artandsoul Posted August 18, 2023 Share Posted August 18, 2023 Looking to find a decent apron for forging, grinding, welding etc. I bought the el cheapo 15.00 one from harbor freight and it works but looking for something more beefy soon for sure. I grinded for 2 hours today on a metal chop saw redo with a wire wheel and it def helped from getting wire hairs in my skin but figure ill be needing something better in the near future. Anyone know any amazon or ebay aprons worth buying thats not 100 bux? didnt know if i should stick with leather or some other non flammable material thats as good or stonger?! thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted August 18, 2023 Share Posted August 18, 2023 I don't know but my HF welding apron has been good for a lot of years now and I'm happy with it. Of course I'm rather frugal now. I bought an expensive farriers apron from Centuar Forge (if memory serves me) before that and the mice ate most of it. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted August 18, 2023 Share Posted August 18, 2023 Check Amazon for "welding apron." There appear to be some nice ones for a reasonable price. I like the ones that have the criss cross straps rather than just the 2 vertical ones over the top of your shoulders. I'd stay with leather. It seems to be the optimum material, pretty heat/fire resistant, not too heavy, reasonable cost, and easily available. I've never tried the chaps type but you definitely want something that covers your chest. There and the thighs seem to be the favored areas by hot stuff that you don't want touching your body. GNM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gewoon ik Posted August 18, 2023 Share Posted August 18, 2023 look in the bbq section. Sometimes there is a sale and sometimes people offer them second hands. Ask what they mainly coocked on their bbq so you like the smell when it is getting hot; Only buy the leather ones, all the rest skip! Beware of "leather" as well in the bbq section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 18, 2023 Share Posted August 18, 2023 Also, keep an eye on Facebook Marketplace, craigslist, and any other classified ads (printed or online) in your area. This can be a good resource for a lot of standard tooling and gear, and even for the occasional bit of smithing equipment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shainarue Posted August 18, 2023 Share Posted August 18, 2023 I got my leather apron from Amazon for $36.99. It has crossback straps and a waist clip - plenty of pockets. It's listed as a welding work apron. I've been using it for 4 months and while it's plenty dirty - it's holding up just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 19, 2023 Share Posted August 19, 2023 Another alterative if you know how to sew or don't mind learning a little is at the Salvation Army, Value Village, or other thrift type stores. There are often leather, jackets, coats, skirts, etc. that can be converted into leather aprons for not much money or work. Heck, I lucked into a leather trench coat for $10 once. Leather pants are good welding if you have to get down on the ground / floor! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 19, 2023 Share Posted August 19, 2023 I’ve also known folks who’ve gotten enough material for aprons from leather sofas put out in the trash. Just make sure that it’s actually leather and not a plastic imitation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted August 20, 2023 Share Posted August 20, 2023 Tandy leather for leather and supplies and make it yourself. Or find a local leather craftsman and have him make it. Since blacksmiths do custom work, your apron might as well be custom. If you have a leather guy do it, who knows he may pass it back for some leather tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 True words Anvil though many newbies don't have the free money nor do they know if they're gong to stick with blacksmithing. My apron is custom made and will stop the fragments of a shattered disk driven by my 9" Milwaukee disk grinder. Have you priced a piece of leather large enough to make an apron lately? I picked up some trimmings large enough to make a sheath for a hawk a friend got me for Christmas and almost choked at what less than 1 sq. foot cost. Out of the "scraps" bin. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 Silly me. Thanks for mentioning alternatives to Tandy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 I'd sentence you to wear the cap and sit in a corner if I didn't forget what it was like breaking into something new when I was a young myself. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 Good Morning, Yes, I have more than one, leather apron. I have one that I made from a moose hide, after I tanned it and cured it. Yes, I also shot the Moose and made special care not to nick the hide when I was skinning it. That took a couple years for all the pieces to come together. I also have a cow-hide Apron that my wife bought me for a present. I bought a light weight leather apron from one of the local welding suppliers. Actually, the one I like the best is a denim Bar-B-Que Apron. It is the lightest and least restrictive to movement. I can throw it in with my laundry, when it needs a cleaning. