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Tool Talk => Hand Tools => Topic started by: Grant Lamontagne on October 23, 2018, 03:38:36 PM

Title: Work gloves
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on October 23, 2018, 03:38:36 PM

There's a lot of forums that this topic could fit into, but as these are tools that protect your hands when working with tools, I thought Hand Tools might be the best place to be.  :D

I am a huge fan of work gloves, and, more specifically, the thinner, lighter mechanic style gloves that keep the restriction of your fingers to a minimum.  After all, they are no good to you if you have to keep taking them off to do things, a problem I have had for years at work with both work gloves and regular cold weather gloves.  The big red/yellow set you see below are heavy duty insulated work gloves, great for doing heavy work outdoors in cold weather, but aren't so great when it comes to finer jobs.  I started wearing the mechanic gloves years ago and they allowed me to write notes and do other things that I needed to do without removing them, and that was great- except that they aren't very warm. 

To help out, since I have thin fingers, I would get the small thin wool glove liners and wear them underneath and that still allowed me to do most things, and when it got really cold I would put a small chemical heater in between the liner and mechanic glove and that made a world of difference, at least for a few hours at a time.  These are available in two styles- small bags meant for gloves and pockets, which are good for 8 hours, and smaller, flatter ones meant for the inside of your boot, and good for 4-5 hours.  I went with the smaller, flatter ones as there wasn't a lot of space left in the mechanic glove, and the things were cheap enough- I think I paid something like $12 for a box of 20 of them at Costco.

But, even in warm weather I like to wear gloves when I am working- perhaps it stems from the time I worked in kitchens in my youth, where clean hands were always stressed and turned me into the compulsive hand washer I am today.  Either way, I am glad for them as I have slipped with tools many times and the damage to my hands was either avoided or, at least minimized thanks to the glove I was wearing.  I still believe that my glove resisted a lot of tearing when I dropped the trailer on my finger last year, and may have contributed significantly to why I still have that finger today.

Anyways, here are a few of the pairs of gloves that I had handy for a photo.  I told you about the yellow and red ones above.  I don't use them for much, and the "insulation" consists largely of cotton just shoved in the fingers, and it gets pulled out often when taking them off.  It then gets tangled or rips off so it's not there when you need them next.  Still, for heavy gloves, they are hard to beat- I have used them for everything from hauling busted and splintery wood to old jagged steel to fending off dog bites.

The yellow and black pair are typical vented leatherette (don't think it's real leather) work gloves with plastic armor on the backs of the fingers.  These are great for turning wrenches and screwdrivers in tight areas because they provide a lot of knuckle protection.

The red and black ones are a little softer and lighter than the yellow and black ones and don't have the armor on the fingers.  They are better at fine work, but are also a tough enough fabric to withstand all kinds of accidents.  They are the ones I was wearing when I dropped the trailer on my finger for example.  Yes, some of the other gloves may have offered more protection, but I still have my finger and it still works, so I'll take it.  :D

It's sad to say, but I tend to spend more time worrying about putting on gloves than I do eye protection.   :facepalm:

Anyone else a work glove aficionado?

Def

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: gerleatherberman on October 23, 2018, 03:45:35 PM

Great thread idea, Grant! :like:
It's like an interesting public service announcement.

I use the Harbor freight mechanic's gloves most of the time. The cheap ones for general use and the premium ones for splintery work/steel wool work/metal working  :)

For chemicals, I use disposable nitrile. 5mil for stain and clear coating. 9mil for stripping and harsh chemicals(acetone for example). Sometimes I use restaurant grade dish-washing gloves for using degreaser and harsh cleaners.

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on October 23, 2018, 04:19:28 PM

I have many pairs of gloves because I can usually never find a pair when I need them....  :facepalm:

But yeah, I have a case of disposable gloves for dirty stuff like painting and staining etc.  Went through a lot of them while working on my kayak this summer.

Def

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: WoodsDuck on October 23, 2018, 04:38:50 PM

I always have a few pairs of Mechanix Originals and Fast Fit for general purpose jobs.
I have heavy leather gloves for hauling out crap I cut out of the fenceline in the spring and summer. We have these awful thorn trees that grow very quickly and you do not want to grab a handful of those without some tough gloves.

