My apprentice in Cheyenne insisted on using a new rasp he saw online, and it slipped on a quarter crack, nicking the horse's heel.

I had him switch back to our old reliable file, clean the small cut with saline, and we finished the job with a cold compress on the leg, but has anyone else had a tool fail because of a weird coating?

3 comments

3 Comments

rodriguez.diana1mo agoMost Upvoted

We had a batch of new hoof knives come in with a slick handle coating. They felt fine in the shop, but with a little sweat or rain they were like holding a bar of soap. Went back to the old wooden handles and never looked back. That grip is everything when you're working.

elizabeth9001mo ago

Yeah that slick coating is a total trap lol. Tried some like that on a humid day and the knife nearly flew out of my hand. A little coarse sandpaper can rough up those plastic handles in a pinch, but honestly it never feels as sure as proper wood. Once you get mud or sweat on your hands, that grip is the only thing keeping you safe.

dianas501mo ago

Ha, ain't that the truth! @elizabeth900 is spot on, nothing like a little rain to turn a "grippy" handle into a slip-n-slide. Guess some folks just like living dangerously.