Any one useing one of these things ? Looks like a cross between a chainsaw and a grinder .my first thought was look mom no fingers but it might be the ticket on dry feet and it is a power tool and i am a man .
Well that looks like a way of making an easy job harder. What in that vid was easier than a sharpe knife and a good rasp.
Ray, I got to try the Merlin a few years ago at the Summit. Like any tool it took some getting used to using. I liked it(but not its price) and back then I didn't see a need for it in my custom. Now, I'm seriously considering getting one to help with the hard feet I know I'll be dealing with this summer and autumn. For me, it would be a better option than a full size angle grinder. I do however note that the company makes a larger version of the cutting blade(s) that allow their use on a larger angle grinder. IIRC, the product was first developed for the cattle industry and then later adapted for use on horse hooves.
A guy around here uses one(older fellow). It shows on the hooves because he is never cleaning out the retained sole and so the hooves get progressively longer. I'm sure it could be useful used in conjunction with a hoof knife to ensure you are not compromising on your trim, but not on it's own from what I have seen.
The thing I didn't like about using that tool is the switch is not a trigger style switch. I feel it would be much better and easier if it had a trigger vs the toggle style. But it for sure can be helpful. A bit nerve wracking at first. A piece of old lumber makes a good practice object to get the feel of the tool.