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: ThePeacent on October 23, 2018, 04:40:56 PM

though here isn't often so cold to have to wear gloves at any time of the year (even in Winter), I like having them close.

I mostly carry them for work, but also carry an additional pair of Gardening Gloves in the EDC bag/man purse because I've found them useful on occasion for repairs, grabbing oily or dirty or sharp things, using tools, applying torque, or saving my hands in one way or another.  :dunno:

The ones I carry as a backup on my bag are like these.

(https://i.imgur.com/01ZeiXN.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/lwU1ndF.jpg)

Not heavy duty but enough for mosts tasks to prevent injury, damage or nasty results on your bare skin and hands  :salute:, mostly small blisters, skin pinching, scratches and small cuts  :tu:
Except for this time, when the blade went through the glove :P (mildly graphic)

Show content

(https://i.imgur.com/g5xNqw7.jpg)

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: SteveC on October 23, 2018, 06:09:20 PM

Vinyl disposable gloves for painting and messy stuff and for work If I wear any it's the thin rubber coated kind these day. They give some protection and you can still pick up and hold nails and screws.

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: gerleatherberman on October 23, 2018, 06:27:19 PM

Quote from: Grant Lamontagne on October 23, 2018, 04:19:28 PM

I have many pairs of gloves because I can usually never find a pair when I need them....  :facepalm:

But yeah, I have a case of disposable gloves for dirty stuff like painting and staining etc.  Went through a lot of them while working on my kayak this summer.

Def

So true. Same with safety goggles. I don't beed them, I am tripping over piles of them. I desperately need safety goggles and bone are to be found. :ahhh

Quote from: ThePeacent on October 23, 2018, 04:40:56 PM

I mostly carry them for work, but also carry an additional pair of Gardening Gloves in the EDC bag/man purse because I've found them useful on occasion for repairs, grabbing oily or dirty or sharp things, using tools, applying torque, or saving my hands in one way or another.  :dunno:

The way I imagine you look has changed drastically. :pok: :rofl:

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: Syncop8r on October 23, 2018, 08:58:19 PM

Annnd cue photo of Grant in a dress......

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: Ron Who on October 24, 2018, 11:58:14 AM

I prefer thin, supple, leather gloves. I still need to be careful when dealing with thorny issues.

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: ThePeacent on October 24, 2018, 12:37:59 PM

Quote from: gerleatherberman on October 23, 2018, 06:27:19 PM

Quote from: ThePeacent on October 23, 2018, 04:40:56 PM

I mostly carry them for work, but also carry an additional pair of Gardening Gloves in the EDC bag/man purse because I've found them useful on occasion for repairs, grabbing oily or dirty or sharp things, using tools, applying torque, or saving my hands in one way or another.  :dunno:

The way I imagine you look has changed drastically. :pok: :rofl:

it's this one  :dunno:

(https://i.imgur.com/6e5JaS2.jpg)

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on October 24, 2018, 01:18:27 PM

Careful amigo, you may lose the Spirit carrying it like that! 

I also have several pairs of gloves like the orange ones you picture above- the fabric with the rubber on them.  I find them very handy, but I tend to consider them as more or less disposable types, only using them a time or two, and not really keeping them around afterwards.  Perhaps that is because I tend to use them for dirtier jobs involving harsh cleansers, resins and things like that.  I do keep a pair like them in my work bag as well, and I usually buy them in multi- pack at Home Depot or Costco when I need them.

I have a nice pair of gloves that are similar, only the rubber covers them all the way up to the cuff, making them waterproof, which is great for working in the rain as they keep my hands dry.  With the inner glove and occasionally the heater pack, they are ideal for working in the sub zero rain!

Def

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: ThePeacent on October 24, 2018, 04:13:35 PM

Quote from: Grant Lamontagne on October 24, 2018, 01:18:27 PM

Careful amigo, you may lose the Spirit carrying it like that! 

don't worry Boss, it was just for the pic. Nothing is outside, too much attention they'd draw  :ahhh

amd they are almost disposable to me as well, I buy them in 5 or 10 pair-packs for 8-12€  :salute: and go though several of them every season  :dunno:

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: smiller43147 on October 24, 2018, 05:57:01 PM

I also buy those in bulk.  They can be reused, but when doing something really dirty can be taken off and simply disposed.
I have a spot in my landscaping that has poison ivy, so I have carefully disposed of several pair.

