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Getting The Job Done Right
By: Darion Robinson
Welding work is hazardous, if done without the necessary PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment), workers can get into serious trouble. Among the many troubles that one can experience if proper safety procedures aren’t followed are burns. Instead of getting the job done right, significant hours may be lost because of the accidents that one can face if these procedures aren’t followed.
Why cry over these accidents when you can properly gear up with gloves and a welding helmet? I’ve looked into the best and the toughest gloves for no-cry welding work. Now, welding work is the art of joining two metal pieces together and has four different types; Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW/MIG), Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW), Gas Tungsten Arc Gas Welding (GTAW/TIG).
Choosing one glove to rule them all is possible, however, it is much better to buy specific gloves when using Gas Tungsten Arc Gas Welding or TIG Welding and when using Gas Metal Arc Welding or MIG welding; which I shall be elaborating more on later in the article. With a variety to choose from it is important to look for gloves that are made from top grain leather, like the Tillman 875L Premium Top Grain Elk Welding Gloves (click here to view on Amazon.com).
The Tillman 875L Premium Top Grain Elk Welding Gloves is my top choice for welding work because of the kind of leather it was made from–elkskin. Top grain Elkskin leather provides absolute protection against high temperatures, flares, and any scraping, which one will need when doing welding work. Aside from the Tillman Top Grain Elk Welding Gloves, I’ve also looked into other welding gloves and have provided reviews on them in terms of quality, the comfort of use, and of course, price. Without any further ado, here are our reviews of the ten best welding gloves available
Rank
Product Image
Brand/Model
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#1
Leather experts have claimed that top grain elk has the best heat and wear-and-tear resistance among the most common leather sources and Tillman, a proven maker of gloves that are reliable for any kind of welding work.
At first look, this Tillman 875L makes it obvious why Tillman gloves are among the best in the business. Tillman 875L is ergonomically-designed and was made to be flexible with a focus on dexterity, which is very necessary when working with stick welding like the E6010. Suffice it to say, the 875L is perfect for people looking for the most dexterity with good enough protection for the back of the hand.
The Tillman 875L could improve on adding more insulation or heat protection. Stick and TIG welding both have moderate heat inputs where this pair of gloves can be ideally used. This pair of gloves can be used in MIG welding, but may likely provide with less heat protection because of the less insulation.
– Weighs about 9.8 ounces/280 grams
– For users of Tillman 850L, but are looking for a nice upgrade, the 875L has the same cuff length.
– The gloves feature an all black, top grain Elkskin and is guaranteed to stay softer longer even in long heat applications
– The gloves also have straight thumb with additional support to prevent fatigue in long work
– Cuffs are also made from Elkskin, which is soft and also provides comfort
– Unlined palm is made from cotton, and back is lined with foam as heat protection.
– Threads are exclusively Kevlar for strength and heat resistance.
#2
Our second best welding gloves is actually the highest-rated and most-reviewed pair on Amazon, the US Forge 400. The US Forge company prides itself as your complete source for welding, tools, and abrasives.
They offer products that range from electrodes to MIG Wires, to guides and catalogs, and to safety gear such as gloves. They have their own research and development team and are based in Wisconsin. US Forge has been in operation since 1979.
As most of the other reviews have mentioned, the gloves could offer much more insulation and protection from heat. Even though it said that the gloves are made from top-grain leather, which you can expect good heat protection, this aspect of the gloves could use a little more improvement.
I had to turn on the stationary unit from a separate area. There is no control on the handheld unit to turn that feature on. This was a bit disappointing. Moreover, there is no temporary shutoff function in the hand shower portion. So you need to completely shut down the water flow before lathering up between the soakings.
– Soft and pliant top-grain leather for comfort without sacrificing dexterity.
– Deluxe-lined without hurting the budget.
– Locked stitching for long-term use.
– Areas, where there is a lot of friction, are reinforced and stitched with an internal liner to provide comfort and durability over time.
– Usable even in blacksmithing and when working with wood ovens.
– Looks great in blue.
#3
NoCry has one simple mission, to not make people cry at work because of compromised safety. They aim to provide their consumers with the highest quality of work and safety gears to help you get your projects done safely. Their products range from safety goggles, cut resistant gloves, to welding mitts.
