My change to immediate tool care after every appointment
In my experience, I used to leave my tools until the end of the day to clean them. This seemed faster, but my gear would get rusty and not cut well. About six months back, I started wiping down and sharpening right after finishing with each horse. It takes a little extra time per visit, maybe five to ten minutes, but now my tools are always ready. I find the work goes quicker because the blades are sharp, and the horses stand quieter. I've seen this practice catch on with some other shoers around here too. Your mileage may vary, but for me, it's a small step that pays off big. Keeping up with this habit has my jobs flowing better and leaves the owners pleased.