Protecting your hands

[jojo]

All the talk about sharp instruments being in the naughtly corner and cutting yourself made me wonder about what people do to protect their hands?

In our context of bushcraft, hands are absolutely essential and perhaps should receive more attention than they do to keep then in good shape and complete

After all, we spend ages and good cash to protect the rest of us, particularly feet, but we don't seem to pay so much attention to hand protection.

I use gloves much more than I used to. When I worked on the boatyard, it would have been pure stupidity not to. Between sharp, rusty metals, rusty cables, chemicals and paint to mention a few.

What do you do you protects your hands?

 

[Greg]

I use Ansell - Edmont Hyd-Tuf cut resistant work gloves or US Air Force Pilot gloves (Courtesy of Ogri the Trog.). Depending what job I'm doing.
In extreme cold weather I use contact gloves which are just thin cotton if I intend to touch any sort of metal. When out skiing I use Dachstein (I think thats how you spell it!) mitts.

 

[John Fenna]

Same as Greg (thanks for the gloves Greg!) except I use various review sample gloves for winter wear... though Dakkies are great!
John

 

[Mikey P]

Pair of leather gardening gloves when collecting fruit and stuff from thorny plants. All the rest of the time, depends on the weather. The only other time I wear gloves is when it's cold.

For normal bushcrafting stuff, I guess I just try not to cut/burn myself!

 

[Tourist]

For heavy grubbing around lifting rocks and wood I have leather work gloves.

For lighter work and to prevent cuts, nicks and bangs I wear Mechanix Originals. I have worn them for years ordering them from the US before you could get them here. For the ulu I have a black pair and a camo pair, for skydiving I wear a yellow pair. Mucho happy with them I can feel a sheet of paper whilst wearing them and have prevented a multitude of nicks, cuts and scrapes.

 

[gorilla]

For heavy grubbing around lifting rocks and wood I have leather work gloves.

For lighter work and to prevent cuts, nicks and bangs I wear Mechanix Originals. I have worn them for years ordering them from the US before you could get them here. For the ulu I have a black pair and a camo pair, for skydiving I wear a yellow pair. Mucho happy with them I can feel a sheet of paper whilst wearing them and have prevented a multitude of nicks, cuts and scrapes.

how cut resistant are they on the fingertips?

 

[decorum]

When I've no choice but to cut towards myself (drawknife etc) I wear a leather welders apron (which doubles as a hone ). If I 'm holding something that I'm cutting I usually wear long, thick leather gauntlets (last Thursday = and again) and I use the same gaunlets if I'm tending a fire.

 

[mr dazzler]

Most of the time I dont bother. I am very careful when sharpening, even when I do axe's I hold them down secure to the bench if I'm filing them and keep both hands on the file
I fail to see why you need to use a leather apron if your using a draw knife . Its as safe as houses unless you work with only one hand that is; or more likely the wood slips out the horse's grip and belts you in the chest but thats not down to sharp edge's. If I MUST use glove protection I prefer the genuine showa kevlar and latex gloves. They are great for handling glass (first time I discovered them in a window factory) they grip equally well wet or dry, they dont get smoothed and burnished like leather ones do, you can wash then safely without them falling apart or delaminating like the cheap copie's do, and they grip like spiderman. Its not btcv purist I know, , but I wear them if I am using my billhook, or for doing fencing, any rough outdoor work even if it is raining.

 

[shep]

My hands are critical for my work and, of course, at play in bushcraft. Having said that, I just don't find these things fun if I wear thick gloves and lose tactile sense of the things I'm working on.
Aside from cold weather, I just wear latex gloves for handling chemicals/dyes etc and leather gardening gloves for power-tool stuff where there's a risk of slippage. Otherwise, I just accept that I'll get plenty of nicks, blisters etc, in order to enjoy my sense of touch. And I'm very careful around things that could really do them damage.

 

[Draven]

I don't use any hand protection... ever

But I'm the perfect example of why you should, my hands are already pretty scarred with at least one or two cuts healing at any given time... got a particularly nasty one earlier - carving a pattern into a knife handle with my clipper, slipped and... well, out came the electrical tape to put myself back together

Also had numerous nicks from sharpening (just not paying enough attention, my fingers sometimes just creep up past the edge of the sharpening stone!), accidentally stabbed myself at the base of my forefinger while carving the same knife handle (can't play bass at all until it heals, hurts a bit...), another slip got me a nick on my thumb, using the clipper for very detailed work (holding it like a pencil, fool that I am...) gave me one between my thumb and index finger too (most of the blade is wrapped in electrical tape now )

So yeah, maybe I should use some form of hand protection... but I hate working in gloves!

 

[Tourist]

how cut resistant are they on the fingertips?

Read the company website, it comes up if you google.

They are not designed as cut proof, cut resistant gloves or knife fighting gloves, they were designed as work gloves for NASCAR and INDY mechanics originally then they caught on big time. I used to see them around Silverstone and tried a pair on, liked them and bought them.

