Glowing steel places extremely high demands on safety shoes
Every day, the blacksmith Fredrik Spåre works in an environment where he relies on extreme heat, which also puts him at risk. We at Arbesko are proud that our Oxelösund safety shoe can provide his feet with the best protection, so that he can focus on his craft.
On a hot summer’s day, we visited Fredrik Spåre in his smithy, located in a scenic environment outside Örebro. In the smithy, which was previously a shoe sole factory, the ovens contribute to additional heat. Fredrik manufactures his knives in a really hot environment.
- "It all started when I wanted to make my own hunting knife. After that, I started getting knife orders from my chef friends, so I bought some tools and machines for my garage. Eventually the garage was too cramped and I found these premises that I turned into my smithy. This wasn't my plan from the beginning. You could say that it was a hobby that took on a life of its own. In addition to making knives, I also run blacksmith courses in the smithy."
It's a hot and risky job
We all know that knives are sharp. But cut injuries are not your greatest risk when forging knives. A ember shell develops during processing of the steel, and this lands on your shoes. And up to a thousand degrees of hot scraps that end up on the floor and are easy to step on. Or a heavy tool that you drop on your foot. So it’s important to wear safety shoes that can handle these tough challenges.
- “Safety is extremely important, and good shoes are a necessity. I work in an environment with extreme heat, and I need to feel confident that a glowing piece of steel won't hurt my foot if I step on it. Moreover, the toe cap protects me from heavy items that may fall on my foot. I also move around a lot during the day, so it’s important that they’re comfortable to wear. Oxelösund from Arbesko is the perfect shoe for me, as it meets all my requirements. Another advantage I’ve discovered about Arbesko’s Oxelösund rubber boot is that steel chips don't fall into it, which is usually something that happens everyday.”
High quality standards
Fredrik places high demands on the steel that he works with. Only the best is good enough. Forging knives is a genuine craft, and the chefs, restaurants, and private individuals who order a knife from Fredrik should feel confident that they are a getting quality knife.
- "The raw materials I use are of the highest quality, and I mainly use Swedish-made steel. This also applies to the wood I use for the knife handles. That's why I really like that Arbesko’s production is also located in Sweden, and as close by as Kumla. I see many similarities in the way we work," Fredrik concludes.