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: WoodsDuck on October 24, 2018, 06:04:57 PM

I use nitrile medical gloves for handling biohazardous materials and general filth, but those are obviously not suited for a lot of jobs.

At my actual work, in a medical facility, we use vinyl gloves.

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: Ron Who on October 24, 2018, 06:18:23 PM

Some of the glove types I have available from my employer There are nitrile coated gloves too.

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: gerleatherberman on October 24, 2018, 10:21:10 PM

Quote from: ThePeacent on October 24, 2018, 12:37:59 PM

it's this one  :dunno:

(https://i.imgur.com/6e5JaS2.jpg)

Nice setup, TP! I am now picturing you using that. Originally I always imagined you had a Batman belt of tools/knives. :multi:

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: Gerhard Gerber on October 25, 2018, 12:07:24 PM

I use single layer leather gloves sold with 4x4'ing in mind simply because they are comparatively cheap, they come in XL........and I go through them like TP while smithing!  :rofl:

Too funny to see how the fingers shrivel up from the heat, and inevitably I dunk my hand in water several times during a forging session, so when they dry out it's even more fun......

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: ThePeacent on October 25, 2018, 03:34:36 PM

Quote from: gerleatherberman on October 24, 2018, 10:21:10 PM

Quote from: ThePeacent on October 24, 2018, 12:37:59 PM

it's this one  :dunno:

(https://i.imgur.com/6e5JaS2.jpg)

Nice setup, TP! I am now picturing you using that. Originally I always imagined you had a Batman belt of tools/knives. :multi:

well I do have a "batman belt on me"  :D but not that big or loaded
Usually I have at least one MT, SAK, Light and knife on the belt, and oftentimes a second of some of those or all.
The bag is mostly for backups, FAK; hygiene, etc. or additional tools  :salute:

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: captain spaulding on October 29, 2018, 12:19:20 AM

I will have to get a picture of my work gloves. Finally found a new job that I love and gloves are a must.

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on October 30, 2018, 12:23:25 PM

Looking forward to seeing them!

I keep at least one pair of work gloves in the Jeep at all times, as well as the ones at home and in my various work bags.  There are two things that give me great joy in this world, and those are getting dirty with some good old fashioned mechanical work, and keeping my hands clean.  One of these days a qualified therapist is going to make a fortune on the book they will write about me, but in the meantime I will keep getting dirty while trying to remain as clean as possible.   :facepalm:

Def

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: Vidar on October 30, 2018, 12:48:34 PM

Good to see I'm not the only ones with slightly compulsive thoughts about gloves...

I'm on a seemingly never ending quest to find the perfect work gloves for me. I just want them to fit perfectly, be nimble and flexible, light and thin, and protect against abrasives, hits, cuts, penetrations, hot, cold, wet, uv light and chemicals. Oh, and they should be airy, easy to clean and inexpensive too. I'm open minded about the color.. Maybe someone elses post in this thread will finally reveal the one to rule them all..

As I still haven't found those I've had to compromise and find a half decent  to good compromise for each task at hand. (Pun intended). So grabbing some around here:

Picture 1. Various long sleeve gloves.

The thick leather ones are for stick welding and handling hot items. Too thick and cumbersome for fine controlled grip of anything, but they do protect well against your random hot flying metal bits. (Not to mention absentminded grabbing of very hot stuff).

The thick black leather are insulated winter working gloves. Some membrane in there somewhere makes them waterproof to the user - although the glove itself might get mighthy wet. I suspect they are not the best for abrasive work, so only used for half civil stuff.

The black and red rubbery gloves are waterproof, decently long lasting and fairly inexpensive. Normally used for not so precise handling of slimy or grimy stuff in cold water. Bad fit, bad mostly everything actually, but they are waterproof and crucially easy to clean afterwards. 

Picture 2.

Neoprene gloves/ diver gloves. I don't dive, but when the above black and red ones are not precise enough for work with stuff in cold water these really helps. They are also warmer and better fitting. And way more expensive.

Some thinner neoprene work gloves with some padding for more normal or light abrasive work. Good overall gloves with good fit, but too expensive for normal grime duty.

