Traditionally North West Morris Dancers wear irons on their clogs.

During the Industrial Revolution from the mid 18th Century through to the early 19th Century, the wearing of clogs was a cheap and strong item of footwear for industrial workers in factories,  Workshops, mines, all kinds of chemical works and the hot/cold metal industries.

The sole of the clog is made of wood and so to make the clog to last, nailed under the toe and heel of the sole were clog irons. These irons have a groove down the middle of a strip of metal 10mm wide and 6mm thick of wrought iron. In the recent years wrought iron material is hard and expensive to come by and so it has been replaced by mild steel or an alloy mixture, which does not last as long or give a distinctive ring to the wearing of the clogs when dancing. The groove in the clog iron is to secure it to the sole by using nails or some people use screws. Clog irons on clogs, yes make a noise and yes they came be very slippy on different floor 

surfaces, which is why you can not dance on grass, marble or wooden floors. The later two the irons will shred the floor to pieces. This is why rubber soles are used as you have a much better grip. 

So the Traditional Men’s North West Morris Sides wear irons on their clogs.