[TheForge] Re: Subject: Didymium? I say "no way."

[TristerK at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/9/2006 11:54:17 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
michael.a.porter at comcast.net writes:
Lots of people can't just look away from the heat source. How do you braze 
or gas weld without looking at the heat source? How do you pound 
incandescent hot iron without looking at it? I'm not saying everyone should 
rush out and get protection from IR. That's your individual choice. I was 
originally answering a question asked by someone who does want that 
protection.


OK, here's a question - most smiths do, in fact, look at glowing iron all the 
time and stare into the fire quite a bit mostly without eye protection, do 
old smiths typically have eye damage that can be ascribed to IR? If so what 
sort?  We know what happens to welders and glass workers who aren't careful - is 
there similar epidemiological evidence for smiths?