Dan Shapiro

Yup, this is a NSY FREE TOOL review. At the end of the article is information on how you can sign up for a chance to win the apron I’m reviewing in this article, free. Read this link for more information on the NSY editorial policy about reviews.
The Good: Cheap, useful, tough, protective.
The Bad: Rough workmanship; leather is not very heavy-duty.
The Bottom Line: For $25, you’d be a fool not to buy one right now.
NSY rating: FIVE THUMBS UP (5/5)
The Full Deal:
As I’ve mentioned before, a heavy leather shop apron is a valuable investment in your personal safety. Why is that? Well, it’s simple. From time to time, various objects in your shop may decide to jump up in the air and move in a straight line at very high speed. Examples are chipped blade teeth, splinters kicked back from a saw, planer, or jointer, and the cat that likes to hang out near the base of my tablesaw. From time to time, these object like to impale themselves on the skin of a woodworker.
Now, this should be an easy question. Who’s skin would you rather be impaled: yours, or a dead cow’s?
A heavy apron is a key line of defense at knee-to-neck level, the place that splinters are most likely to be thrown. While it’s not bulletproof, it’s likely to stop something fast and sharp, or at least slow it down. Possibly enough to save your life, or at least a few pints of blood.
After originally giving this advice, I went to go follow it–and ran into a problem. I couldn’t find a decently priced apron that met my requirements. Those requirements were:
1) coverage from my neck to my… well, let’s just say coverage of some of the things I treasure most
2) leather, not canvas or denim, for maximum durability/stopping power
3) double-stiched seams and solidly stitched corners
4) handy pockets so I actually want to use it
5) easy on and off
Well, we find things we’re looking for when we least expect. I was browsing woodworker.com‘s site when I stumbled upon this “Rugged Leather Apron“. They were kind enough to provide two samples for review.

The pockets are well concieved and convenient. I immediately loaded mine up with pencils, a tape measure, and a box knife. Since I need one of those three things every ten minutes I’m in the shop, this guarantees that I won’t be in the shop for more than ten minutes before I remember to put on my apron. There’s ample space for more.

The apron is plenty long, covering everything important. I’m 6’3″ and my wife is 5″7″, and it fit us both perfectly with some quick adjustments to the straps. It’s also wide enough to save your clothes from many spare drips and splotches. The multiple straps around the back keep things like untucked shirts out of the way. While it includes quick-release clasps, I found it easier to just slip in and out of, leaving the clasps closed.

Construction is remarkably solid, especially considering the low price (it’s imported from China). Seams are double-stitched, with extra stitching around the straps. Corners are riveted (they appear to be plastic in the pictures, but are actually metal rivets). Some of the cut lines are less than straight, perhaps revealing its origins in the bovine protection business, or possibly just the result of some hasty scissorwork.
The leather itself is lighter and thinner than you would find in, say, a heavy-duty farrier’s apron, but much more protective than the canvas or denim that most aprons are made out of. I promptly got some panel adhesive on it and scraped it off–some leather fibers came with (it had dried), but the material was completely intact. Try that with canvas.
This is a great apron; very handy from a usefulness standpoint, and a kick-me-in-the-head nobrainer from a safety standpoint.
Go buy one from woodworker.com. You’ll thank me for it.
Oh yeah! I promised you a chance to win one of these for free, too, provided by the good folks at www.woodworker.com. Entries must be in by Jan 3 at midnight PST, and the winner will be announced some time after that. Go get it, tiger.
FREE TOOLS

(You might want to subscribe or follow me on Twitter so you don’t miss new articles)