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 My first apron was from an antelope hide that I tanned. I did not hunt it but was given two by a friend. I tanned both. His was hair on, mine slick. It was a great light weight apron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 Mine is commercial split moose and it's not what I'd call light but it is easy to get around in. The straps cross on your back, go through rings on each side, around and buckle. It's the most comfortable and secure (stays where you put it) apron strap I've ever worn. The weight rests on your hips rather than your shoulders. I don't have a pic that shows the rings but they're sewn to the apron at the level of the belt as shown in the back pic. I usually wear it higher than these pics and only when I'm doing something that puts a lot of painful type stuff in the air, forge welding, using a cup brush or cut off disk in the angle grinder, etc. and it's taken a shattered 9" grinding disk from maybe 6" and didn't leave a bruise. I felt that it was a hard hit but not like I got hit hard. I LOVE this apron, it's well worth the $250 I paid in the late 80s. A casual friend made it for me and I gladly over paid the $50. He wasn't expecting a "tip". Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted August 23, 2023 Share Posted August 23, 2023 Dear God,,, I will never have a good nights sleep again!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 23, 2023 Share Posted August 23, 2023 Jealousy is sooooo unbecoming Anvil. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted August 24, 2023 Share Posted August 24, 2023 Lol I had one full denim apron. It didn't last very long so I went back to my farriers apron. It went from waste to just below my knees and was split so you could wrap straps around your legs. This gave way to a simple waste to knee apron out of antelope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 24, 2023 Share Posted August 24, 2023 Yeah, a farrier type apron usually covers more than enough at the anvil even if welds are spraying lots of molten borax it rarely hits me even belt buckle high and I wear slip on leather boots. I wear the big armor apron welding and grinding with flying debris hazards. I do wear the fancy one at some public demos because the audience expects it and it's just awesome for the show. No kidding I've been demoing maybe 15' from a professional farrier blacksmith in a farrier's apron and had people watching him ask ME questions. Not occasionally it's pretty common, I have to surmise it's because the black apron makes me LOOK like a "real" blacksmith. As real as a "real" anvil that Looks like one on TV. I don't wear an apron at all unless I'm doing something "splashy, I just don't do things that require me to get that close to HOT steel. Little stuff like scale and pinch offs don't stick to my clothes long enough to scorch. The inside of my elbows being the only real exception and that's mostly an arc welding issue. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted August 25, 2023 Share Posted August 25, 2023 Frosty, that moose hide apron looks like it would stop a bullet....just don't try it!!!! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 25, 2023 Share Posted August 25, 2023 Yeah, it's plenty tough for anything I want to get in the way of. Like I said above I took a solid hit from a shattering 9" grinding disk and I didn't take any hurt and lesser hits. No bullets though not even little ones. That's not saying I'd take it off if someone was going to shoot at me but it wouldn't be my first choice of cover. God GRIEF what's wrong with me talking up how tough it is, I don't want to challenge fate! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candidquality Posted August 26, 2023 Share Posted August 26, 2023 (edited) Grabbed a couple of these. Thin, which I actually prefer due to lugging around less weight. Grabbed one for me and my daughter when I setup this next forge. ARCCAPTAIN Leather Welding Work Apron 24" X 42" Heat Flame Resistant Cowhide Blacksmith Aprons with 6 Tool Pockets for Welders Men Women, Adjustable M to XXXL Commercial link removed per TOS I used to work with leather seals for semi's ( Stemco back in the ss4 dibacle days) Best top grain leather you could imagine. Cut lots of donut shapes so everyone always had plenty of drink coasters around. Guess I need to check back to see if anyone I know still works there, could keep me in scraps for the rest of my life out of a days production waste. At the current prices of leather, thinking about just buying an entire cow at auction, sell the leather and buy a whole other cow. Prices for decent leather are unbelieveable now. Edited August 26, 2023 by Mod30 Remove commercial link per TOS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candidquality Posted August 26, 2023 Share Posted August 26, 2023 Sorry about the link. Forgot. Been a long, long day. And to be clear, this item above is in no way top grain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted August 26, 2023 Share Posted August 26, 2023 I did a google search for the name and the first hit was Amazon. It does look like a good apron and for $30 U.S. not a bad price. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 26, 2023 Share Posted August 26, 2023 You don't need top grain leather to protect you from flying scale, pinch offs and welding spatter, it looks as good as my welding jacket. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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