Leather Shop Apron

[Russ Massery]

What kind do you have? Where did you get it? And what do like & dislike about? The SWMBO's grilling me a gift ideas it's best I could come up with.:rolleyes:

[Charles Wade]

I don't use a leather one but good features are 1) Rockler has in cloth an apron with crosses behind your back, spreads the load, 2) get one where that has flaps over the pockets so the latter don't fill with chips and sawdust. chuck

[Jim Kountz]

My apron is whatever shirt I have on at the time!!:D:D

[Rich Souchek]

Russ,
I got a good leather apron when I started knife making with a propane forge. It worked good for keeping hot metal spatters from hitting me, but doesn't do anything in wood working or wood turning.
I use a turning apron with a high, tight neck for turning, and a cloth carpenters nail bag/front short apron when using a lot of nails or screws in the shop. Nothing really covers me in normal shop work.
Rich S.

[John Keeton]

Russ, I got a free one (branded for Groz) when the local Woodcraft opened. It looks good hanging in my shop - unfortunately, I have never had it on. I follow Jim's method - whatever shirt I have on. I will make your wife a good deal on this one and you can be surprised!

[Joe Pelonio]

Mine was a Christmas gift so I don't know where it came from, but it's black and the quality of a leather jacket so I kind of hate to use it too much and get it messed up!

[Daniel Thompson]

Lie-Nielsen sells a nice leather shop apron.

[Ray Newman]

My wife made me my shop apron to accommodate needs: small pocket for pencils, another for a note pad, & a large pocket for small tools. Works quite well, but then again, I grew up wearing a shop apron.

One time she made me a leather apron. I still have it. But, I don't wear it much -- it is very hot in warm weather.

[Clint Winterhalter]

I don't use a leather one but good features are 1) Rockler has in cloth an apron with crosses behind your back, spreads the load, 2) get one where that has flaps over the pockets so the latter don't fill with chips and sawdust. chuck

I use the Rockler apron that crosses in the back. It does a good job spreading the load. Chucks right the pockets are full of sawdust half the time..

[Greg Hines, MD]

I don't recall where I got mine, but it was from one of those welding distributors, and I used it for blacksmithing for a long time. It was really long, and when I started using it for woodworking, I cut off about a foot from the bottom of it, and it works much better now. I intend to use the piece for some cargo pockets eventually, as it only had a chest pocket on it. The straps cross in the back, and are easy to adjust with quick release straps.

Doc

[Mike Goetzke]

I have a leather one that I got at Rockler. I don't wear it much but I do when I don't want to fill the front of my shirt with chips/dust (like using a router or making kerf cuta on the TS). Well worth it.

Mike

[Randal Stevenson]

My father and I looked at the ones at Rockler, the local welding supply houses, farm supply stores, and even asked at our local Renaisance fair. All the ones he tended to like, were handmade, not stock.

I asked my father to make up a cloth one and figure out where and what type of pockets he wanted (some covered some not). He had, had one years ago, that wore out and had a good idea of what he wanted to do now and in the future (turning type of stuff). He is a leatherworker, but I wouldn't call him skilled (durable items, but NOT pretty). I took the cloth thing he put together and ordered it after many recommendations here, from Sawmill contributer CW McClellan, and even my mom liked it (VERY HARD to impress).

I can't recommend him highly enough
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/member.php?u=16634

[Keith Outten]

Russ,

I suggest that you contact CW McCellan of McClellan Leather Craft (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/private.php?do=newpm&u=16634). CW is a Member here and he makes great leather items. CW made me a custom Carpenters Apron from horse hide, it is light, very rugged and made to my specifications. The price was way less than expected and you have your choice of other materials like cow leather or canvas.

Visit this thread for more information (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=577442#post577442)

Randal beat me to the punch :)
.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Russ,
What Keith said. I remember when Keith got his apron, and showed it off in a posting. I really wanted to order one, but I happened by Highland Woodworking one weekend, and they had one of theirs on the "Sale" table (first place I go to, always!). Well, it was a $45 apron marked down to $25, so I had to snag it. The reason for the mark down was that it had been used a couple of times in their demo shop. Like I care.

