# Do you wear an apron?



## hawkeye10 (Feb 18, 2015)

I do and it has saved me several times. The other day I spilled a tablespoon of Tite Bond glue on me and the apron caught it. I wiped it off with a paper towel and went back to work. I use a really cheap apron, a Bucket Boss and it has served me well for about two years. I did have a lady at a sewing shop to put flaps on the pockets to keep sawdust out.

https://www.amazon.com/Bucket-Boss-80300-Duckwear-SuperShop/dp/B00GK4U3SO


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## difalkner (Nov 27, 2011)

I am an acoustic guitar guy all the way but when I had my woodworking shop in the 80's I leased out a small area to a piano technician. He repaired mostly grand pianos and did a lot of Steinway & Sons, authorized repair person, etc. and he had access to special tools and things from Steinway. One of those special 'tools' was a Steinway shop apron. It took me a year of working on him to get me an apron so I have had it since the late 80's and have done my best to use it but take good care of it. I wear it several times each week, today matter of fact.









David


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## ramonajim (Jan 15, 2018)

Wow.... this is one time where buying more to get a lower price certainly doesn't apply!









Redefining normal daily


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## hawkeye10 (Feb 18, 2015)

ramonajim said:


> Wow.... this is one time where buying more to get a lower price certainly doesn't apply!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I reported the ad.


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## Jig_saw (May 17, 2015)

No, I don't wear an apron. Where I live, it is too hot most of the year to wear an apron while working. I work with hand tools, and often have to take my shirt off to stay cool while woodworking.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*As a rule, NO*

If I wanted to or it was a good idea like for turning on the lathe I would use this one I got for welding:
https://www.harborfreight.com/split-leather-welding-apron-45193.html
It might also prevent greater damage during a kickback ..... I donno?


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## shoot summ (Feb 21, 2014)

I have one, bought it with the idea it would keep me from wiping excess glue on my jeans. Excess glue on jeans, once it was dried doesn't wash out....

Now if I could just remember to wear the apron...


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Occasionally if there is some small amount of work to do and I don't want to change into work clothes I will wear an apron, otherwise not. 

As far as the glue if you wash it out right away it will wash out of clothes.


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## Jim Frye (Aug 24, 2016)

I have two. One is a light weight denim one I received from an abrasives distributor that was a customer of mine many years ago and I wear it when gluing up or finishing things. I'm incredibly sloppy and it has saved my clothing many times over. After all these decades, it is a mess and the customer's logo is almost obliterated. The other apron is one from a local sculptor's shop (George Carruth). It is heavy cotton with a padded chest and belly area. I wear it when turning or ripping items on the table saw. It's taken a couple of hits from kick backs on the saw.


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## Pineknot_86 (Feb 19, 2016)

With or without lace? :vs_laugh: I wear real old clothes in the shop. I have silicon sealer, CA glue, paint, and just about anything else you can "wear" while working in the shop or around the house. Forgot the grease and oil from the car, truck and the lawn mowers.


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## WeebyWoodWorker (Jun 11, 2017)

Nah, generally all my clothes are work clothes so I don't care too much about most of them. Some people like them but I'm not really a fan.


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## mmwood_1 (Oct 24, 2007)

Nope. Never could figure out what for. That's what 'work clothes' are for.


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## Cephus (Jan 28, 2018)

ramonajim said:


> Wow.... this is one time where buying more to get a lower price certainly doesn't apply!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've noticed similar ads over the years, one recently where they were selling 1 for $3.50 and 2 for $13.99. Granted, the second one came Amazon Prime and the first with free shipping, but seriously, I don't need it that fast that I'd pay 3x the price to get it in 2 days!


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## Terry Q (Jul 28, 2016)

If I’m doing any hand held routing where chip control is out of the question, I’ll put on a pair of coveralls to keep from getting covered with wood chips.

I also have a “smock” for wood turning. It’s like an apron, but comes up to my neck and Velcro’s shut. Also to keep wood chips off.

Otherwise, no apron, just old work cloths.


In woodworking there is always more then one way to accomplish something.


