JHCC Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 I usually wear a kaffiyeh (shemagh) wrapped around my head and neck while blacksmithing to absorb sweat and keep soot out of my hair. On Sunday, a spark from the forge must have blown into a corner of the wrap and been fanned by the breeze from a large stand fan, because I found myself thinking “What’s that smell? And why is my neck stinging?” It's a good thing that the kaffiyeh is cotton, though: it smoldered (lost a chunk the size of my palm) but never caught fire. An artificial fabric would probably have blazed up or melted onto my neck. There's a reason for the natural-fibers-only rule in the forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 It's amazing how good a solid soaking in sweat is as a fire resistant additive to cloth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Soaking a little borax in the sweat or water solution presoak for that Shemagh, keffiyeh, or Havelock will work even better. SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 While borax works great for aprons and things I find that head cloths to absorb sweat do not work as well when so pretreated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stash Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 I've tried, but can't find natural fiber forge flip flops. Any ideas? Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 5, 2018 Author Share Posted June 5, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 leather huaraches, a pre-columbian design, should pinch hit for flipflops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 5, 2018 Author Share Posted June 5, 2018 I made my last pair from motorcycle tires and paracord. I'll try them under the frankenboots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Not quite the "Natural Fiber" Of course if you consider wood to be a natural fiber---or made from natural fiber, then clogs would come close and there are always Zōri to go with your tabi (I like the pair of chainmail covered tabi shown on wiki)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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