Anyway, I use it all the time in the shop. What I like about it is that it has two pockets on top (one for pens, marking knives, etc., and one open pocket), and two covered pockets below the waste. I store all my most used items in my apron, and never have to fumble around for where they are when I need them. It does have the criss-cross straps in the back, which is a must. On top of that, the material protects even my grubby clothes from getting any grubbier.

As for leather versus cloth, go for the leather. Why? Well, the leather can't be beat for durability: You can't melt it with a hot iron (people have told me); it won't snag; and fine dust can't impregnate it like cloth.

Go ahead, ask for the good stuff.

[Rod Sheridan]

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=57647&cat=51&ap=2

I have the older Lee Valley shop apron and use it whenever I'm in the shop.

The new apron ahs the crossed straps at the back, which should be even more comfortable if you carry anything in the apron.

I only carry a mechanical pencil and a 6" ruler in mine...Rod.

[Mick Zelaska]

I have bought and tried every apron known to man. All are tucked away on a shelf except for this one:

http://www.woodcraft.com/product.aspx?ProductID=147819&FamilyID=20120

I put on every time I work in the shop. I haven't had to look for my tape, pencil, and small hand tools since I bought it.

[John Bush]

I had CW McClellan make me a turning apron and two for gifts for friends. One was for a 6'5" guy and he made it extra long. Mine, unfortunately, had to be extra wide!! He can make any design you want and does a nice job as well. He stiched on a SMC patch as well and he was great to deal with, It's a good thing to support a member too. JCB

[Aaron Berk]

What kind do you have? Where did you get it? And what do like & dislike about? The SWMBO's grilling me a gift ideas it's best I could come up with.:rolleyes:


I got mine from Duluthtrading.com It's not leather, and I couldn't find the exact one again, but heres a link to one that's almost the same. They've got another one that is made from fire hose material too.
http://www.duluthtrading.com/search/searchresults/69133.aspx?feature=&kw=apron
I like mine pretty well, I do wish the lower pockets had sawdust flaps though.

[bob greenshields]

Maurice is right about the apron at Highland. http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=6218

[Gary Click]

A word of caution regarding leather aprons (or cloth for that matter).

The fitters in our frog shop do heavy grinding on manganese steel frog castings. We furnish them with heavy leather aprons as part of their PPE along with gloves and leather welding sleeves. A few years back one of our fitters was grinding a frog using a 9" grinder with a Type 27 disk and the dangling loose end of the neck stap fell into the guard. The strap wound around the grinder wheel causing the grinder to climb the strap. The grinding wheel slamed into the fitters neck and jaw before the strap broke. The wheel slashed his jaw and neck but missed the artery and vein. There was lots of blood, excitment, several surgeries but only a small scar after everything healed up. We found out later that a 3/8" move would have had different results and hit the artery.

We now require that ALL dangling straps, etc. are delt with and our people recognize this as a potential for a bad day and look after the problem for themselves and others. We also use Racal fresh air hoods for people grinding, they are much cooler and more pleasant especially in the summer and offer space helmet type protection for the face and neck.

Be aware or this hazard when around power equipment.

[John Thompson]

I got mine at Peachtee WW I believe.. The manufacturer had cut a batch way too long IMO and they were having trouble selling them. They put them on the on-line for $19 I believe. I simply cut it off to the lenght I felt appropriate.

I wear it with the TS.. SCMS (flying chips and cut-offs on occasion).. router table ( have you ever had a bit launch a carbide particle) and always for finishing and when working with sharp chisels. It is not bullet-proof but is more of a cushion than cloth IMO.

Sarge..

[Chris Stolicky]

What kind do you have? Where did you get it? And what do like & dislike about? The SWMBO's grilling me a gift ideas it's best I could come up with.:rolleyes:

You mean there are no more tools that you need (or want). :eek: Man, must be nice :D

I pretty much just have a few shirts that are dedicated shop clothes and wear them when I work in the shop. I have never tried an apron. I'm beginning to think that one of the mocks would be good when I start throwing chips from the lathe....