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## hawkeye10 (Feb 18, 2015)

I like to keep several small tools in my apron, such as a 4" square, measuring tape, several pencils and more.


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

The latest issue of Woodsmith magazine has an article titled, "what's new in Shop Aprons". (Volume 40, Number 235, February/March 2018, page 14). The article does not make specific recommendations, but they discuss the tradeoffs in materials, styles, length, etc. It is clearly an individual choice based on personal preferences.

I have two aprons, but cannot recommend them for a wood shop. I have a hand-stitched cheap white canvas apron and a leather carpenter's belt. I plan to buy a denim apron to complete the ensemble.  

For me, a shop apron is more about convenient pockets rather than clothing protection. Like others, I try to wear old clothes when I am working in the shop. I like an apron to hold pens and pencils, tools and parts, etc., while I am working.

The hand-stitched canvas apron was made for me a long time ago by a close friend. She embroidered my name and an image of Pinocchio trying to shorten his long nose with sandpaper. The apron itself has a loop of thin string that hangs around the back of my neck. It gets uncomfortable over time. I don't use it much because it is a pain in the neck, but I keep it for sentimental reasons. My heirs can donate it to Goodwill when I'm gone. 

I use the leather belt when I am doing handyman carpentry work. We're talking fences, framing, stuff like that. It has a metal hammer loop and is made from very thick leather. The pockets are stiff and large and hold many screws or nails. It isn't useful in the wood shop because it is missing the "bib" with pen pockets and other pockets. 

Now that I am doing more woodworking, I plan to buy a denim apron to replace the canvas one that is a pain in the neck. I have tried the Rockler apron and I like the way that the wide straps hang on my shoulders, not my neck. The varied assortment and arrangement of pockets is good, and they are the right length. For me, it is about the pockets.


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## jimnycricket65 (Mar 19, 2018)

Terry Q said:


> ...
> In woodworking there is always more then one way to accomplish something.


Like this quote very much!

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk


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## hawkeye10 (Feb 18, 2015)

Tool Agnostic said:


> The latest issue of Woodsmith magazine has an article titled, "what's new in Shop Aprons". (Volume 40, Number 235, February/March 2018, page 14). The article does not make specific recommendations, but they discuss the tradeoffs in materials, styles, length, etc. It is clearly an individual choice based on personal preferences.
> 
> I have two aprons, but cannot recommend them for a wood shop. I have a hand-stitched cheap white canvas apron and a leather carpenter's belt. I plan to buy a denim apron to complete the ensemble.
> 
> ...


I wear bibs all the time but I don't want to mess them up. Bibs aren't cheap because I have to have them altered and she ain't cheap. That is what I like to wear so I pay the money. I have been looking and looking for an apron with more pockets that have flaps. Without flaps the pockets just fill up with sawdust and it's hard to get out even with a shop vac. The shop vac wants the pocket more than the dust. :sad2: I think when I buy another apron I will have the sewing lady sew on more pockets. It's only money. :surprise2:


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## Pineknot_86 (Feb 19, 2016)

I do wear a smock while turning to keep chips from going down the front of my shirt. I have two denim aprons but never wear them.


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## bargoon (Apr 20, 2016)

The only time I do is when I need to carry a bunch of nails or screws - like working off a ladder or in an awkward space. Then the pockets come in handy.


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

hawkeye10 said:


> I wear bibs all the time but I don't want to mess them up. Bibs aren't cheap because I have to have them altered and she ain't cheap. That is what I like to wear so I pay the money. I have been looking and looking for an apron with more pockets that have flaps. Without flaps the pockets just fill up with sawdust and it's hard to get out even with a shop vac. The shop vac wants the pocket more than the dust. :sad2: I think when I buy another apron I will have the sewing lady sew on more pockets. It's only money. :surprise2:


Some of the aprons in the article had flaps over the pockets. I saw them as an impediment to easy access, but had not considered the sawdust issue. Thanks for pointing that out. 

I think that I would prefer open pockets and deal with the sawdust. I'll let you know, once I get my denim apron, someday. I can always add flaps on my own.


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

I wear a very heavy canvas bib apron for wood carving. 

