Boots for Splitting

[buckwheat]

I pretty much have the PPE thing covered and have been blessed not to have suffered anything worse than an occassional speck of dust in my eye when cutting. But...when splitting (power), I've managed to have split rounds get away from me and drop on the top of my foot.

I figure what I need is some type of boot or guard that protects the top of the instep. I seem to recall such a thing for working in machine shops, but I couldn't find anything.

Do any of you guys know what I'm talking about and where I could find a pair? thx.

 

[oneoldbanjo]

When I worked in a steel mill we were required to have boots like that. There were plenty of shoe/boot stores around the steel mills that had them in stock....but that was 35 years ago when the steel mills were booming.

I believe they are called Metatarsel Guards (check spelling). The boots had steel toes and a reinforced flap that covered the laces on the top. I am sure that boot companies like Red Wing would have models.....and you would probably have to order a set.

 

[Log Splitter]

I wear the same steel toed boots splitting that I use when I'm running my saw. I've never had a problem with the split pieces hitting my ankle, but then I do a fast tap dance when something is falling off the splitter in the direction of my feet.

Snake guards, like the quail hunters wear in Texas, would offer some cheap protection for you. Check them out on the BPS website.

 

[oneoldbanjo]

I found that you can search eBay for Metatarsel and come up with boots that will work. Here is a link so you can see what the kind I had looked like. There was also a pair where the protection was internal......count on them being pretty stiff I would imagine.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mens-Carolina-B...ryZ63850QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[buckwheat]

Wow! 30 minutes and I have an answer. This site has always been great (as long as you're not argueing about saws.)

I have steel toe boots, and I don't drink like I used to so I discovered I'm not nearly that good a dancer, (except when those logs do fall on my feet) so metatarsels it is.

thanks again.

 

[curdy]

Cool looking boots.

You could also try leg guards that a baseball catcher would wear. I got a pair cheap on ebay for splitting with a maul to protect against the occasional piece flying back and hitting me in the shin. I don't use them much now though because I moved on to the rubber tire method and like that a lot more. But if I were using a splitter, I'd probably bring them out.

They have the bottom piece to protect your metatarsals from stuff falling off the splitter, plus they go all the way up to protect your shins and knees. (Haven't used a splitter before, but I hear that banging your legs against the beam can be an issue some times, so the extra protection may help there as well.) Since you already own steel toe boots, this may be a decent alternative.

 

[turnkey4099]

Cool looking boots.

You could also try leg guards that a baseball catcher would wear. I got a pair cheap on ebay for splitting with a maul to protect against the occasional piece flying back and hitting me in the shin. I don't use them much now though because I moved on to the rubber tire method and like that a lot more. But if I were using a splitter, I'd probably bring them out.

They have the bottom piece to protect your metatarsals from stuff falling off the splitter, plus they go all the way up to protect your shins and knees. (Haven't used a splitter before, but I hear that banging your legs against the beam can be an issue some times, so the extra protection may help there as well.) Since you already own steel toe boots, this may be a decent alternative.

Amen to the shin protection. Mine are in a constant state of uproar...or were until this summer. I always meant to get some shin guards but then tried my saw chaps. Work great, enough padding to get the job done, not bulky and I am used to wearing them anyhow.

I am still recovering from a nasty infection on my right shin. Back early Dec. I went out to burn my brush piles since there was enough snow on the ground for safety. Barked both shins on a log. Not wearing the chaps as I didn't want to destroy them from the heat. Left healed right up, right one was stilld dripping 2 weeks later. Took a month before the scabs finally started to peel.

Harry K

 

[curdy]

Lovely, thanks for the visual! Worst I had before using a tire was a nice bruise right on the shin from a piece of wood I was splitting. Then, it got hit right dead on again after splitting a little longer. I think I managed to get that shin in the way of a split one more time before it healed up. Needless to say, that bruise turned into a pretty nasty bump that looked like I stuffed a grape under my sock. I guess that was my self initiation into splitting as it was my first season. I'm a lot better at it now!

 

[potato_man]

here are some various types of "strap on" foot protectors:

http://www.unitedsafetyauthority.com/342802.html



potato