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c/farriersthe_hollythe_holly19d ago

Noticed something wild at a barn in Kentucky last week

The farrier there was using a simple angle grinder with a flap disk to clean old shoes instead of doing it by hand, and his prep time dropped by about 15 minutes per horse. Has anyone else tried that trick or is it a bad idea long term?
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3 Comments
ryan_gibson84
Guess that farrier's shoes really went to pieces.
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phoenix_thompson4
Hold up, I gotta disagree here. Angle grinders kick up a ton of heat, and that heat can mess with the temper of the shoes, making them brittle or soft in spots. Had a buddy who tried it on some OVB plates and they cracked right down the middle on the second ride. Hand cleaning might take longer, but you're also checking each nail hole and clip for wear while you're at it. That extra 15 minutes is time you're not catching a shoe failure later. Plus, the dust from grinding steel gets everywhere into your lungs and the barn. Not worth the shortcut.
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josephbutler
Fair point. Hand cleaning worked fine for my last three sets.
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