What do you think of a man that...

[MossRoad]

When I was growing up in the 50's in rural Oklahoma, no self respecting country boy would be caught dead wearing "Bermuda" shorts, thongs or Roman Sandals (or as Brother Dave Gardner called them, Lebanese tennis shoes"). This attire, and moustaches, were reserved for girly men or other weirdos. It was jeans and regular shoes, or Cowboy boots preferably. As I matured, I tried thongs and sandals, but they were waaaaay too ***** for me...besides, thongs hurt my toes. So today, as an Octagenarian, I wear shorts as much as I can, whenever I can, and for whatever I'm doing...(in the Winter I don't mind telling you I wear sweats...I even have a couple pair of "dress" sweats).

I wear shorts mowing, weedeating, chainsawing, gardening, to the Lodge, to the grocery story, and sitting on my deck drinking my "stones. I wear slip on Sketchers when I wear shoes, as much as I can, or go barefoot in the house...and this from a guy who as a kid couldn't take off his shoes without busting a toenail, impailing himself with a nail...or in one case a straight pin...or cutting himself to the bone on broken glass, or breaking his little toe (twice).

None of my suits or dress pants fit well, or fit at all any more, but what ta hey...I'm comfortable most of the time.

You see the problem with that statement, there, don't ya?

 

[MossRoad]

I don't see how they do it. I guess they are tough because it hurts sometimes wearing thick blue jeans. When you kick up little rocks, or some weed stalks hurt and not to mention little bits of line breaking off. Weed whacking bare legged just seems really stupid to me.

About two years ago I took out a rear driver's side long window in my suburban when the string trimmer tossed a rock through it. That would hurt my shins, I suspect. Also, since my jeans turn green from the knees down after string trimming, I imaging my shins would as well.

I love to go barefoot whenever possible. Heck, I walk out to get the paper from the mailbox barefoot in the snow, just because it's invigorating. Slippery as heck, though. Gotta be careful or you'll fall on your rear.

I have a nephew that was mowing the lawn with a push mower when he was maybe 14. He was wearing tennis shoes and pulling the mower backwards when he slipped and the mower went over his toes. The blade removed the tops of both shoes clean off for 2" back and left 1" if sidewall all the way around. Not a scratch on his toes! Not a scratch. His dad mowed the lawn for quite a while after that incident.

 

[CobyRupert]

If your trimmer head turns counter-clockwise, try to do the cutting, or ground contact, at the 12:00 to 5:00 arc of the string’s rotation (i.e. on the right side of the head instead of the left side). That way the stones and grass are flung away from your shins instead of into them.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I try and keep my mouth tightly closed while whipping weeds to avoid a broken tooth from flying debris.

 

[Doofy]

I've also found that my cordless weed whacker doesn't throw stones near as bad as the gas unit.

 

[bullbreaker]

A friend of mine who lives in the Yukon who is a Podiatric Physician
recently told me some of the women there have some of the roughest looking feet and ankles he has ever administered to ! I kept telling him it really didnt concern me but he insisted on sending me this pic . Anyway timely thread here is the pic before I delete it .

 

[MossRoad]

If your trimmer head turns counter-clockwise, try to do the cutting, or ground contact, at the 12:00 to 5:00 arc of the string’s rotation (i.e. on the right side of the head instead of the left side). That way the stones and grass are flung away from your shins instead of into them.

Efficiency says it's gonna take you twice as many side-strokes to do it that way VS swinging back and forth.

 

[Thomas]

Sure with loose fitting shoes to flip flops but when it comes to machinery etc. gotta have little common sense kick in...OUCH.

 

[Jstpssng]

Short shorts (of the 70s/80s) or just shorts in general? Many current shorts are more like Capris. lol


I can't stand the heat and would rather risk death. Shorts and institutional crocks (no holes and slip resistant soles) are my chainsawing attire of choice in the summer. Shirt opptional, mostly depending on if there is anyone I don't want to see my Beer Gut!.

I can't stand the heat either but also don't care for the sight of blood... especially when it's my own. That's why I do most of my cutting in the cooler months, or if I do need to use the saw I do it first thing in the morning before the sun gets too hot.

When I was a teenager I took a window out of the greenhouse with the Lawnboy right through a layer of 6 mil plastic. That taught me a healthy respect for spinning blades. I still cringe when I see somebody with their safety shield up blowing grass out into the road as I"m going past. So far the only thing I've been hit with was freshly mown grass but still...

 

[Industrial Toys]

I blew a hole right through the magnesium deck of my lawnboy with a stone. My first reaction was to blame my Dad, thinking he had run over the mower with the tractor.