A sarcastic phrase for the only protection some people use, closing their eyes partway when the sparks fly, and by extension a jokey name for safety glasses. Any shop worth working in treats real safety glasses as mandatory around grinders, lathes and mills, because chips and abrasive grit travel fast. The joke lands because everyone knows someone who learned the hard way.
Grinding without glasses again? Safety squints don't stop sparks, go get your real ones from the bench.
Also heard as
- squints
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