Insulated gloves for normal light grime duty. Fairly decent fit, insulation and protection. I do expect them do wear down and out - and they do. Decent pair, but not my personal favorite.

Picture 3.

Some disposable gloves which are just a tad thicker than usual. For those times you really don't want a hole when messing about with grimy or etching stuff.

Then some bonafide normal thick and bad fitting ox gloves for proper abrasive work. I use these when working with stuff that would just make a hole in the other ones very quickly. Typically these fail too, but they last much longer and are fairly inexpensive. (So when one pair fails I already have a replacement laying ready). 

Some insulated waterproof all around light abrasive work gloves. Good fit for me and quite civilian looking. While they are waterproof they are not breathing - thus sweat will make them wet. Still my first choice glove these days. In summer the nimble uninsulated non-waterproof version one is the favorite.

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: Vidar on October 30, 2018, 01:00:18 PM

Then there are the more specialized ones. I try to not use these for anything besides their purpose. They tend to be on the expensive side, and cleanliness is typically important for the tasks where I use these.

Picture 1. Gloves for hot works.

These gloves for hot work are actually fairly nimble and well fitting, (as opposed to say thick welding gloves), so one maintains some fine control. Which can be important when handling hot stuff. The series also have a even thinner and nimbler model (which protects less), but that one simply wore out on me and I haven't gotten a new pair yet. I've also tried welding with these, and the welding itself go well. However they day after I had sunburns between my fingers along the seams - so not really useable for that.

Picture 2. Welding gloves.

The white long sleeved ones are your typical nimble TIG welding design. They work well for that, but the fit could be better - at least for me.

The leather look ones are bad fitting stick or MIG welding gloves. For what I do rarely ever need the thick long sleeve ones as these protect enough. These are much thinner, give better grip and control, and thus is what I typically use for that.

Then there are some very well fitting TIG gloves. I haven't actually used them much yet (still on those first ones), but looks quite promising I'd say. Certainly a better fit.

And last on the lower middle is a little finger glove for heat protection. Basically lets you rest your hand a bit on hot surfaces while working on them. It helps getting a bit better control and precision.

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: pfrsantos on November 16, 2018, 01:44:28 PM

I bought a pair of Glova (Made in India?!). Let you maintain a certain sensibility in your fingers, so you can perform some delicate tasks but awlso offer good protection. Not for very hard tasks but for general repairs. Less than €4 a pair.

(http://www.ferramentaspro.pt/files/resizes/full/-files-resizes-full-img_58cc061ab111d.jpg)

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: papadan on November 19, 2018, 02:05:51 AM

I only own 3 gloves. A pair of leather driving gloves for winter use, I hate cold surfaces. And I have 1 left hand leather welding glove. I just can't work in gloves, but wear one on my left hand when having to hold pieces I'm welding or cutting with the torch.  :tu:

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: captain spaulding on November 19, 2018, 07:28:30 AM

I really need to get some pics of my work gloves. I use mine every day and they take a beating so I’m always on the lookout for a good pair that keeps dexterity loss to a minimum. I’ll try and snap a pic.

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on November 19, 2018, 12:47:55 PM

Quote from: papadan on November 19, 2018, 02:05:51 AM

I only own 3 gloves. A pair of leather driving gloves for winter use, I hate cold surfaces. And I have 1 left hand leather welding glove. I just can't work in gloves, but wear one on my left hand when having to hold pieces I'm welding or cutting with the torch.  :tu:

Thus my search for better and better gloves.  I hated having to take them off all the time to do things.  I still do with the mechanic type gloves, but they do allow me to do a lot more with them on.

Def

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: captain spaulding on November 19, 2018, 04:19:00 PM

Quote from: Grant Lamontagne on November 19, 2018, 12:47:55 PM

Quote from: papadan on November 19, 2018, 02:05:51 AM

I only own 3 gloves. A pair of leather driving gloves for winter use, I hate cold surfaces. And I have 1 left hand leather welding glove. I just can't work in gloves, but wear one on my left hand when having to hold pieces I'm welding or cutting with the torch.  :tu:

Thus my search for better and better gloves.  I hated having to take them off all the time to do things.  I still do with the mechanic type gloves, but they do allow me to do a lot more with them on.

