yesteryearforge Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 Chime in to let us know if you use an apron and if so Is it Cotton Kelvar Leather Full lenght waist lenght split leg and what do you feel the advantage of your choice is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 I have a full length leather one with canvas backing, I find it is awesome because it covers the lower legs (and tops of the boots) or atleast sheilds them from flying sparks/molten steel/scale. Plus it sheilds heat from my firge quite well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbrforge Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 knee length waist apron very heavy leather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yesteryearforge Posted December 23, 2006 Author Share Posted December 23, 2006 Lenght = Length sorry no edit button Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutchmancreek Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 I wear a canvas lined leather apron. It covers my whole front, down to my knees. Some smiths don't have pockets on their aprons, but I use my lower pocket to hold round jaw pliers and keep soapstone and a marker in the upper pocket. I've never had a problem with hot scale or metal getting in the pockets. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yesteryearforge Posted December 23, 2006 Author Share Posted December 23, 2006 When I remember to put one on its a full length heavy leather one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strine Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 Kneelength...wish it was longer, no chest piece, split down the middle for holding tongs, split cowhide, heavy duty. Advantage... don't know, it's the only one I've ever worn. Maybe it's advantage is that it lasts a long time:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian C. Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 In hot weather I use a knee length denim apron,for cooler weather or if doing a lot of grinding I switch to a knee length leather one. Angle grinding WILL set a cotton apron on fire (dont ask how I know this) :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted T Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 Two of the three the blacksmiths that taught me wore full lenghth leather. I realize I am like a parrot. I just repete what I have been taught With out questioning some of things. So, I still wear a leather apron most of the time to be like them. I try to establish good work and safety habbits. Been burned by that, dropped that on my foot, got some of that in my eye, been cut by some of them, done that to, it hurts! So I try to do the same things in the same way if it works and don't hurt. I always felt a leather apron was used for more of a safety issue to protect against heat, sharp or flying objects. Be safe, be safe! Ted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 I guess I'll be the first to say, I don't wear an apron when forging. I have a knee length canvas one, and a long leather one I wear when I do heavy grinding, but other than that I don't wear one. I might make a period apron to wear at faires to protect my greatkilt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 I thought it would be interesting to run a poll on this topic. Multiple entries are acceptable so you may choose both length and style. For forging I use a full length leather apron. General shop work is a denim full length apron. But there is a waist length leather apron handy to throw on quickly when needed. Recently I purchased a cotton full split length apron and am liking it more and more for the range of movement and the fact that the straps don't circle the neck but go over the shoulders, through loops at the waist and tie in the front. Takes a little time to figure out how to put it on the first couple of times, but it is very comfortable to wear and provides protection from both dirt and minor personal damage (shirts last a lot longer now). The strap arrangement will be transfered to the full leather apron soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted T Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 Nick, I need to backtrack somewhat. When I am fooling around with smaller size objects while using a small GAS FORGE I usuall don't give a thought to putting on my apron. I put it on mostly when I use my coke forge, forging larger objects. Be safe, be safe! Ted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 I sometimes use a home-made apron out of cotton duck. It's full length with split legs, and velcro straps to wrap around the ankle. I keep it pretty loose. The straps are there to keep the legs from flapping around. It's got a chest pocket I use for soapstone, pens, pencils, rulers, ... I use it when grinding and welding, or if I've got some clothes on that I don't want messed up. And also in the summer, over shorts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted December 24, 2006 Share Posted December 24, 2006 I seldom wear an apron here at home shop. I have an apron that I wear to rondys. Home made ( not one piece big nuff so I stitched 2 together and put a neck loop on it ). I also put the ties on ( leather shoe laces ). I have a Tillman commercial apron I wear at the day job ( about 26-27 bucks ) sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtforge Posted December 24, 2006 Share Posted December 24, 2006 I use a a full length (chest to knees) leather for the rendezvous and started using a full length cotton for the home shop. I get too many holes in the clothes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 26, 2006 Share Posted December 26, 2006 I usually wear a full length heavy leather apron with split legs to the top of my boots. The straps go over my shoulders, through rings at my waist and around to buckle in front. The straps make it very adjustable and comfortable the weight being split between my shoulders and the waist belt. It has a breast pocket the size of a pack of smokes + Zippo and pencil, scale, etc. pockets. There is a scale/square/rod, etc. pocket on the left leg as well. I wear it when things might get messy and the reduced flexibility allow. I don't know how many times it's armored me against grinding disks coming apart, this isn't a common occurance but it's happened more than a dozen times in the last 10 years. It's also stood up nicely to sprays of molten flux, welding spatter, grinder spray, brush wires, metal chips and other various flying debris. Attached is a poor pic of me in it. I'm the old fart on the left. the handsom young guy on the left is Richard one of my students. I had it made by a friend based on the apron used by a THANKFULLY ex-associate. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 26, 2006 Share Posted December 26, 2006 . I'm the old fart on the left. the handsom young guy on the left is Richard one of my students. Frosty That SHOULD'VE read, "I'm the old fart on the RIGHT." I even double checked "preview." A little about the setup in the picture, if you're curious. Deb and I were still building our house and I didn't even have a tarp up for a smithy. I set up what I did at the time because Richard hunted me down on the web to learn to make a sword. He was 15 when we met so naturally he wanted to make a sword. I still have most of my tools under a tarp but the shop is nearly closed in. It would've been before the snow flew this winter but I fell off a tilt top trailer at work and shattered my left arm and elbow. That was sept 12 and I'm still under a 10lb limit. Back to work on light duty a good two months before the surgeon's most optimistic estimate. The shop would've been the first thing I built if I were still unmarried at the time. Heck, Deb would've gone along with it if we didn't have to have a place to live and a barn for her pygmy goat herd. The smithin tools are fine even after years under a tarp but the goat's wouldn't have fared so well. The first pic is Deb, Buran, (the Great Pyreneese, livestock guardian dog) myself and the girls. The second pic is Buran the 150lb Pyr livestock guardian being his perfectly gentle self with HIS charges. Do NOT give one of these gentle giants the idea you are a threat to THEIR charges. Shooting yourself instead will be a lot less painful. The third pic is the house from the doe pen. A Boer doe is in the foreground and goat rock is on the right. And why are the goat pictures on topic you ask? I wear my apron when I disbud the kids. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted December 26, 2006 Share Posted December 26, 2006 I prefer a waist to knee leather apron for forging at home and the Fort. For grinding I wear a chest to knee leather apron along with my goggles and face shield. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce wilcock Posted December 26, 2006 Share Posted December 26, 2006 i have allways worn a leather waistcoat and a waist to ankle split horse hide apron with leather tapes tied at the side and short foundrey boots with splash guards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suthincomfort Posted December 26, 2006 Share Posted December 26, 2006 i don't wear one , tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clark-kentski Posted December 26, 2006 Share Posted December 26, 2006 I wish i was wearing my apron sometimes when my 8 year old kid fetches me a cold can that she has dropped,shakened,and rolled over to me, then says disbuds for you,dad :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Turner Posted December 27, 2006 Share Posted December 27, 2006 At times I where my shoeing apron but now that I have a power hammer I am finding that I need more protection. I need one that covers the chest and goes to the boots with split legs. Any suggestions where to get one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IRONMAN Posted December 27, 2006 Share Posted December 27, 2006 Ebay has them under leather apron and some are quite reasonable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seamus Posted December 27, 2006 Share Posted December 27, 2006 It never occured to me to wear one till the guys I practice with on the weekends mentioned it. I showed up the next week with my favorite, but they didn't think the Bar B Q stains were in the right spirit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seamus Posted December 27, 2006 Share Posted December 27, 2006 Forgot to add the link to this one:Gibbins Aprons Darned expensive but nice pattern and weight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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