Was that a full forge weld he did on the spot or was he just cold shaping the existing shoe? I've seen a couple old school guys up in Montana do something similar but they always claimed you need the steel hot to get the balance right without leaving stress cracks. Curious if he had it in the forge first or if he was literally just whacking it cold with a cross peen and calling it good. The stump anvil part is what's really interesting to me because most modern shops act like you need a 200 pound cast iron block just to touch a hind shoe. I've been wanting to try that method myself but I'm worried about jacking up the nail holes if I'm not careful with the hammer placement.

Yup, been there. Cheap ones strip instantly, just get the Park.

Yeah totally, my buddy Dave got burned the same way. He asked for a simple favor, just wanted me to watch his dog for a weekend, and next thing I know I'm stuck feeding this hyperactive beagle for two weeks because he "forgot" his return flight. He kept saying he'd be back Monday, then Tuesday, then Wednesday, and I just kept nodding along like a idiot. It's like once you say yes to one thing, they just keep piling on more stuff and you can't back out without looking like a jerk. I feel your pain man, these surprise commitments sneak up on you and suddenly your whole weekend is shot.

barely buttered the ends" is exactly it. I swear some folks would rather stare at a level than feel if the mortar is grabbing. Had a retaining wall here in Cleveland that was dead straight but started leaning after one freeze thaw cycle because they left dry spots. The look gets the photo op, but the grip does the work. That wall's gonna be a loose pile of bricks before you know it.

and yeah i did actually. i sent her a dm just being like hey i saw that post and i was a little confused by it cause it felt like you were taking my words out of context. she was actually pretty cool about it though which surprised me. @derek994 i think she just kinda assumed i meant something different than what i actually said so once i clarified she said she'd update the post.