3 TYPES OF WELDING GLOVES AND THEIR USES:
Welding gloves are typically made of leather because it is durable, non-conductive and offers higher flame resistance than synthetic materials. Different types of welding require gloves made of different types of leather due to the differences in the level of heat, sparks and spatter generated.
1) Stick Welding:
Stick welding generates very high heat and sparks. Thus it is vital to use thick leather gloves for maximum protection in this type of welding. Gloves should be made entirely of split leather which is the thickest type of leather available.
Thermal insulation is important due to high levels of heat in stick welding hence materials such as cotton or wool should be used to prevent burns from radiant heat exposure.For stick welding you will have to forego a very tight fit for your gloves to ensure maximum protection.
Finally, consider using a glove that is stitched with a material like Kevlar that offers flame-resistance as cotton stitching can melt at higher temperatures which could cause the glove to come apart leading to painful burns and injuries.
2) MIG Welding
MIG welding generates lower heat than Stick Welding but higher heat than TIG Welding. Leather used for MIG welding gloves consists of both split and grain leather.. You should look for gloves made of grain leather on the palm side for dexterity and that offer additional protection on the back in the form of foam padding which can allow you to rest one hand on the surface when bracing the dominant hand during a weld. Similar to stick welding gloves, choose MIG welding gloves that have insulating material to minimize radiant heat exposure and flame resistant stitching to ensure durability.
3) TIG Welding:
TIG welding requires a high level of dexterity which means that it requires a glove that fits snugly. Goatskin leather offers the best combination of protection and dexterity for TIG welding purposes. Goatskin leather gloves will give you the best fingertip sensitivity to perform fine welds as required in TIG welding and offer sufficient heat protection at the same time. TIG welding gloves on the cheaper end typically do not include insulation but if you need added heat protection consider gloves with thinner insulating materials like Thinsulate to ensure you don’t compromise dexterity. TIG welding gloves should also have flame-resistant stitching to ensure durability and minimize burn injuries from heat, sparks and molten metal.
Khas Industries is a specialized supplier of protective gloves and can be reached at info@khasindustries.com.pk.
