Hot Rods Do you wear safety shoes/boots when working in your shop?

After an accident that crushed my toes on one foot, I have begun the habit of always wearing steel toe shoes or boots in my shop. How about you? What do you wear when working on your hot rod or custom?

One of three pairs of shoes I rotate through the shop:

 

Hell yes. I usually replace them every 4-5 years but I only work in the shop a couple days each week.

 

Depends. No, I’m not wearing Depends (yet) but if I know I will be welding or doing heavy work then yes, steel toe, ankle high boots and long pants.

 

I did when I worked in a Midas Muffler shop and then wore them until I wore them out. Required for the job there.
I usually wear real shoes or boots when I am working out in what serves as my shop. A hot spark through the top of a tennis shoe isn't fun at all.

 

Depends the work I’m doing. I wear them all night at work so I try to just wear regular shoes unless I’m doing heavy lifting or welding

 

In the warmer months (April-October), I weld and grind in crocs while wearing shorts and a t-shirt. Sure, I have to dig out splinters and watch the sparks but it's just too darn hot around here.

 

I went to the workwear store today for the same reason, looking for something cooler than boots. Found a pair of slip-ons with a steel toe. Really comfortable and much cooler. No way I can wear flip flops or Crocs after my accident. Gun shy. Don't care how hot it is. Don't want to go through therapy again.

 

Depends. Usually standard sneakers or flip flops (I know). I do own some steel toed sneakers I wear when I plan on working out there a while or on heavy metal stuff.

 

I’m doing good to have shoes on sometimes

 

I like to weld naked...get a nice even "flash tan" with no tan lines. But I'm not stupid...I do wear shoes.

 

Always when welding and cutting metal

 

I have to admit that I don't. In fact, I have been known to tack up parts wearing sandals but usually I AM wearing shoes of some sort.

 

Full leather, rubber soles, no composite toes, I have my last work pair..

 

I have no sandals or sneakers or low cut shoes, I only were leather boots but no steel toes

 

I recently bought a pair of Doc Martin slip ons, steel toe, non slip soles, a bit on the heavy side but comfy and good protection.

I get the whole "pics or it didn't happen" thing but I think in the best interest of the HAMB and all mankind it would be best if we forego the evidence on this one.

 

Redwing work boots, long pants, short sleeves if working around anything rotating faster than I can see.

 

Mostly wear tennis shoes, I've upgraded from the old canvas sneakers after using the fire wrench and drop some slag on top of my right foot, it doesn't take to long for the brain to get the signal that something is wrong, the slag melted through the shoe and the sock got melted to my foot.

I still have a nasty scar, when I am welding or using the fire wrench I wear a old pair of Army boot's that was issued to me at Fort Jackson BTW, I don't spit polish them anymore. HRP

 

Well, it ain't purdy...and there's a couple of drawbacks as you can imagine...

 

Always wear work shoes(sometimes boots). Even wear them while mowing the lawn.

 

Yes, I always wear steel toe or composite toe shoes at work and at home, always! They work really well, to help catch the items that slip off the work bench, or that slip out of your hands. Just got to be FAST with your feet, and make sure you have the steel toe shoes on, not the leisure tennis shoes. Since I am getting older, with fingers becoming number, all my nice items are constantly trying to land on the concrete shop floor. The concrete floor surface is not nice to chromed items, steel items, or just about any car part. So, as the item is on its way down to the floor, I try to catch the item, or at least slow down and reduce the impact level and part damage, with my steel toe shoe.

 

I only wear leather boots, pull on or a pair of lace ups. No steel toes. Seen a guy lose his toes on account of the steel toe bending and cutting them off, not a pretty sight. But they would have probably been crushed anyway.

I just ordered a set of Kevlar sleeves to use in the shop. My skin has gotten thin, any scrape and I bleed like a stuck pig. I’m hoping they will help or stop any scrapes on my arms. Plus they are fireproof, should help while welding and grinding.

 

Always.

I dropped a small block Chevy head on my foot when I was 15. I was wearing slip-on Van's. Had a pretty good gash right across the toe line, I'm probably lucky I didn't chop off a toe.

A couple months later, I was wire wheeling some rust off of a frame when my big toe started hurting. I was wearing the same shoes. A wire had escaped the wheel, went through the shoe, through my sock and embedded itself about 1/4 inch into my foot right between my big toe and the next one (index toe? middle toe?)

I made my dad drive me to the store to get some steel toed boots the next day. And some safety glasses.

 

Typically no, never have really. And it finally caught up to me last year. My garage/work shoes are usually whatever sneakers I wore out in the gym and have been relegated to work duty before they get tossed in the garbage. Last year, when COVID was at it's peak in NJ, I dropped a Bridgeport vise on my left big toe. It was the type of pain that was so searing that there was no sound when I screamed. Wound up having to go to the Med-emerge the next day to get the nail drilled and x-rays, which confirmed it was broken in multiple places. Took over a year for the nail to grow back.

I'll throw on a pair of boots if I'm doing heavy work, but generally speaking, I just try to be more cognizant of dropping shit on my feet.

 

Dan Post for me.

 

Nope. Just my grubby slip on Keen shoes. If it's winter I might be wearing some Red Wing boots.

 

Yes.

 

I always wear leather shoes. It depends on how heavy or the nature of the work. I have two pairs of 8" leather work boots to give good ankle support. One pair with composite toes and insoles & the other is steel toes & insoles. If the work is demolition, boards with nails then my comfort is the steel insoles. I try to get the lightest boots so I can wear them all day. If I am wearing the boots regularly then I alternate pairs each day. That gives the boots a day to dry out and feet don't get so wet. Each pair walk different so alternating is better for the body long term. I have worked in large industrial repair shutdowns where I had to walk so far each day that my toes got raw. I had to tape them individually so they survived.

 

I wear steel toes with metatarsal guards to work everyday...but wear regular tennis shoes when working in my shop at home.

 

Yes indeedy.