The crooked knives used by many Pacific Northwest carvers are handled with pull strokes. 
Sometimes, a knife jumps out and you get hit in the chest, wrecking another shirt.

On the back side of the bib part are several horizontal pencil pockets. No dust in those
On the back side at the bottom of the skirt part are 2 pockets. No shavings and chips.

I have take to wearing good kitchen aprons. I am amazed at the slop that I used to get on my clothes.
Tabasco makes several heavy aprons. Thicker than most in the kitchen stores.


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

Tool Agnostic said:


> [...] I have a hand-stitched cheap white canvas apron and a leather carpenter's belt. [...]
> 
> The hand-stitched canvas apron was made for me a long time ago by a close friend. She embroidered my name and an image of Pinocchio trying to shorten his long nose with sandpaper. The apron itself has a loop of thin string that hangs around the back of my neck. It gets uncomfortable over time. I don't use it much because it is a pain in the neck, but I keep it for sentimental reasons. My heirs can donate it to Goodwill when I'm gone. [...]


Here are photos of the embroidered apron. Sorry, I edited out my name for privacy reasons. My close friend was not an expert at stitching. It was probably her first attempt at anything like this, so it would not be fair to critique the quality of the art. I appreciate the clever wit, the fact that she stepped up to a new challenge that was totally out of her element, the effort that went into it, and the surprise when she gave it to me. Those are priceless.

Unfortunately, it is not very good as a woodworking shop apron, but it has a lot of sentimental value.


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## Maylar (Sep 3, 2013)

Here's mine. Embroidered by my dearly departed MIL some 40 years ago. I wear it and a face shield whenever I do metal buffing. Those wheels throw fuzz and compound everywhere.


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## jimnycricket65 (Mar 19, 2018)

I ordered one and I am gonna so I don't walk around looking for pencil, then the measuring tape, and then this and that...

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk


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## Shop_Rat (Dec 22, 2015)

I never ever wear an apron. I never wear long sleeves unless they are tight fitting and bound at the cuff, and I always tuck my shirt in as tight as possible. I come from a machine shop background where it was (is) forbidden to wear loose clothing, rings or gloves, and to have no long hair. There have been countless horrific incidents of clothing or hair caught in rotating equipment. I am missing parts of two fingers and have another that is disfigured because of a caught glove (43 years ago). 

https://www.google.com/search?q=cau.....69i57j0l2.5154j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

I am sure that 99.99% of you have never even had a close call, and that's awesome. If you work with only hand tools, you generally have no issue. However, if you use open rotating stationary equipment (lathe, belt sander, drill press, etc.), be mindful that if you ever do have a close call, it will probably be too late and it won't be close at all... and the machine will ALWAYS win. 

It happens so fast you won't have time to know it happened. When I ripped my fingers off I didn't even feel it. It was only when I looked at my hand that I realized that something really bad had just happened. I was lucky- three surgeries, two skin grafts, steel pins, and an experimental nylon joint later and I have a fairly normal hand (if not a bit ugly). Many folks aren't so lucky.

Just food for thought.


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## Ron_J (Sep 22, 2014)

We bought our grandson a tool kit for his birthday and here he is showing off his work outfit after he and his dad built a truck.


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## hawkeye10 (Feb 18, 2015)

He is ready to be a number one woodworker, isn't he Ron. :smile2: :vs_cool:


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## Ron_J (Sep 22, 2014)

Yes he is. You should have seen him wield the hammer.


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## yswoodworker (Nov 8, 2018)

Tool Agnostic said:


> The latest issue of Woodsmith magazine has an article titled, "what's new in Shop Aprons". (Volume 40, Number 235, February/March 2018, page 14). The article does not make specific recommendations, but they discuss the tradeoffs in materials, styles, length, etc. It is clearly an individual choice based on personal preferences.


I tried the Texas Canvas Wares Waxed Apron that was reviewed in that article and was highly impressed with its quality and durability. https://texascanvaswares.com/collections/all


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## Packard (Jul 27, 2018)

I wear an apron when I need the pockets. When I was hanging vinyl soffits I wore one for the screws and nippers that were kept handy. 

Other than that, no.


