Back when I started, I'd shape a shoe cold and just hope for the best. Now I heat it to a cherry red every single time, no exceptions.

Had a horse come up lame after a cold set in '19. The farrier who fixed my mess said 'heat is your friend, kid.' Anyone else have a moment that changed their whole approach?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_thea24d ago

That cherry red color is actually too hot for most shoeing work. You want a dull red or maybe a bright red, but cherry red can damage the steel and make it brittle. It burns the carbon right out. I learned that the hard way from an old timer who saw me overheating a shoe. He said I was cooking the strength out of it. Getting the heat right is just as important as using heat at all.

emery_black24d ago

Oh wow, I always thought brighter red meant better for shaping. That totally makes sense about burning out the carbon though. I'm gonna be way more careful watching the color from now on.

rowan65823d ago

Old timers can be wrong about cherry red too.