Daggers and Diamonds: Safety Googles

Hot sparks from an angle grinder look amazing, right? Until they hit you in the eye. I’m Ryan from @dragonsnestforge and welcome to my monthly column at @indieknives.

What do you need to start forging? I hear a lot of people talk about the bare essentials necessary to get going. Most people mention a hammer 🔨, a heat source 🔥, and a hard place to hit the steel on.

One thing I don’t see on lists is something you definitely need to be using every time you are forging: safety goggles.

That’s right, safety goggles. Cuz it’s really hard to forge when you are blind. Scroll right to see mine.

On a daily basis my goggles protect my eyes from flying forge scale, hot sparks from that angle grinder, tons of wood and metal splinters, as well as the occasional hot piece of steel if my tongs slip.

I’ve had plenty of hot scale hit my face and lips, causing small burns, and you kind of expect that in a forge. But thanks to my safety goggles, my eyes are well protected.

Because those you can’t replace.

And now a question for you: Do you use safety goggles? Which brand do you prefer? What’s the worst accident your goggles saved you from?

I’m Ryan from @dragonsnestforge. Daggers and Diamonds by Dragons is my monthly column about workplace safety, gems in knifemaking, and other random maker related topics!

Want to know more about Ryan? Read Gems & Knives: Talking with Ryan from @dragonsnestforge.