When do you give up on gloves?

[JHZR2]

Is it just me, or are gloves practically worthless?

And I generally mean disposable elastic (nitrile, vinyl, etc) gloves for working with oil, fuel, brakes, etc.

My issue is that even in cool weather, gloves tend to be a one time thing. Put them on at the start of the day, doing great... then they get a little sweaty inside. Maybe dirty outside. Have to take them off for whatever reason... I think everyone that uses them knows the drill.

That first set is then done for at least an hour or more hanging inside-out to dry before they can be put on. My hands need to be perfectly clean and dry to put on new ones. And its not like Im in a Dr.'s office or chem lab.

So then I tend to be less consistent with putting on gloves after. So for a long job, that's an issue in general. Then, even if I put them on, a set is likely to rip.

Case in point, today I was replacing soft diesel return lines on one of my old cars. Started out fine, used gloves, ok. Had to take them off to go get something, and then with minimal subsequent work, got a bit of diesel on me. Its easy to do... Fast forward a bit, gloves are on, but then one gets a small hole.

So in reality I still have diesel on my skin, same as I would if I didnt wear them. Maybe a little less residue, but its still there, so from a health and safety perspective, does it matter?

Is double gloving with some cheap thin ones underneath better? Powdering one's hands?

I know this is such a newbie question, but I just want to get better with gloves, and it just never works right!

Thanks!

 

[Ausfahrt]

You're overthinking it.

Disposable gloves with an emphasis on disposable. One time use. Keep your hands relatively clean. Throw them away.

 

[D60]

I've been buying uber cheap nitriles and replace very often. I'll use 4 to 8 pairs a day, depending on project

When I need more actual hand protection I still use my Tillman 48

But yeah, there's no perfect solution, just injury mitigation

 

[cptbarkey]

I gave up on disposable gloves, my hands would get sweaty fast, and the work I was doing would rip holes quickly. I tried getting the thickest ones (9 mil) and the same thing would happen. I have since shifted to mechanics gloves. They are thicker still but have worked better.

 

[D60]

Mechanix faux leather is garbage. They're $20+ per pair and don't last. This is where Tillman driving or welding gloves rule.

Goatskin is awesome but more expensive and not as durable as cow, but still way more durable than Mechanix junk. Cow very durable but less dexterity.

Also don't be afraid to "wipe your hands" with leather gloves on. It doesn't get them spotless but slows saturation with grease/oil

 

[JRay’07]

I give up on gloves whenever I want tactile feedback from the parts that I'm manipulating. I want to FEEL the repair!

 

[wavinwayne]

I'm lucky to ever get through what I'm working with one pair. I always tear at least one.

 

[fsdork]

Double gloves is the way. The first pair on provides redundancy, and a dry surface over which to put on the outer pair. Outer pair gets dirty and you need to pick up your phone/go in the house/etc - outer pair comes off, and a new outer pair goes on before getting back to the messy stuff.

If I'm doing something that is both knuckle-busting and greasy, I'll do a pair of nitrile over Mechanix-type gloves. The nitrile will often tear, but the cloth gloves stay at least a bit cleaner.

 

[Jetronic]

I get sweaty inside those gloves in seconds, so only put them on sparingly. I did use mechanics gloves more, the ones that are rubberized on the palm side and breathe on the back side. A pair of those can be used for a looong time.

 

[D60]

I get sweaty inside those gloves in seconds, so only put them on sparingly. I did use mechanics gloves more, the ones that are rubberized on the palm side and breathe on the back side. A pair of those can be used for a looong time.

My non-profit likes the Milwaukee ones like that for working outside. They might have an insulated option, too.

These, they call 'em Latex Cut Resistant:
https://www.homedepot.com/pep/Milwa...inter-Dipped-Work-Gloves-48-22-8911/306052172

 

[BHopkins]

I can totally relate to what you are talking about, @JHZR2. And I don't know that the answer is. If I have a glove tear badly before I'm done with a job, I'm too impatient to wait for my hand to dry off, before putting on a new glove. So I fight with it, to get a glove on, and it isn't on quite right.

Sometimes I just give up on the gloves, and finish the job without them. But I I really do prefer using gloves for messy jobs.

 

[eljefino]

I don't mind the sweat inside nitrile gloves.

I do sort of mind when it's 15 degrees out and I hit my hand on something, but don't notice I'm bleeding, and keep working. But then again I'm happy to get whatever job done, done under that circumstance.

I reuse nitrile gloves if I can get them off in one piece. I like wearing them for fueling OPE. Any gasoline or chemicals I keep off my skin are products my liver & kidneys don't have to deal with. If I can cut that absorption by 80-90% I see myself ahead of the game.

On oil changes, I remove one glove from my dominant hand when it's time to torque the new oil filter. Wipe hand on pants to get rid of sweat, then there's plenty of traction. I then finish the job using the gloved hand for dirty things.

 

[KGMtech]

Apparently, dipping your hands in Elmer's white glue and waving for 10 minutes gives you nice protection and people avoid you.

Leather for protection and nitrile when you want to avoid contact with nasties. One use on nitrile only.

 

[JTK]

We use different types of cloth and/or leather work gloves at work. Big bulky welding gloves when handling cryogenic liquids. You need to be able to fling those off should you need to.

In terms of my DIY at home, never fails for me with nitrile disposables. 5 min into working on a car, etc and I have them torn to ribbons.

 

[marc1]

Have you tried the "nitrile dipped" ones yet? Up here (Canada) I can get them for $1/pr (Home Depot or Canadian Tire) and depending on the job I may be able to reuse them several times but even if I can't, it was only $1. I love them and they work really well for me. I keep a few brand new pairs in my vehicles in case I need them while out on the road. The surgical nitrile style, I am not keen on (too thin, no thermal protection etc.) but these dipped ones are pretty good. Sure, if I am working on a small screw / small parts I need to remove it to feel the screw but that would be the case with any glove. 95% of the work I do I can wear these and they are fine. Brakes, suspension, engine work etc. they are great IMO. These are not high quality kevlar gloves and are not for cutting / sheet metal / welding etc. they are just for general purpose work. This is the Canadian Home Depot link for illustration, I am sure this same type of product is available all over America.

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/hdx-nitrile-coated-work-gloves/1001820970

 

[Brybo86]

I agree they always break.

**I've found that the most helpful thing to do before starting a dirty job is to lotion up my hands with hand lotion really good**

That way the black grime can't really soak in because the lotion has already soaked in.

You hands will still get dirty but the grime comes off much easier this way.

 

[vavavroom]

Ask your wife, girlfriend, etc, to look at your hands and then answer that question yourself.

 

[ls1mike]

I get them from Harbor Freight. (We have one about 5 minutes from me now. ) I use them as often as I can.

 

[Rand]

Get the 100box decent thickness (6mil+) and one use them if I use 10 pairs its about 3-4$

I have an old leather pair of gloves from sams club for the dirty non chemical/mess jobs such as tire rotations etc.

 

[shortyb]

I hate when its warmer out and the sweat just pours from the nitrile gloves I wear a lot, getting all over everything I'm working on. Started using thin cotton glove liners underneath the nitrile gloves and it cuts the sweatiness down significantly. That or good old fashioned sweatbands at the cuffs. Sometimes one size larger nitriles over Mechanix Fastfit for extra protection but the nitriles always rip so easy that way.