I learned today that how a hot shoe is quenched makes a difference to the grip it gives - I never knew that! Last time Luka was shod a different farrier did him and while he had, under slight protest, fitted road nails we were still slipping on the roads. I got my normal farrier back to have a look since I couldn't see any reason for it, though after some reasonable trots they were either improving slightly or Luka was getting more careful. It turns out that if you quench a hot shoe in one go it hardens the steel off more than if you do several short dips with a small rest inbetween, and the harder steel gives less grip on the road. Did anyone know this? In over 40 years I hadn't heard of it, but it's certainly made a difference to us.
Quenching shoes
- Thread starter carthorse
- Start date
Michael Caine moment - "Not many people know that". I'm going to use that nugget as a conversation starter at Christmas parties.
. Though at horsey ones you'd probably be popular with everyone except farriers that would be watched like hawks on their next visit!
I do but only because I've worked with metal quite a bit, the tempering can be changed by what you quench in too, though I've only ever seen farriers use water, but a proper smithy might use oil depending on what they are making. The amount of time its heated also effects the hardness. A cold fitted shoe will always be softer than hot fitted because it hasn't had a second/third heat cycle, they will wear out quicker as they are softer but will grip more as they deform easier.
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