How do you keep rocks out of your eyes?

DarkeGreen · January 28, 2007, 10:07:00 AM

I very much enjoy knapping rocks. I just got to the point of being about to make arrowheads that were useable for hunting when I started having trouble with chips of rocks flying in unwanted directions. After the first issue I started wearing safety glasses. After the second issue I switched types of safety glasses. The third...I gave up knapping!

Seeing all the arrowheads and knives on this site people have made has me wanting to start chip'n rocks again. I can only guess that I am doing something wrong. I can believe other have made as many tripps to the doctors office to remove glass from their eyes and continued knapping. I've watched videos of others making arrowheads and have yet to see anyone even wearing basic safety glasses.

Anyone have a clue what I'm doing wrong?

Killdeer · January 28, 2007, 10:11:00 AM

How did the chips get by the safety glasses? My husband Mockingbird has glasses with a safety panel at the sides, where the arms leave the lenses. Did you try these?

Killdeer

Killdeer · January 28, 2007, 10:22:00 AM

When I was doing grunt work for a local gunsmith, I wore a face shield when beadblasting and the like. Likely they came from Brownells. Them rocks won't get past one of those!

Killdeer

DarkeGreen · January 28, 2007, 10:38:00 AM

I was using shooting glasses and a chip came up under the glasses. Another time it was over the top and the chip bounced around and ended up in my eye. Eye doctor said my right cornea looks really bad from all the cuts.

IB · January 28, 2007, 10:55:00 AM

Try welding GOGGLES with clear lenses.

String Tracker · January 28, 2007, 11:20:00 AM

i like Killdeers idea.... wear a face shield. or if that dont work go for full containment hazmat suit

mike g · January 28, 2007, 12:02:00 PM

Wear Safty glasses and a face shield....

DarkeGreen · January 29, 2007, 04:50:00 PM

Thanks everyone!

Yep I've be cut plenty and don't mind that. I just want to be able to see.

I was surprised at how easy those little pieces of glass go right thru leather gloves and pin your glove to your hand.

I'm going to suck it up and give it a try again. I just thought maybe I was hitting the rock to hard or hold them at the wrong angle or something. I don't hold the material quite the same as those in the videos I've seen. I'd like to get half as good as some of the folks on here. There is just something about making arrowheads that gets in your blood.

Mike Bolin · January 29, 2007, 06:07:00 PM

You can get OSHA approved safety glasses with bifocal "cheaters" in them too. I use a set with 1.5 magnification for general work and a set with 2.0 magnification for welding and torch work. Most any welding supply store will have them. I believe you can go all the way up to 2.5 magnification. These work well for grinding so I would bet that they will do the trick. There are also differnt lens shades....amber, gray, brown, green as well as clear! Good luck! Mike

Kingstaken · January 29, 2007, 10:11:00 PM

Stop Knapping and try another hobby..

KyleAllen · January 29, 2007, 10:51:00 PM

try some of the sports style glasses or goggles that form a complete seal around your eyes and are held tight on your melon by an elastic strap.

Slingblade · January 29, 2007, 11:46:00 PM

I saw some the other night in a logging catalog that had real fine mesh instead of plastic lenses. I may have to get some for my woodworking as I hate fog blindness.

Linc · January 30, 2007, 06:16:00 PM

I never had a problem with chips but I started using regular reading glasses to be able to see what I was doing. As with Troy,I've been hit in the face a few times.Even with that it was quite some time ago.

The face shield that Killie mentioned sounds like just the ticket to me.

knife river · January 30, 2007, 07:51:00 PM

You're supposed to keep 'em out of your eyes? Well, ya learn something new every day!

It hasn't been much of a problem for me, but I have gotten a couple tiny flakes in my eye. Just picked them out with a q-tip. Now I wear Wally Mart reading glasses (getting old) so I don't think it'll happen again. The real concern is about wear and tear on my joints.