What I will say though about their cut resistance, when I look at the gloves I see loads of cuts in the fabric where if I had not been wearing them I would have had cuts into the dermis or epidermis. It seem everytime I decide not to wear them I get a cut that could have been prevented.

I wear them for skydiving because they offer a great deal of feel - to allow me to pull my pilot chute. And, they provide just enuff protection to stop my hands freezing at about minus 10 to minus 15 when jumping in the winter.

PS They is cheaper on ebay than from a racing car supply shop nowadays, around £15.00

 

[leon-b]

I don't use any hand protection... ever

But I'm the perfect example of why you should, my hands are already pretty scarred with at least one or two cuts healing at any given time... got a particularly nasty one earlier - carving a pattern into a knife handle with my clipper, slipped and... well, out came the electrical tape to put myself back together

Also had numerous nicks from sharpening (just not paying enough attention, my fingers sometimes just creep up past the edge of the sharpening stone!), accidentally stabbed myself at the base of my forefinger while carving the same knife handle (can't play bass at all until it heals, hurts a bit...), another slip got me a nick on my thumb, using the clipper for very detailed work (holding it like a pencil, fool that I am...) gave me one between my thumb and index finger too (most of the blade is wrapped in electrical tape now )

So yeah, maybe I should use some form of hand protection... but I hate working in gloves!

I'm exactly the same mate never use gloves despite all the scars and cuts my hands are full of
leon

 

[decorum]

I fail to see why you need to use a leather apron if your using a draw knife .QUOTE]

I understand your point of view. The apron is a preventative measure - I'm eplieptic. Usually, but not always, I know when to stop and rest. I started using a leather apron when I began having seizures - they're disorientating enough without the added effect of blood loss and shock.

 

[Carcajou Garou]

I never wear gloves around any sharp instruments, rather having a clean cut than a tear.
Gloves I'm afraid may give the false sense of protection and let you take needless chances and not use proper safe techniques when using knives etc...
Most cuts are results of poor attention to what your doing and poor reasoning, surely that has been the case in my own cuts/stabs, just plain stupidity.

 

[mr dazzler]

I fail to see why you need to use a leather apron if your using a draw knife .QUOTE] I understand your point of view. The apron is a preventative measure - I'm eplieptic. Usually, but not always, I know when to stop and rest. I started using a leather apron when I began having seizures - they're disorientating enough without the added effect of blood loss and shock.

Ah that put's a different complexion on things. Good for you not letting epilepsey stop your enjoyment of bush craft etc :You_Rock_ . My boy used to have seizure's but thankfully now no longer needs to take epilim for it but we still have to watch him though. The worst as happened to me was getting a smack in the rib's from a chairleg that slipped out of the horse, (several times that happened), I just rasped the jaws to get rid of the polish (and attended to the dull knife edge too!! Do you have a horse?
Bottom line is sharp edges are safe, blunt ones are unsafe. As long as no one is drunk, in altered state's of consciousness, over tired etc, and has good coommon sense, every thing should be ok. Each person will have their own sense of what is right for them.
Cheers Jonathan

 

[MitchelHicks]

I've been trying to get hold of some fingerless gloves preferably in green but black wouldn't mind anyone know any high street shops that sell them as there quite cheap and postage costs more than the gloves on www.surplusandadventure.com?

Thanks if anyone knows

 

[jojo]

I am not totally sure now, because it's a while back I saw them, but it's either B&Q or a local DIY shop that had some black fingerless gloves. If it's B&Q, you're in business, if the local, then this is no help to you

 

[Toddy]

Army surplus usually carry the fingerless gloves, sometimes they have a fold back mitten type fingers cover too.

I use properly made green leather gardening gloves when out gathering rough stuff, and if I'm using chemicals or plants that the stink clings to my skin, houtiannia (sp??) I use disposable latex gloves. I do find that my hands heal more quickly and don't develop hacks if I keep the skin moisturised. Home made cream is really good.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[BOD]

Interesting thread this.

For small knife work I do not wear gloves at all.

If I expect a heavy days work with a parang machete or thorny scrub I wear yacht'sman sailing gloves with tip of thumb and forefinger cut outs which gives me protection for thorns sharp branches yet affords dexterity for other tasks without having to take off the gloves. These gloves are leather (kangaroo I think) and fabric with kevlar stitching and are made by Ronstan, Tempest etc.

I carry a pair of heavy duty leather gardening gloves for camp work - carrying and moving stones, logs etc for protection against stings, sharp objects like rocks and general abrasion. I also sleep with them on if I am sleeping on a groundsheet so as not to get stung, bitten etc.

 

[gregorach]

I carry a pair of riggers gloves for poking around the fire with and suchlike. They're not brilliant, but they're cheap - I've got a bad habit of leaving them out in the rain. Aside from fire-related stuff, about the only time I wear them is for handling prickly plants (why is it that there's always a bramble under my hammock?). Come winter when it's cold and wet and I want to keep the feeling in my hands, I'll wear Sealskinz.

Minor nicks, grazes and abrasions are just par for the course.