Gloves

[supton]

Not sure if a "tool" or a general topic...

On a lark I bought a cheap set of "mechanic" gloves at Lowes the other weekend, to see if I liked. Turns out I kinda do like better than disposable gloves, and with dropping temps they will become all the better.

Question: when do you replace them, and do you use them on the messy work?

At one point I went to do something with oil, so I pulled it off, put on a disposable, did that; left the disposable on and then promptly skinned a knuckle doing something else.

I'm wondering if the "real" mechanics just always wear these, and replace every so often (when they get loaded up with grease etc); or if they just pull one off and grab a disposable for certain jobs where they know the hand will get dipped in brake grease, or engine oil, or whatever. Or both I guess.

 

[IndyIan]

I don't think I've seen any of the real mechanics working on my car wear any gloves at all...

I tried some mechanixs gloves and find I drop too many small things, and latex gets ripped in 2 minutes if I'm doing anything beyond an oil change, so I don't wear anything for most mechanical work. I figure any exposure is infrequent enough to be significant.

 

[cjcride]

I have similar pairs I use. The older pair for messy work.
Good point Indy on the latex type, no matter how careful you are they tear quick. I have seen a mechanics sort of black latex glove that seems tougher.

 

[NHGUY]

SAS brand black nitrile RAVEN gloves are made a bit thicker,as are their orange colored gloves with extra texture.

 

[Trav]

I use Nitrile gloves for repacking bearings by hand and maybe changing some messy filters but that's about it.
So much of this job depends on good feel, sometimes your fingers almost become your eyes so gloves are not practical. I tried them but quickly threw them away.
My advice to you is buy some Zep Cherry and leave the gloves on the shelf.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/zep-c...content=7760009

 

[panther427]

I also use the raven gloves. What gloves I wear depends on the work. Oil changes and grease related stuff I wear the disposable kind. Heavy duty work with potential for scrapped knuckles and cuts I wear the mechanic style gloves. Small things like air filters or lights. No gloves

 

[spavel6]

I always use these - 9mil HARDY gloves from HF.

Unlike other think nitrile gloves, I can usually get through a day's work with these without rips. If one does rip, I usually find another ripped glove and put them on together, since the rips are usually on different fingers.

Would recommend instead of the mechanix gloves for grease resistance, and dexterity.

 

[spackard]

The Global Glove Pug17 is nice because the back breathes, but, liquids run into the back.

Microflex Dura Flock is a really good nitrile glove.

 

[kb27]

I like a somewhere "in-between" gloves, not so disposable but with more dexterity and more lasting.

I'd choose a cut-resistance PU gloves.
http://www.amazon.com/Pakel-Performance-Resistant-Gloves-Dyneema%C2%AE/dp/B011ES5L46/

 

[The_Jeff]

I wear cheap blue nitrile. They're good to about 10'F in the garage. Keeping perspiration from evaporating helps.

My hands get raw from the cold, dry air, and bleed if I look at them wrong. But it's still better to control the blood inside the glove than to have grease and sand mix in. And my hands are cold enough I don't often feel it until I take the gloves off.

Yet, still, the gloves mean less hand-washing which means less dry winter skin. If I get in a real pinch I'll rub lanolin all over then wair a clean set of gloves to bed.

Nitrile gloves for me only interfere with serious detail work like sticking a valve core in a tire. I also like being able to pull them off and have clean hands to stick in welding gloves, and not have the flocking of said gloves all greasy.

 

[supton]

eljefino, have you tried the even cheaper latex ones? I think I might like them over the blue. Probably the same resistance tearing, less resistance to cleaners; but they seem to pull off and on easier. I've done some work where it seems I put on a glove for five minutes, off for five, back on... Slightly cheaper too.

I agree, in colder temps they do something for warmth.

As for dry skin, I tough it out as long as I can, then resort to vaseline on my knuckles on an as-needed basis. I avoid the skin moisturizers like the plague.

 

[John_Conrad]

i buy the cheapest i can find, often finding them at annual craft fair my wife goes too!

go through them like crazy especially when repacking trailer bearings

 

[supton]

Thanks all. I'm not much of a mechanic at all, but was curious what others did.

 

[finmile]

I use disposable nitrile gloves. They are great for oil change, brake service, etc. easy stuff.

They keep my hands clean, warms a little bit and acts as a second skin for sharp edges.

 

[beast3300]

Everybody in my area either wears Diamond grip Latex or nothing. A very small minority try out the black Ravens but give up because they are too difficult to put on and off.

I wear Diamond Grips everyday or I'm not working on a car. The reason is if one doesn't wear them consistently then one might as not wear them. I like my hands more presentable. Ymwv

 

[finmile]

I started to google about these Raven gloves and found a lot of good reviews. But I found also this comment:

(No Longer) Durable Nitrile Gloves

UPDATE: As of April 2014, Raven has "reformulated" these gloves. They are now much less durable, tear and feel like 3mil gloves. If you receive an order of the original style, my review holds; otherwise and until they return to their previous quality, I do NOT recommend these gloves.

http://www.amazon.com/SAS-Safety-66517-Powder-Free-Disposable/dp/B002XXO5US

 

[spavel6]

No one else uses the HF gloves?? I love 'em!

 

[DemoFly]

I have Harbor Freight nitriles for grease work and Mechanix gloves for everything else.

I wash the Mechanix right in the wash with everything else. A new pair of gloves every day!

 

[Falken]

In my opinion, using gloves is a usefull "skill".

If you have pigskin gloves, they are great for doing rough work like tires. As they pick up dirt and grease, they relax to fit your hand in a manner that they are very easy to work with.

Also, in pigskin, your hands feel natural, and sweating isn't an issue. Also they can be had for dirt cheap.

Try various pairs for a week or two until the are all broken in. The ones that fit great, keep them in your tool box for finer work.

The ones that don't fit as well use them for rough work.

The ones for tires, if you rub mink oil deep into them or Dubbin wax (the stuff that smells of sulfur), these will be your go to for roughing it.

I did two tire seasons with a pair of well worn solid pigskin gardening gloves that had no fancy leather bands or woven areas... They were just plain vanilla, light tan pig skin gardening gloves.

They became better and better those gloves, the more grease they absorbed and the more I used them the more I loved them.

Picking up rusty tires through the hub and mounting them, with slush and salt everywhere, they sure were great... I came close to naming them.

 

[Wheel]

I find that putting latex gloves over the mechanix ones delays the inevitable oil/grease infiltration.

I'm amazed I still have my fingers after looking thru the pile of semi-wrecked gloves.