Ethersin Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Well today I nearly lost an eye. A red-hot chunk of lumpwood charcoal, was spat out of the fire today, and caught me just next to my eye, it got stuck between the side of my nose and the very corner of my eye. I'm lucky! All im gonna get is a blister and have a sore eye for a while, if it was 1/2 a cm to to the left I would of probably lost the eye, or alot of vision. So, I won't be lightning the forge back up untill I have me some safety gear. I really do suggest you use safety gear... Take it from my experience, and don't wait til' it's your experience.Safety First There is also another link somewhere I can't find it at the moment. I just wanted to say this, to all of you (mainly the new guy's like me).. Is it worth not spending out that little bit extra? Money can be replaced.. Body part's can't. Thank's Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan W Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 I worked emergency rooms for a number of years. We called folks who didnt use the proper safety equipment job security. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethersin Posted October 21, 2008 Author Share Posted October 21, 2008 Yeah, It's not a smart thing to do! Xxxx, I wanna go back out and start forging again.. But I am not going to untill I get some goggles! Just not worth it. I guess you've seen the worst of what can happen.. Sheesh. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Losing an eye is one of the traditional blacksmith's retirement plans. Just look how many mythological blacksmiths were known as One eye. Glad to see you've seen the light about being a traditionalist. In this light anyway. Safety first, last, always. Frosty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evfreek Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Back in the "good 'ol days", eyes were not so precious. When I demo'ed at Yosemite, I deflected comments about "non-period" safety glasses with a story about the father of the national park system, John Muir, whose eye injury in the trades drove him to appreciate nature. Any thumbnail history sketch on this important figure will include this fact. At my last photo op, the photographer strongly encouraged me to pose without safety glasses, since it looked better. I agreed, but on the condition that I would not be actively working. After going through a few posed shots, she said that she preferred an action shot with hammers swinging, the fire licking high, and hot metal being struck, but with no safety glasses. She said that my assistant could do all the work and she would shoot me over his shoulder in a "safe" area. I refused, saying that the photo would encourage people to think that it was OK to skip the safety glasses occasionally. So, beware of those "action" shots of craftsmen who should know better not wearing safety glasses. The photos may be completely posed under safe circumstances, but they still send the wrong message. I ended up digging my heels in, and all the action shots had both my assistant and I wearing safety glasses. I don't think I'll be sorry that I didn't look as good. I really don't look all that good anyway, at least not like Harrison Ford. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 A couple decades (maybe three) ago I was doing a demo at a local ren fair and the period police insisted I not wear safety glasses. I packed my gear and left. Frosty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironrosefarms Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 As you prepare to go get some safety glasses, you might want to go and see what the local welding supply house has on hand. That is where I finally found a pair that are actually comfortable enough to keep on while working up a good sweat I got a standard clear pair and the other set are shade 3 so they also protect the eyes from a good deal of the radiation from the forge as well. Something I found recently is from the American Welding Society American Welding Society Safety and Health worksheets, they have a ton of good safety material that carries over into many of the activities we do as smiths. Here is a link to their safety articles, the ANSI Z49.1 PDF file is worth looking at as well, gives a break down on what lens shading is needed for different activities along with a lot of other good information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethersin Posted October 22, 2008 Author Share Posted October 22, 2008 Wow, good job on the good message guy's! I think we have some goggles somewhere.. We also have a welding mask.. and a big plastic (see-through) face shield.. But i'd preffer to have the glassess (if you know what i mean) they're much more comfortable... Well i guess any of them are more comfortable than a burnt face Cheer's for the info Ironrosefarms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kovacija(blacksmith) Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 when I was trying to start forging my friend come to my place and took a pic of hot steel-yellow and tried to hit it on the side of the anvil the pic fly off and hit him over nose end bellow the eye I was so upset because of that so I don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutchmancreek Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 I always wear prescription safety glasses with side shields. Anything can happen though....I was doing some chain saw carving wearing safety glasses with side shields AND a full face shield over that and still ended up in the emergency room with a chip in my eye. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy seale Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 maybe they need to get a chip on they camara lens- that'll show em, be safe out there you is the only one that can do it, jimmy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 I have destroyed more than one safety filter on a camera lens. Do you need safety glasses? Close both eyes and tell me what you see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Leppo Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 OK, i hate to admit this, butt... Hit myself in the eye with the hammer once - rebounding off the anvil - missed the workpiece (trying to hammer in a really tight area, in my defence) Perscription safety glasses saved me - I didn't even get a shiner! was hard enough to knock the glasses off my face and bend them up pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethersin Posted October 22, 2008 Author Share Posted October 22, 2008 Ow, xxxx man how you manage to get a chip though all that? Both eye's closed... Pretty sparkles... Sorry goatman. That sounds nasty.. Buuut it still brought a smile to my face.. I know it shouldn't of buuut it did. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 When you hear THAT noise, the one made by a clean miss and hammer hitting the anvil face, it is too late to duck. The hammer launches off the anvil at almost the speed of sound, or so it seems. (grin) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethersin Posted October 22, 2008 Author Share Posted October 22, 2008 Sheesh.. Im gonna end up wearing a set of medievil armour at this rate.. Gonna have to make it first i guess... Glenn did you recieve the PM i sent you? Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 I got a mesh face shield that seems to work fine for all but dust. I've had my fair share of close calls over the years and have had to pay more then one visit to the eye doctor for removal of foreign bodies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 I've never even clipped myself with a hammer rebounding. I'd like to claim it's because I never miss but. . . The real reason is something Father beat into my head from times before I remember. Stay OUT of the plane of rotation! I realize my strikes could maybe harder, I don't believe so though but with the plane of rotation of my blows aligned over my shoulder rather than with my head any miss goes over my right shoulder instead of into my head. The plane of rotation is NEVER the right place to be. Sometimes you have no choice but you have to armor up on those occasions because any mishap will get distributed on the plane. Frosty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Patrick Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Remember kids, it is more of a pain to be blind than to wear safety glasses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Martin Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 I completely agree, safety glasses are religious to me !!! lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Ethersin, yes, check your pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironrosefarms Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 My day er I mean Night job is as a supervisor over 40 production employees. If I have learned anything about human nature and safety it is this... if it isn't fairly comfortable the danger eventually won't matter and the safety gear will be left behind. Now since I am charged at work with making sure people have their safety gear and are properly using it, I am a bit ashamed to say that it has only been in the past year that I begun wearing safety glasses or hearing protection every time while working metal. I have no idea how I survived 18 years without it other than God looks after children and dummies??? The fact is before I had not found a pair of glasses I could keep on my face that either didn't hurt, cause sweat to run into my eyes, or fog so bad I couldn't see. When I finally went to a local welding supplier where they allowed me to try them on and was able to get real advice, was I able to find a pair that are easy and comfortable enough to keep on. So, if your like I was and tend to leave the safety glasses on the work bench because of issues of comfort and such PLEASE, go to a supplier that has knowledgeable folks who outfit professionals, not necessarily the local hardware, lumber yard, or box store... By the way the safety glasses I purchased from the welding supply store cost less per pair than any of the other single pair I purchased from other places that did not fit well or were of poor quality... go figure... ~O^O~ get em on!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now