Welding gloves are an essential part of the protective gear for welders. Gloves are essential to protect you from electric shock and injuries. But welders also have to work with hot metal, hot objects, and chemicals. So, sparks fly that can cause high-degree burns. So, are welding gloves heat resistant?
Welding gloves provide excellent heat resistance. The heat resistance of the gloves depends on the material and making of the welding gloves. Apart from the materials, the welding gloves should also fit you well to protect you from heat.
In this article, I will tell you how fire-resistant gloves protect the welder’s hand. You must consider several factors before buying a fire-resistant glove for welding. So, make sure to read it till the end!
How Fire-Resistant Gloves Protect Your Hands
Your hands need to be protected not only for welding jobs but also for all your daily activities. During the welding process, welders have to work with melted metal, gas, and dangerous chemicals. Sparks and flames fly around.
When your hand comes into contact with these elements, you might get severe burns. It may prevent you from continuing welding for a long time. So, welders must put on welding gloves. These gloves are made of different types of leather and heat-resistant lining materials that protect your hands and forearms from burning.
Depending on their thickness, welding gloves can withstand heat up to 2000 degrees for a short hold time and up to 600 degrees F for a longer hold time. Besides heat insulation, welding gloves also have the following benefits:
- Electrical insulation
- Moisture resistant
- Keeping hands dry
- Dexterity
- Perfect size and fit
- Comfort
- High quality and durable material
- Puncture and tear-resistant
High-quality welder gloves are made of durable and long-lasting materials. The hand gloves must be puncture-resistant. Otherwise, flame and heat can reach through cuts and tears easily, and burn your hands.
Things To Consider Before Buying Heat-resistant Gloves
You are probably thinking about buying a pair of new hand gloves that can provide you with protection from all the heat and flames during welding. There are many things to consider about welding gloves.
First, you need to consider which welding process you want to do while wearing the gloves. Then you have to think about the material, lining, and thickness of the gloves. So, let us try to understand the factors one by one:
Type Of Welding You Do
The type and material of welding gloves you need depend on the type of welding you do. All types of welding require heat-resistant gloves. However, the level of heat produced in different types of welding is not the same. So, you have to choose appropriate gloves depending on the type of welding you will do.
There are mainly three types of welding: MIG, TIG, and Stick welding.
TIG Welding
TIG Welding is for precise welding. Thus, it requires a high level of dexterity. You must be able to move your hand with ease. This welding process does not produce too much heat or splattering. So, welders have a low risk of burning.
TIG welding produces low heat and needs more hand flexibility. So, TIG welders use gloves made of high-quality goatskin or any material that is thin and flexible. Most TIG gloves have extra padding around the palm and outside of the gloves. It protects the welder’s hands from surface heat.
TIG hand gloves are comfortable and fit better on the hands. They have a smaller size than MIG gloves. For durability and heat resistance, the gloves have linings of kevlar, wool foam, cotton, and denim.
MIG Welding
MIG welders get exposed to high heat, flames, sparks, and splattering a lot. Therefore, the gloves are thicker and more layered than TIG hand gloves. These heavy-duty gloves are large and heavily padded on the outside.
They are made mostly from high-quality top-grain goatskin, cowhide, and deerskin. Heavy split cowhide leathers are also best for MIG welding gloves. The gloves are made of durable material and have heat-resistant linings for better protection against high heat and sparks.
Stick Welding
Compared to other welding processes, stick welding is done at very high temperatures and can produce a lot of splattering. So, you will need heavy-duty hand gloves that have a thicker cut of leather. The lining of the gloves must also provide a high level of heat protection.
The best materials for stick welding gloves are split-grain goatskin, elk skin, and pigskin. Since stick welding does not require precise work, you do not have to worry about the dexterity of the gloves. These gloves usually cover the wrists and up to the forearm. Hence, they provide better protection against high heat.
Material Of The Gloves
Leather is the most common type of material for welding gloves. But you will also see welding gloves made of other heat-resistant materials like Kevlar and carbon fiber.
Leather
Leather is one of the best materials for welding gloves. It can provide high heat protection as well as flexibility for welding. Here are some types of leather used to make welding gloves:
Elk Skin
Elkskin leather gives the highest heat, flame, and abrasion resistance. Elkskin gloves are also nice and comfortable. You can find both light and heavy-cut gloves that will provide excellent protection for welding, especially for stick welding. The gloves will be durable and long-lasting as well.
Cowhide
If you are looking for the perfect gloves for MIG welding, consider cowhide gloves. These gloves have perfectly balanced features. They are durable and heat resistant. Moreover, they are comfortable and flexible for welding. Many welding gloves are made from top-grain cowhide that is also abrasion-resistant.
Deerskin
Deerskin gloves are for welders who need a great deal of dexterity. Thick deerskin gloves give protection from extreme heat. The gloves are so pliable that they can take the shape of your hand. Thus, the gloves become more comfortable and flexible.
Goatskin
Goatskin is comfortable and flexible. But it is not as heat resistant as the other leathers mentioned above. For great dexterity, goatskin is best for TIG welding.
Pigskin
Pigskin is thin and flexible. But it is not a suitable material for heat resistance. So, welders concerned with heat resistance should avoid pig hide.
The Lining Of The Gloves
Another important aspect of the welding gloves you should consider is the lining of the gloves:
- Kevlar: For maximum heat protection and durability, choose gloves with Kevlar linings. They help the gloves fit perfectly on your hand.
- Jersey: Not as much as Kevlar linings, but jersey linings give moderate heat protection. They are affordable in price.
- Wool: Wool linings are expensive. However, they give excellent heat protection, hence the price is worth it.
- Cotton: Cotton lining helps the air circulate inside the glove. So, your hands stay cool during welding at high temperatures.
- Foam: These linings cushion your hands to make them comfortable. Lining with high heat-resistant leather, you can get both flexibility and heat protection.
Make Sure the Gloves Fit You
Welders must wear gloves that perfectly fit their hands. No matter how heat-resistant or durable the gloves are, if they do not fit, they become really problematic. Too stiff, and you will feel uncomfortable. Then you may even take them off during work, which is not a good idea.
If the welding gloves are too loose, they can come off and you can get burned. Heat can also enter through loose gloves. The gloves should not be too thin or too bulky. Thin gloves do not have high heat resistance, and extra bulky gloves can make your hands sweat.
Therefore, always check the fit of your gloves before buying them. They should be comfortable and snug. Wearing gloves, you should be able to pick up and hold things with no problem.
Make sure you check our article: 4 Best Welding Gloves for Small Hands
Conclusion
So, are welding gloves heat resistant? As you can see, welding gloves provide excellent fire resistance against high heat and flames. Welding gloves are essential protective clothing for welders. Welding is a challenging and risky job. Therefore, it is important to buy high-quality heat-resistant welding gloves.
Next topics to read:
The 7 Best Welding Gloves For Flux Core
Fireplace Gloves Vs. Welding Gloves: Is There A Difference?