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## holtzdreher (Jul 20, 2016)

Years ago, I made a practice of wearing a shop apron. I copied a heavy canvas one I liked and made one from a 4 oz top grain black smith side. (Cost to make one today would be outrageous, like almost $150).. I was doing some simple forging, some metal turning and a lot of filing and grinding. The apron did a great job of keeping the metal shavings/filings out of the material of my clothes. I am less concerned about wood chips and saw dust than those sharp metal bits. I lost the shop apron when my house and shop burned.


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## PPBART (Oct 7, 2011)

No apron, long sleeves or floppy shirt-tails. And no rings.


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## Pineknot_86 (Feb 19, 2016)

Only when the wife makes me wash dishes. In the shop, rarely. Can't remember the last time I wore an apron. Have two hanging on a shelf unit. I don't worry about paint, finishes, glue, etc. as I wear grubby clothes in the shop that already have all the previously mentioned things on them.


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## hawkeye10 (Feb 18, 2015)

I wear my apron every day. I keep a few tools like a small combination square measuring tape and pencils. Without an apron where are you going to wipe the glue that gets on your fingers? :wink:


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## JamesTinKS (Nov 15, 2012)

I wear a denim apron my wife got me many years ago. I like the pockets as they save time looking for the tape measure, the pencil and the dust collector control. I tied an old shoe string to the neck loop with a loop in it that I thread the tie strings through to keep it off my neck. That and to raise the apron up higher. (I’m short.)


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## Pineknot_86 (Feb 19, 2016)

FWIW, I do wear a smock when turning wood, etc. One pocket on front has a flap to keep stuff out and the other two pockets are on the back.


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## Cephus (Jan 28, 2018)

I have an apron, two actually, one cloth and one leather, but I rarely remember to put them on. With very few exceptions, I find carrying around a bunch of gear to be more annoying than having to take a step or two to get a pencil or a square off the workbench. Mostly, I don't need to protect my clothes from anything so they just hang on a peg where I put them up.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

I wear an apron 50% of the time.


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## pwesenberg (Nov 13, 2018)

I always do at work (woodworking store) but it's air conditioned. I live in Florida so I'll admit that I rarely wear one at home unless it's the middle of January. But I PREFER wearing one, so if my shop was air conditioned I definitely would. Just the times it's saved me from dust all over me, or from cutting my hip open with a box cutter, or how I always know where my pencil, sharpie, measuring tape, note pad, USB stick, small square, etc is located. I would prefer to wear one. It's just the apron in Florida is basically $30 (apron) plus $1500 (mini-split AC system installed). That's an expensive apron.


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## Bluenote38 (Nov 27, 2010)

Only when I'm making Chili! ;-)


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## mjadams61 (Jan 1, 2016)

I been wearing bib overalls all the time except when I need to dress up but that is a rarity . They have all the pockets I need plus a hammer loop when I am using a hammer on something


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Me too ....*



Bluenote38 said:


> Only when I'm making Chili! ;-)


I need one when I'm eating chili. >


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## Bluenote38 (Nov 27, 2010)

woodnthings said:


> I need one when I'm eating chili. >



Lol...


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

I brought out my old apron with the skinny neckstrap earlier this week, hoping that it would be better. It wasn't. It is still a pain in the neck. A couple days ago, I gave up and bought these two aprons for myself:

https://www.rockler.com/rockler-broad-shoulder-apron
https://www.rockler.com/denim-woodturners-apron

I wore the broad shoulder apron yesterday while working on a project. I like it. It is very comfortable to wear. It has lots of pockets, arranged in a useful way. The pockets collected sawdust, but that's okay. 

I haven't opened the turner's apron yet, but I used one in the past when I took a class. It isn't the greatest, because the collar is thick, hot, and scratchy, but it keeps the chips off. It is good enough for my needs. My spouse can make a better collar someday if needed.


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## hawkeye10 (Feb 18, 2015)

Tool Agnostic said:


> I brought out my old apron with the skinny neckstrap earlier this week, hoping that it would be better. It wasn't. It is still a pain in the neck. A couple days ago, I gave up and bought these two aprons for myself:
> 
> https://www.rockler.com/rockler-broad-shoulder-apron
> https://www.rockler.com/denim-woodturners-apron
> ...


