Had a shoe twist in the forge and fly right at my face yesterday

I was working on a size 2 front shoe for a big draft cross, heating it up in my portable forge out at the Maplewood Stables. The steel was at a good orange heat, and I went to set the heel on the anvil to start shaping. The second I tapped it, the whole shoe spun off the tongs like it was greased. It flew up and hit me right on the cheekbone, bounced off, and landed in the dirt. My face was throbbing instantly, and I just stood there for a second feeling like a total idiot. I had to pack ice from the barn fridge on it for twenty minutes while the horse just stared at me. I think my grip on the tongs was off because my gloves were getting worn thin. Anyone have a brand of tongs that really locks onto a shoe without slipping?

2 comments

2 Comments

ryan9522d ago

My buddy got a black eye from a shoe that slipped... his old tongs were just shot.

spencer_davis761d ago

That's brutal. Old tools can really turn on you. Had a rusty pair of pliers slip once, took a chunk out of my thumb. Makes you realize how fast things go wrong. Now I check my gear way more often.