Reddit mentions of Hobart 770548 Leather Welding Apron

I too was in your position just a few years back. Here is a list of my recommendations for the entry-level versions of the items you listed above as well as some other things I like to have handy.

• Hammer, $15; This hammer is cheap, it has a peen (for drawing out metal) and is... well... a hammer.
  
• Anvil, $60; This anvil is definitely a beginner anvil but it is what I used for two years until I upgraded. You can pick it up in most all Harbor Freight stores as I assume there is one in every state.
  
• Tongs, $15; This set of pliers will help with quite a few things the main being to hold the metal once heated. I know that these are not what one thinks about when they think "blacksmithing tongs" but I have used similar ones for the entire time I have forged due to their versatility.
  
• Apron, $25; I personally have not used this exact apron before but it is cheap and though not beautiful, it is functional and trust me, spending $25 now on this may very well save you 100 times that in hospital bills.
  
• Gloves, $20; These are the gloves I use at my forge and I can say that there is little to no loss of dexterity and they provide ample heat resistance.
  
• Forge; This is the one piece that deters people the most as it is the most expensive piece. The type of forge you get depends on your budget and your ability/aptitude for DIY work. Here are my recommendations for three different budget levels.
  

• High-End Budget; 2 Burner Blacksmith Forge $489.95
  
• Mid-Level Budget; 1 Burner Blacksmith Forge $350
  
• Entry-Level Budget; This Video will take you through the process of making a Coffee Can Forge. They are suitable for the entry level smith and can, if done right, be made for less than $150.
  
  Now for my personal suggestions;
  
  

• Grinder, $55; This Handy-Dandy little grinder is what I use for most all of my knife smithing. It is pretty cheap and a great entry-level piece of equipment.
  
• Metal, $5-$20; When you are starting off, I highly advise to start with the tool steel available at Home Depot and/or Harbor Freight because they are very cheap and you can stand to mess up without wasting expensive metal.
  
• This Book is what I began learning with and it comes packed with a number of starter projects to help you get started on learning basic skills as well as acting as a reference later on down the line.
  
  I hope this list helps and I wish you well on your journey in beginning Bladesmithing!
  
  
• O

You do not need pants. I just use jeans, and the the apron over a jacket. Here is what I use:

Get one of these for sure.
http://www.amazon.com/3M-Face-piece-Reusable-Respirator-Assembly/dp/B000FTEDMM/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_img_y
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http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00328IAO0/ref=oh_details_o03_s02_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Gloves - I bought a few pairs. You will use them up at first, till you learn what not to hold on to :) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MRQAJG/ref=oh_details_o08_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Jacket has some options. Sleeves and an apron:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002AKIRIA/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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http://www.amazon.com/Welding-Sleeves-Leather-Elastic-Resistant/dp/B002GI9A3C/ref=pd_sim_hi_48

or a plain jacket, but look around. This price on amazon seems high. You might be able to find something like this locally for less.
http://www.amazon.com/Hobart-770488-Leather-Welding-Jacket/dp/B002VECL3W/ref=pd_sim_hi_42

And I use this :http://www.amazon.com/Miller-Genuine-Leather-Indura-Welding/dp/B003IL2RCM/ref=sr_1_10?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1382001569&sr=1-10&keywords=miller+jacket

Seems like even a quality one is still a bargain at 1/10th the price of OP.

http://www.amazon.com/Hobart-770548-Leather-Welding-Apron/dp/B002AKIRIA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1367515958&sr=8-3&keywords=Leather+apron