Safety glasses/goggle recommendations

weo

weo

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Sep 21, 2014
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Hello all. I hope the start of summer is treating everyone well.
I've finally admitted that I need better glasses in the shop, and went to an optometrist to get my eyes checked. I now have my prescription and am in the process of finding goggles. I have a couple of questions, all related to what would be the recommendation for metal shop use. I am planning on getting UV protection and, if possible IR protection.
- Should I invest the money in glass instead of polycarbonate lenses for durability?
- Should I invest the extra money in the anti-scratch coatings that are advertised? I'm assuming that it would help more with polycarbonate than glass, is this correct?
- Is there anything else?
Thank you.
 
Fortunately I do not have to wear any kind of prescription safety glasses/goggles, however I do wear regular polycarbonate safety glasses 10+ hours a day and I will say they get scratched up pretty fast. They only cost about $15 a pair so going through 2-3 pairs a year isn't too big a deal. I would imagine glass lenses would be much more durable. Crews is the only brand of safety glasses I've ever really liked.
 
When I purchased glasses specifically for forging, I contacted a company that dealt in eye protection for lampworkers. They (Aura Lens) knew exactly what I needed and supplied a great pair of side-shield Z-87 safety glasses that you could use at the forge all day long and not get the "weary eyes" of too much exposure. They're not didymium or anything glass-work like that; they're matched to the wavelengths that forge refractories output. It's just that these places know that type of need unlike a regular optometry place. Sadly, Aura Lens has gone out of business, but there are other vendors of lampworker glasses that can get you what you need. The correct glasses help prevent cataracts, of course.
I agree with Darren - polycarbonate scratches. I prefer glass despite the added weight.
 
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I don't want to go too far off topic here but this is a thought I just had... One time I had the wonderful task of removing a very large steel bushing from a very large roller (4 inch shaft had sheared and got stuck in the bushing). The bushing was very hard and brittle so I was using a sledge hammer to chunk it out as much as possible before switching to a cutting torch. This ended up being a very bad idea because a golf ball size chunk of the bushing came off like a bullet and hit me square in the left eye glass lens (thank goodness I had them on). It was kind of like getting punched in the face and the polycarbonate glasses had a pretty good puncture in them but they didn't crack at all. Would glass have cracked and maybe even shattered in a high impact case like that?
 
Aura lens is a good company for shop glasses. Knifemakers don't need sodium flare lampwork glasses. Basic IR/UV is fine.

Anti scratch is a good add-on. It usually includes a 1-year warranty. Trust me, you will scratch them within a year and will get a new set of lenses.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Aura lens is a good company for shop glasses. Knifemakers don't need sodium flare lampwork glasses. Basic IR/UV is fine.

Anti scratch is a good add-on. It usually includes a 1-year warranty. Trust me, you will scratch them within a year and will get a new set of lenses.
Click to expand...

Just FYI, Stacy, but Aura Lens is out of business. And, I agree, a good company with excellent product.
 
Wow, Mike finally retired!
It was a great company. I and sure there are others. Mike was all I used for 40+ years.

For most forging work, a #1.5 or #2 welding lens will do fine. I like gray, but many like green. Places like VS Eyewear will have them.
Another option - just go to your local discount eyeglasses store, Costco, etc. and get sunglasses with lenses in #1.5, #1.7, or #2.

TIP:
Take a glasses case, put your shop glasses in it, and put it in the shop where you can't miss it. Set it on the anvil or on the grinder. When you go out to the shop ... SWITCH GLASSES ... that way you won't mess up your good glasses. When done for the day, swap them again and set the case with the shop glasses back where you will find it next time.
 
Thanks for the replies, but there's a lot of unnecessary info here.
Thanks for the anti-scratch recommendation.
There's one reply that thinks glass is better.
Would anyone be able to confirm or deny?
PS - my R & L eyes need different lenses, so the cheap Costco readers no longer cut it.
PPS - I guess my original post did open it up to 'anything else', so I apologize if I seemed snippy.
It's been a frustrating day of dealing with idiots who should know better at the makerspace not following rules or taking proper care of tools.
 
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I've got two pairs of bifocal prescription glasses, one are sunglasses for outdoors that are poly, nice and light. my other pair are glass. years ago I went with regular poly glasses and was told to get the scratch resistant coating when I ordered them...they'll be great!, you'll love them! they told me.
those glasses were scratched in two days from wearing them in my shop.....wait!! their guaranteed!......yea once. that's the guarantee, one new pair.
never again, in my opinion plastic lenses will not last for long in a knife shop so after my next scrip I got glass for indoor wearing and in the shop.
I have 3 pairs of differing quality poly safety glasses I wear in the shop when I'm doing something that requires eye protection.
 
I did a little more research and it seems that polycarbonate is far more impact resistant than glass which makes sense. So I'd say if you are doing forging/hammer work in your knife shop I'd stick with polycarbonate. Maybe I'm just paranoid. Something to consider.
 
The IR protection is available in grey and green, for forging, would green interfere with your ability to visibly gauge temperature of hot metal?
 
If it's any help...we were not permitted to wear glass lenses in combat zones due to the possibility of glass shards resulting from impact or explosion. Safety glasses being what they are should be polycarbonate or a shatter resistant plastic, not glass. The dangers in a shop are similar to on a battlefield (less the intent of someone actively trying to do you harm).

As a holdover, I would never wear glass safety glasses in a workshop. If you need prescription glasses, wear a polycarbonate face shield or goggles.
 
weo said:
Thanks for the replies, but there's a lot of unnecessary info here.
Thanks for the anti-scratch recommendation.
There's one reply that thinks glass is better.
Would anyone be able to confirm or deny?
PS - my R & L eyes need different lenses, so the cheap Costco readers no longer cut it.
PPS - I guess my original post did open it up to 'anything else', so I apologize if I seemed snippy.
It's been a frustrating day of dealing with idiots who should know better at the makerspace not following rules or taking proper care of tools.
Click to expand...
Glass is far heavier than poly, glass is more scratch resistant, glass can definitely be impact resistant. I wear polycarbonate as I'm very nearsighted, and glass corrective lenses are too weighty on my nose. Definitely get scratch resistant coating whatever you choose. And don't just wipe your glasses clean. Take a minute to wash the grinding dust off under running water before you touch the lenses!
 
I'm with navman, no glass for me in the shop. I recently got some 1.5x magnification safety glasses, it helps my old eyes up close.
 
Prescription glasses here, prescription polycarbonate safety glasses,
Bottom line doesn't matter glass or polycarbonate. Get some and wear them , preferably with side shields. Saved my sight from forge scale and broke belts more than once.
 
I'd go with plastic. While glass CAN be impact resistant, plastic is MORE impact resistant.

it's just like steel; hard and brittle or soft and ductile. You have to choose what matters more to you. Impact resistance or scratch resistance.

Me, i'd rather buy new plastic glasses after they scratch than pay to have glass splinters taken out of my eyes
 
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