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I remember when a set of keg shoes cost $35 and lasted two trims

Stopped by an old supplier's yard last week and saw the price list. $85 for a basic set of keg shoes now. Back in 2005 I could get the same pair for $35 and they'd hold up for two full resets on a heavy draft. What changed besides the obvious inflation? I figure it's the overseas competition and fewer folks learning the forge trade. You guys still using keg shoes or did you switch to something else for the heavy horses?

3 comments

3 Comments

anderson.david16d ago

Tbh the overseas competition is part of it but the real kicker is those big suppliers like Diamond and St. Croix bought up most of the smaller forges. Less competition means they can charge whatever they want.

max41516d ago

Stick with the keg shoes for drafts if you can find a local farrier who still forges his own. The factory ones been going downhill since they streamlined production, thin steel that warps halfway through the first trim.

evaallen16d ago

Yeah the overseas stuff definitely hit the market hard but honestly the real issue is the alloy composition changed around 2018. They started mixing in more recycled steel to cut costs and it just doesn't hold up the same. I've had factory keg shoes crack right through the nail holes on heavy drafts, never saw that ten years ago. Best bet is to find a farrier who still uses a coal forge and can draw his own stock, even if you gotta drive an hour each way.