I got to wondering if anyone had spoken to very old school smiths and seen which body part(s) went south on them.  Carpet layers lose their knees...electricians often do too but usually more of a ladder-climbing way.  So does a lifelong smith lose shoulders?  Elbows?    Lower back from haunching over?

What prompted me to ask is watching the attached old-school video of iron chain making.  In one scene a smith is using a foot-powered hammer to do the weld.  I would guess that a year of doing that a hundred times daily with his right leg and this guy would be walking with a permanent lean....and have a hip joint that made a rustier grinding sound than the chain he is making.

Video is quite interesting in it's own right.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLIbObCltfQ

Smiths I have known in their late 80's and early 90's it was eyes---glass blower's cataracts (now treatable!)  and ears deafness, very common to the trade.

Most of them working a full career as a smith figured out how to keep their back and joints ok.

I just recently had an eye exam for new glasses and I posed the question about IR (infrared) radiation and cataracts to the doctor.  He confirmed that prolonged staring or looking into a source of IR such as our forge fires could indeed contribute to later cataract development, depending on the individual and how much exposure he/she received.  As you pointed out, Thomas, that would include us smiths...  So, I think I'll not be staring into the fire as much in the future.

I developed cataracts early and needed surgery at age 42.  Without that intervention, I would have been blind by now.  Wrists and hands hurt occasionally but most everything else is still working.

9 minutes ago, arkie said:

I just recently had an eye exam for new glasses and I posed the question about IR (infrared) radiation and cataracts to the doctor.  He confirmed that prolonged staring or looking into a source of IR such as our forge fires could indeed contribute to later cataract development, depending on the individual and how much exposure he/she received.  As you pointed out, Thomas, that would include us smiths...  So, I think I'll not be staring into the fire as much in the future.

Love my flip up gas workers goggles for this reason! They're vented clear so can use them as safety goggles when hammering, and easy flip down for when I'm looking into the forge.

Thunderbolt, glad you brought that up.  I have been seriously thinking about tinted goggles/glasses and the flip-up types would work perfectly.  I would have to find some that would fit over prescription eyeglasses.

Hammer arm elbow joint gets touchy for me after a long day or hammering heavy stuff.

One of the guys in our club suffers elbow, shoulder and back problems and may have wrist problems too. I think it's largely technique in his case but could be wrong. I try hard to show guys how to hit things with hammers hard without absorbing the impact themselves. It's not hard but takes practice. Heck, there are guys here who hold a hammer with their thumbs on the handle. (shudder! )

I don't think I can blame anything on forging, not even the tinnitus. (stupid TREE!) I'm a hobbyist and never have spent more than a couple days working longish hours at the anvil so I'm no example.

Frosty The Lucky.

you shouldn't be able to stare at the fire.............you should be hammering one piece whilst 3 others are in the fire

gee, Frosty....I've never seen a stupid tree......

but then I'm  not as personally acquainted with them as you.....

Of all the things that I have lost I think I miss my mind the most

From some of the posts I read I would have to say the brain.

STILL looking for my mind ? but i lost that Before I became a blacksmith LOL

I Wonder where All the minds go ?????? what Starbucks or