Def

I normally use Mechanix gloves as they take a beating and don’t rip as fast as others I have tried, but leave me with some dexterity.

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: CallsignBadger on December 17, 2018, 06:05:41 AM

I like to use the Mechanix Mpact’s and keep a box of those disposable latex gloves (the thicker ones) for anything chemical

Works well :tu:

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: Sea Monster on December 26, 2018, 09:27:57 PM

I know many people like the Mechanix line,

I find them a bit garish, so I tend to favour IronClad (I just get the Utility ones, nothing special)

As I ride bikes, some of those gloves "retire" to work use (and work gloves "retire" to gardening use)

(Apparently that is my order of priority for glove care/condition - Bikes/Work/Digging )

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: cody6268 on December 28, 2018, 02:01:05 AM

Winter wear--cheap jersey underneath a heavy pair of leather rancher's gloves which I'd found in a glove box (ha!) of an unused vehicle. They're really well made.  They're also thick enough to where sharp stuff (thorns, sharp metal, barbed wire) doesn't do anything.

Usual wear: Craftsman knockoff of the Mechanix gloves I bought years ago at Sears (when we still had one, which has been more than 5 years now).

And there's the 4 pairs or so of  welder's gloves we keep in the farm shop for welder and torch work. They're really just communal. Not one pair actually belongs to anyone; and my grandfather and I just pick up whatever we get to first.

Dirty work: various kinds of exam gloves. Also keep a few pairs of those in the first aid kit.


I need to check into cut resistant work gloves--anyone recommend a specific pair (and I'm not talking the chain-mail Teutonic looking things sold for food-service).

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on December 29, 2018, 05:15:00 PM

Back when I worked in the tactical ninja/black ops wannabe world, Hatch was the best name in cut resistant gloves that looked like normal gloves.  I don't know if that is still the case but it's a starting point.... and pretty much the only info I have on the topic.

Def

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: Pacu on February 10, 2019, 12:35:25 AM

I went from no gloves working in IT to full on herbicide and pesticide commercial applicator/sales here in Texas. Dealing with some real nasty stuff these days. I have a backpack full of gloves depending on what I'm doing.
We can't use cotton as it holds the chemical next to the skin causing dermal contact. I have some synthetic rubber gloves for mixing chemicals, leather for spraying and dealing with a muddy , wet hose. 

What I can't understand is people who don't take care of their high dollar leather gloves. I clean my daily and put back in my backpack with my eyewear, hearing protection, yellow vest and hard hat. I see gloves left everywhere caked in chemical and dirt. Our company springs for nice deerskin gloves.  :rant:

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on April 06, 2019, 06:51:38 PM

I am one of those that doesn't really take care of my gloves properly.... I wear them until they disintegrate off my hands and only wash them occasionally, but then most of the leather bits on mine are only simulated leather.

I feel like if I had nice deerskin gloves I wouldn't want to use them that hard, and that would defeat their purpose.

Def

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: Pacu on April 06, 2019, 09:05:08 PM

i'm on the hunt for some good work gloves to get me thru the first part of summer.
Trying to find abrasion resistant, waterproof leather gloves. We use a blue dye that stains everything and when my gloves get wet i have smurfing smurf hands.  ::) :D

these worked pretty good for a couple of months before the hose and sand wore holes thru the fingers.
https://www.acehardware.com/departments/home-and-decor/apparel/gloves/7314404 (https://www.acehardware.com/departments/home-and-decor/apparel/gloves/7314404)

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on April 11, 2019, 07:24:14 PM

I am not sure I would bother with leather in a situation like that- maybe a kevlar or other composite weave glove with a latex dip on it would be better suited?

Just a thought.

Def

Title: Re: Work gloves
Post by: SirVicaLot on April 15, 2019, 05:05:46 PM

Here are mine, and i am not really happy with any of them  :facepalm:

The ones on the left are chemical resistant and i use them for staining or heavy painting  :D But after about 5 minutes your hands feel like you are taking a shower  :rant:

The second ones i use for garden work or wood working. They are cheapo gloves from the local hardware store. Nothing special.

The ones on the right are nitrile gloves that i use for leatherworking (staining) or dog related issues  :-\ They rip pretty fast  :facepalm:

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