Quote Originally Posted by floppyshoes View Post
The greatest safety item in the whole shop rests between your ears. If you're suicidal, all the gloves, aprons, face shields and boots in the world won't save you.

I think I read a statistic one time that said 9 out of 10 "accidents" were foreseen by the injured craftsman, and that they occurred because he continued to do the dangerous task, thinking "it should be fine".

Then again, good judgment is usually only gained through experience, which almost always comes with it's fair share of small injuries resulting from the experience you have yet to acquire.

(safety gear: half mask respirator and clear plastic full face shield for grinding, gloves for forging though not essential, 2 or 3 strong fans to keep air circulating in the garage/shop with all doors open, jeans are the norm for most days.)