I got the woodturners apron this week and I really like it and it's cheaper than most. This is the apron I wear every day. I added flaps for the pockets. I don't like dust in my pockets.

http://www.bucketboss.com/80300.html


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

I spent a few years in the printing industry so picked up several denim freebees along the way, still have a couple new ones stashed away. They have their place once in a while along with tool belts made for the occasion.

My wife threatens to get me one for the kitchen, I usually put on a tee shirt if I am cooking and forget to change out of it when I sit down with company for dinner.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

I wore my shop apron yesterday when I was smoking Boston Butts. I also wear a cloth one when wood carving. I can sit and carve and catch the chips in my apron instead of them hitting the floor. My cloth shop apron goes below the knees so it is fairly long, it is made of denim, I like it pretty good. 

Another apron I have tried is the nail aprons that strap over the shoulders, but they hurt because of all the tools and nails/screws etc. My regular nail apron is two multi-pocket leather bags suspended on a belt that I can position anywhere I want, don't use that one much now days.


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## Terry Q (Jul 28, 2016)

So I’m blaming this on you guys. I haven’t really liked wearing aprons because they are too bulky, or uncomfortable, or the pockets are constantly filled with wood chips. So I read all of the above, reviewed common complaints, took my own considerations in mind and whipped up this prototype out of 15 oz cotton duct. I will eventually make a couple out of a dark waxed cotton duct, but the fabric is four times more expensive.










Big slash pockets, two smaller pockets with a flap, pencil and 6 inch square pocket on top. I may have to add something to keep the square in place so it doesn’t fall out when bending over, but I need to try using this one first. I may also need to sew the big slash pocket in half if I find the pocket sagging. Only time will tell.

Tonight I’ll put some straps on.




In woodworking there is always more then one way to accomplish something.


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## _Ogre (Feb 1, 2013)

the only apron i wear is a nail pouch when doing electrical work
similar to what my lil buddy henry is modeling, thou i wear the full version :grin:


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## NoThankyou (Mar 21, 2018)

I have used a Duluth Trading apron. The pocket bottoms are mesh and it is easy to clean everything out of the pockets with the shop vac. The apron is almost bullet proof. IIRC less than $40

Lately I've been using a Rockler denim cross back apron. Much more comfortable but difficult to clean the chips out of the pockets. IIRC about $25


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## Lovegasoline (Sep 27, 2009)

Adam Savage has a 'one day build' video on how he modified his shop apron to improve it's comfort and performance. A lot of thought went into why the apron wasn't designed well or working for him and how/why he improved it. This could be interesting viewing for those not finding what they want off the shelf. He considers the apron a vital tool as it contains his every day carry items for the shop.


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

I still have some Harbor Freight aprons from several years ago. They are the less expensive denim ones and I like them. 
Way back when, they used to come with an upper pencil pocket and a lower pocket for whatever. 
I always cut off the lower pocket because they would get hung up on the table saw handle, door knobs and other stuff. 
Other than that, they work fine. Keeps the sawdust, chips and glue off my clothes.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

Never liked the apron. Use to wear a nail belt..


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## redeared (Feb 7, 2019)

Maybe a couple times a year, usually if I have good shirt on when staining, most of my other shirts already have stain spots so I don't care. My wife was in the food service business so I have plenty I just don't use them.


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## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

I really should wear an apron since when I do laundry there's more sawdust chips in the lint than lint in the lint. Did I mention lint? I could resell my laundry lint to MDF manufacturers.. 
I should have a bunch leftover from working in food service over the years..


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## JohnGi (May 9, 2019)

I worked as an engineer for a window company. This was mainly an office job, but at some point I spent time on the shop floor with an automated process that used silicone sealant by the drum. The stuff sticks to anything and is indestructible when it cures. I got a denim apron from the maintenance shop and wore it on the shop floor and back and forth to my office. I realized after a while that women at their desks would turn to watch me go by, and one of them explained to me that women like a man who wears an apron well. I had no idea.


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