new to the craft like me.

[Reinier]

Great video, realy enjoyed watching from beginning to the end.

As a guy from Holland I wear wooden shoes in and around the shop too, and I know lots of collegues here do. They really keep your feet cool in summer and warm in winter, just like Jymm said. In the old days, people even used wooden shoes for walking on ice. They would have spikes attached to the bottom for grip.

It's just a pity that they are so hard to get in the US. But you can order them from Holland for about 45 dollar if you really want them.

All the best,

Reinier

[Ramsberg]

I may have to pick my self up a pair of wooden shoes!

Just for the curious, back in the mid 1860's in France they began using mechanical snow removal equipment for the city streets, the workers who had done this work by hand didn't appreciate this inovation since it took their jobs. So they took their sabots(wooden shoes) and threw them into the gears of the mechanisms of the snow removal equipment. This revolt via the destruction of machines or property became known as sabotage!

Caleb Ramsby

[Kenny O]

Thanks for the shoe information, I will certainly research the possibility of gettin' a pair.


Just the other day I was reading through your article in the Hammers Blow about your forge and burner set up...But that's another topic..

(Vol. 17, #1, Winter 2009) for those interested.

[Kenny O]

Thanks for the compliments.
I have been wearing wooden shoes in my for over 20 years (not the same pair though.) I had thrown out something about them previously,not sure where they are in the archives. I prefer them over any work shoe, work boot or walking shoe I have ever tried. These are made in Holland. I used to be able to get some from a factory in Holland, Michigan until they closed a few years back. ....

....The last pair cost me $38.00 at a reenactment. I am not sure if I saved the dealer's card.

I ordered a pair, they start at $38. From Holland Michigan, here's a link

http://shopping.dutc...oodshoeshop.htm

[Jymm Hoffman]

Thanks Kenny for finding the link. I should warn anyone mail ordering these that has a wide foot. I have had to get them a whole size bigger to accommodate my wide foot.

[Frosty]

Loved the interview Jymm. I'd like to pass the link on to the local club if it's okay with you.

The interviewer did a good job of acting the modern geek lost in a real shop. Several of our club members are IT geeks and blacksmiths. Heck, one will be very interested in the nail making, we did quite a bit at the last meeting though I don't have a flashy set of nail making dies for my power hammer. Of course that could change at any time.

Thanks for the link.

Frosty the Lucky.