Had a chat with an old timer at the feed store about hoof knives

I was picking up some supplies in Billings last week and got talking to this retired farrier, maybe 70 years old. He said, 'A sharp knife is a safe knife, but a dull one makes you push too hard.' I've always kept mine sharp, but hearing him say it made me really think about my pressure on the hoof. How do you guys judge when you're using too much force on a trim?

3 comments

3 Comments

daniel_martin1d agoTop Commenter

Exactly. You feel it in your wrist first.

ryantorres23h ago

So you feel it in your wrist first, @daniel_martin... what happens next?

olivia39821h ago

That old timer is right. You can hear it in the sound of the cut too, a sort of rough tearing noise instead of a clean slice. My shoulder starts to ache up by my neck when I'm leaning into it too hard. It's a good reminder to stop and strop the blade more often.