The ABC's of Welding/Work Gloves.

Welding/work gloves come in come in many different levels of protection, dexterity, and comfort. You need the right combination of materials and construction for your application. Hopefully the following information can help you make an informed decision about which combination of materials and construction is right for your application. Leather is a favorite choice for gloves. It's tough. It has good abrasion and puncture resistance. It breathes and forms to the hand with time. Did you know that different types of leather each have their Pro's and Con's?

1: Cowhide is an overall favorite leather because it strikes a good balance among durability, dexterity, abrasion resistance, comfort, and heat resistance.

2: Pigskin is known for resilience, holding up well against abrasion, breath ability, staying pliable with wear, and better withstanding stiffening after exposure to moisture.

3: Elkskin is known for its soft leather, which provides excellent comfort, dexterity, and insulation.

4: Deerskin is even more supple than elk, making it an excellent choice for products that feature dexterity as the main benefit.

5: Goatskin has high natural oil content which makes it both durable and supple. Mostly available in thin cuts, this leather is great for products made for light to medium protective needs. Excellent tear resistance, even when thin.

6: Horseskin is touch and durable, yet very comfortable.

7: Sheepskin is used where optimum dexterity and touch sensitivity are needed.

8: Kidskin is the leather from young goat. This leather is softer than goatskin and offers even greater dexterity.

There are several different types of cuts used on welding/work gloves.

1: Grain: Thick animal hide can be split into two or more usable layers. The grain layer is the outermost external side where the hair used to be. Grain provides durability, dexterity and water and oil repellency. This grain-textured layer is regarded as the most expensive.

2: Split: This layer is the rougher internal side of hide. Split Leather is also durable and is more economical. In the glove industry, it is commonly further classified into subcategories according to the portion of the animal from which it came.

3: Side split: This came from the back and side portions of the animal. The hide is densest here, yielding a consistently durable grade leather. Side split is durable and best quality but also the most expensive.

4: Shoulder split: This came from the shoulder area where the hide is less uniform in density and appearance. Shoulder split is also quite durable but slightly more economical.

5: Belly split: The belly area yields the thinnest, most economical, and least durable leather.

In welding/work gloves, they use different cuff styles, different types of material used, and different types of thumbs.. The different cuff styles are:

1: Safety Cuff - 2 ½” short cuff found on leather palm, and cotton/synthetic gloves.

2: Gauntlet Cuff - 4 ½” long cuff found on leather palm and cotton/synthetic gloves.

3: Slip-On Style - the natural straight end cuff of a short glove. Found on TIF welding and cotton/synthetic gloves.

4: Knit Wrist - knit wrists fit snugly to keep debris and wind out. Found on leather palm and cotton/synthetic gloves.

5: Band Top Cuff - short flareless attached cuff on cotton/synthetic gloves.

The types of thumbs used are:

1: Keystone Thumb - classic ergonomic design of the thumb resulting in superior movement and comfort. Found mostly on driver’s gloves.

2: Wing Thumb - angled construction allows good flexibility with no seams on the palm side to obstruct work or cause fatigue. Found on welding, drivers, leather palm, and ergonomic gloves.

3: Straight Thumb - simple design that points vertically and is good for gripping. Found on welding, drivers, and cotton/synthetic gloves.

4: Reversible Thumb - the thumb is at the side of the glove giving these symmetrical gloves an ambidextrous fit. Found on cotton/synthetic gloves.

The types of materials used are:

1: Denim - economical, single fabric.

2: Canvas - single ply cotton.

3: Starched - two layers of fabric laminated together, used on light to mid duty styles.

4: Plasticized - waterproof polyethylene layer laminated between two pieces of fabric, launders well.

5: Rubberized - rubber material laminated between two layers of fabric, used on mid to heavy-duty styles.

6: Leather - for longer wear and more demanding applications.

There are several types of construction: There is Gunn cut. This is the standard construction for leather gloves, featuring the benefits of a single piece seamless back and the finer seams set further away from the working area of the palm. It is also characterized by the two middle fingers sewn separately onto the palm piece. This durable design is used for the most leather gloves. There is also Clute cut. This construction allows for a seamless palm, but has several separate pieces of material stitched together to form the back. Used for cotton/synthetic and economical lightweight leather gloves. And finally there is Reversible pattern. Basically, two identical pattern pieces of material stitched together at the edges. This makes a symmetrical pattern so that each glove can fit on either hand, or worn reversed when one side begins to wear out. This basic design is used mainly for cotton/synthetic gloves.

There are also other types of construction. There is Welted seams. This feature is where strips of leather or other material are sewn at the seams from abrasion and/or sparks. There is also Seamless index finger. A design in which the seam at the side of the index finger is placed farther away from the palm leaving the working are of the finger smooth for better dexterity. And finally there is also Kevlar stitching. Kevlar® thread features better protection against sparks and abrasion. Usually found on quality welding gloves.

A proper welding/work glove fit is extremely important. An uncomfortable fit causes hand fatigue and ultimately could lead to a potential work place hazard. Sizing your hand with a ruler, start at index finger and measure the width of your hand at knuckle area. Compare the measurement with the chart below:

2-2.5 Inches - Size 6 - XS
2.5-3 Inches - Size 7 - S
3-3.5 Inches - Size 8 - M
3.5-4 Inches - Size 9 - L
4-4.5 Inches - Size 10 - XL
4.5-5 Inches - Size 11 - XXL