What gloves do you wear?

[Twilight Fenrir]

I work bare-handed a lot, but if I'm working on short material, or without a pair of tongs,  and get my hand close to the forge a lot, I wear a basic leather work glove on my left hand. This isn't the best kind of glove, because when it gets hot it shrinks and presses against that heat against me. I've looked about for alternatives but haven't seen anything that screemed 'I am a good idea'

So, I'm curious, what kind of gloves do other smiths wear, and where can I get some? :P

[lauver]

Twilight,

I'm not a blacksmith, but I work a lot with hammers, striking tools, and heat (gas welding torch). 

I like the simple brown cotton gloves with the finger tips removed.  These are comfortable, provide a good grip, soak up a lot of sweat, protect the main parts of my hand, and allow great finger dexterity and feel.  These gloves are at their best during the cool season when the garage is a nippy 40 - 59 degrees.  These gloves are available almost everywhere and are cheap.  I buy them in 10 packs and go thru them pretty fast.

I also have a pair of the long thick leather welding gloves that extend well above my wrist.  These provide more protection from heat and sparks, but they don't provide much feel or dexterity.  These gloves are at their best whenever the torch is in use.

And last, I have a hybrid pair of gloves made of thin leather and a stretchy fabric; the fingers, thumb and palm are covered in leather with padding in key places.  The back of the glove is made of stretchy fabric.  These gloves come without finger or thumb tips.  These gloves afford more protection than the brown cotton gloves yet offer the same finger feel and dexterity.  They are also very comfortable to work in for extended periods.  I have found that these gloves require a little maintenance to keep them soft a subtle.  I air dry them overnight after every use. And, about twice a year I apply glove oil and mink oil to the leather and let them sit in the sun for a few hours; this keeps the leather soft and flexible and make for a very snug but comfortable fit.  I found these gloves at both HF & Lowes and the cost was about $10, well worth it too.  Lastly, these gloves have an excellent grip and feel on wood handles.  They're almost perfect...

[john k]

I keep a pair of rough leather welding gloves handy for working the short stuff.   I do most of my blacksmithing barehanded.   Got the gloves at a farm supply outlet.                   

[bonneyman]

Good question! For me, it depends on the usage.

Working around hot metal: Nomex pilots gloves. Thin, heat resistant, thin fingers for dexterity. Pilots gotta have good stuff!

http://www.armysurplusworld.com/product.asp?ProductID=9891

General work: the canvas gloves with the little rubber dots all over them. Good grip even when wet, fairly durable, cheap.

Cold work: MaxiFoam by G-Tek  Helps keep fingers warm but little loss of grip and dexterity.

[Twilight Fenrir]

Good question! For me, it depends on the usage.

Working around hot metal: Nomex pilots gloves. Thin, heat resistant, thin fingers for dexterity. Pilots gotta have good stuff!

http://www.armysurplusworld.com/product.asp?ProductID=9891

General work: the canvas gloves with the little rubber dots all over them. Good grip even when wet, fairly durable, cheap.

Cold work: MaxiFoam by G-Tek  Helps keep fingers warm but little loss of grip and dexterity.

Well now, those Nomex gloves certainly look interesting :3 It says they're heat resistant up to 700 degrees... do you know what happens to it when it exceeds that temperature? Does it melt, or burn? :P I suppose I could go use google...

*5 minutes later*

It doesn't melt :3 And it is self extinguishing once the heat source is removed. There are a few different types of Nomex, Nomex III includes kevlar, and carbon fiber which would be good for blade grinding too n.n  Sounds like we have the winner of my interest! Thanks for posting everyone! :D

[Aunt Phil]

Nomex clothing is a wonderful thing.

Now, go read HOW LONG the Nomex product will RESIST the heat.

[Branson]

When I need them, I wear the big, rather clumsy welder's gauntlets.  All leather crinkle-shrinks when it comes in contact with really hot metal, but at least it's not the skin on your hand!  No finger tips in the gloves?  Useless to me.  If the situation is hot enough to warrant the gauntlets I can just about feel my fingernails wanting to shrivel and curl up.

[Stoney]

I use Ansell Gold kevlar gloves from MSC Industrial Supply Co.  They resist heat up to 900 degrees.  If they exceed that they char on the surface.  They are knit, lightweight and reversible, so a glove will fit either hand.  If you only wear a glove on your holding hand, one pair will last as long as 2 pair of regular gloves.  My catalog is out of date, but if I remember correctly I only paid about $7.00 a pair in 2009.  I only used mine about a year before I had to quit because of my kidney problems, but I was still using only the first glove.  I've gotten the go ahead, from my Doc, to play with hot iron this fall. Check out their website at www.mscdirect.com.

[bonneyman]

Good question! For me, it depends on the usage.

Working around hot metal: Nomex pilots gloves. Thin, heat resistant, thin fingers for dexterity. Pilots gotta have good stuff!

http://www.armysurplusworld.com/product.asp?ProductID=9891

General work: the canvas gloves with the little rubber dots all over them. Good grip even when wet, fairly durable, cheap.

Cold work: MaxiFoam by G-Tek  Helps keep fingers warm but little loss of grip and dexterity.

Well now, those Nomex gloves certainly look interesting :3 It says they're heat resistant up to 700 degrees... do you know what happens to it when it exceeds that temperature? Does it melt, or burn? :P I suppose I could go use google...

*5 minutes later*

It doesn't melt :3 And it is self extinguishing once the heat source is removed. There are a few different types of Nomex, Nomex III includes kevlar, and carbon fiber which would be good for blade grinding too n.n  Sounds like we have the winner of my interest! Thanks for posting everyone! :D

I use the Nomex gloves during the winter months while working on furnaces. it helps a little with the cold, allows dexterity when I need it, and the temps I deal with are below 700 degrees. Just something to let me handle burners and pilot valves after the furnace has been running. Not perfect, but not bad. military surplus store item.