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Alright lads, I've been doing all the research my little brain can handle, and I figured asking here would be a good idea. So, I've been trying to understand what I can about safety regarding working with very toasty chunks of metal, and something that's popped up here and there is the issue of IR radiation and pale skinned people. It seems that it would be prudent to shield ones face from the heat/radiation of a warm forge, but I'm not sure what would offer sufficient protection short of a full welding mask. I'm not looking to cook my face and if any of you know any good solutions to protect my full face and eyes while still having awareness, I'd love to hear. My idea right now is perhaps a thick leather mask (like used in blizzards or skiing) combined with some decent IR goggles. Does this sound like it would work?

I'm gonna put this up there due to how easy it is to pick up a small oxygen acetylene kit these days. Just go to the local harbor fright pick up a set and your ready to go. Most of the time, the modern guy is going to use this just for a quick cut, acetylene welding is just getting to be a thing of the past. But if your like me, and you enjoy to make a fine weld, you might turn to this option. Also, I've come to find out that my vision is a little better than average which might also contribute to being more susceptible to light damage than most, so this might not apply to everyone. Being that acetylene is a thing of the past, I was never able to truly find a class to teach it or get my hands on it until last year at a local blacksmith school where I used their equipment to make my first welds. Fast forward a year, I haven't touched my kit in a long time (yes it is a small kit but I don't know where it came from) but I still feel confident in my skill at making a few "filler" welds on a tomahawk. So I get my set up running, everything good using the goggles provided in the set. I was filling in hammer marks where they just wouldn't file out without making the piece too thin, so this process took me maybe 2-3 welding passes over 20 mins long each. The next day I'm draw filing this thing all day long. Then I come from my workshop into my house, go down into the dark basement and get punched in the right eye with 2 very distinct bright starts that are SOOOO bright its like staring in the sun, not to mention a huge blotch like a photo flash all in that right eye. OW! As the night goes on, it doesn't let up and I start to get a very mild head ache the eye is starting to feel sore/scratchy. By the next morning everything is still screwed up in that eye and I'm getting scared that somethings wrong. I go to work and it doesn't go away - vision's choppy still got the stars and flashbulb. I think to myself my eye is ruined because I caught a glimmer off that stupid freaking eclipse somehow because I was wearing my goggles while welding. Finally get to see a Dr that evening by this time the intensity has dissipated in the eye but its still there also sore. Things check out OK physically he tells me that being that eclipse was days ago I must have gotten this from something else but to follow up with an actual ophthalmologist. Two days pass before I can get to one, the stars at this point are gone, and the flash has dissipated to an annoyance and seems to be dying down very slowly. Get checked out by the Ophthalmologist just to be sure there's no lasting damage and I get the relief that all is well, retinas are good. So I asked his opinion on what the heck did he think I did to myself, welding flash seemed to be the most likely answer. "But doc, I was using my goggles that I'm darn sure are shade 4 for welding with acetylene." But wait I think, I never bought them they were in a kit and I never truly checked them I assumed their #4 shade. "Regardless" the doc says "Your eyes are better than most for 35 years old, and are going to be a little more susceptible to light damage than others." Therefore, I'm pitching whatever shades I got and getting at least #6 shades, so if you go after a kit - man find out what shades are in the thing for certain and just tell yourself the darker the better! There's no better scare of a lifetime that you're going to have a glowing dot in your vision for the rest of your life!

I think we can all relate to the belief that our eyes are one of our most used tools in the shop, and respecting our tools is necessary for making good knives, swords, or whatever craft you do. And I assume we all have the same rule in the shop: Eye Protection Required. And I also assume we all have broken our own rule at least once. Well, I am writing this because I did just that, broke my own rule, and it almost cost me the sight in my right eye today. My partner was working on his first full knife basically on his own, with me just hovering around giving advice and watching closely; unfortunately a little too closely. My face was about six inches from his work when he struck and sent scale right into my face. Some of it was hot when it landed in the inside corner of my eye right against the tear duct. I still feel the irritation tonight, as if I still have something there. The moral of the story... Don't disobey your own rules. If you say Eye Protection Required, then damn it, EYE PROTECTION REQUIRED.