Comment by saintfire

Was going to chime in that this is the reason.

I used a grinder almost daily without a guard for years because what i was grinding was 2"+ steel rods buried underground.

I couldn't move myself or reposition the work.

I'm not advocating removing the guards but there are actual reasons why people hate them.

I see some grinders like Milwaukee have guards that can be quickly rotated around the blade. That's not always enough, though. Ive also seen some Welders cut their guards in half, for clearance and at least a shred more safety.