NoCry advertised this pair of gloves as both for use in welding and when barbequing. Barbequing can get as hot as 400 Celcius, while welding can get up to 1,000 Celcius. Seems like a huge difference, but, thanks to the heat-treated natural cowhide, you can rest assured that you are well protected from burns due to hot tools.
As these are advertised as heavy duty and heat-resistant gloves for cooking and welding, you can expect that they will have great insulation and would be able to handle materials of high-temperature, however, most of the reviews found that it lacked the protection that they were expecting. Aside from that, a lot of the buyers found that the sizing was a bit of an issue yet women who work with high-temperature materials found that the sizing was great and even considered this pair as “women’s gloves”.
– Made according to industrial standards, specifically, EN-388 and EN-12477.
– Made from thick cowhide that’s reliable even in long-term use.
– Stitches are made from Kevlar threads for durability.
– Does not only cover your fingers but your arms as well, up to 18 inches up your forearms!
– If you’re not satisfied with the product, you can return the product to NoCry for a refund.
#4
Steiner Industries is a known maker of excellent product offerings with a strict focus on customer service. Since they began their operation in 1975, Steiner Industries has been providing its customers their listening ears.
Meaning, they have provided customers with creative solutions that will enable them to meet their goals and further grow their businesses. This commitment is seen in every product that has been designed and produced by Steiner. After all, every pro knows Steiner.
The pair of gloves might be a little too expensive for stick welding use. The great news is that you are actually getting what you pay for. Steiner Industries have made sure that their buyers are indeed protected yet comfortable enough to work with their hands. After all, welding is a very manual task which requires a lot of dexterity. That said, Steiner Industries 21918 is guaranteed to protect its users from heat thanks to its Thermocore Foam Lining. Thermocore is made possible by layering three of the most important materials of the Steiner 21918; leather for the external, a foam to provide cushion and insulation, and finally, cotton, which makes the gloves soft to wear.
Even though Steiner 21918 already looks extra professional, there are still some points that this pair of gloves could improve on. The most important aspect of which is the leather quality. Reviewers of this product found that the mitts cannot stand high temperatures as the leather hardens over repeated exposure. Once the leather hardens, the material wears down relatively easier.
– Available arm length up to 23″ length (21923) and up to large and extra large sizes.
– Stitched and reinforced by Kevlar threads for fire-resistant durability.
– Winged thumb for a more natural movement. This feature is great for added dexterity.
#5
RAPICCA is an international provider of working gloves. The company commits to creating high-performance products that enable its buyers with a great life.
Since their establishment in 2014, RAPICCA Inc has dedicated itself to providing its shoppers with a happy shopping experience. They are able to do this by creating quality products at affordable prices.
At first look, the mitts look high-performing. It looks like it is able to withstand extremely high temperatures just as the makers are advertising. What’s extremely likable about this pair of working mitts is how it is double-layered on areas around the hands that really need insulation, the palm and the back of the palm. If you’re working with welding, RAPICCA did not forget just how important it is to insulate the backhand part of the glove. After all, this is the area that gets the most exposure to heat.
The gloves are only available in one size, for anyone with large hands, this might not feel comfortable to wear. That said, RAPICCA should offer this kind of gloves with a range of sizes. They do want to make their shoppers happy, they can start from that. Making the mitts more durable in terms of stitching the materials together is another point of improvement for this welding gloves from RAPICCA.
– Available in three color swatches: Blue and yellow, all grey, and grey and black.
– About 16 inches long from the end of the middle finger down to the forearms.
– Has soft and sweat-absorbing lining for comfortable use.
– Great for barbecue, animal handling, and working with open flames.
#6
Since its inception in 1895, Lincoln Electric has served the needs of welders all around the world. The company positions itself to be the world leader in producing the highest quality of welding, cutting and joining products.
They attribute their successes to their unwavering passion to provide their buyers with the best products to help them become more productive and successful.
The flame art was a very nice touch to a product being used in welding. You can look cool while being protected from the hot sparks. The gloves offer moderate heat protection that I can say is “good enough” for its published price. It has all the basics of a welding glove, but with a touch of flare.
Many buyers of this welding mitts have shared that the main issue with this pair of gloves is the sizing. Since it’s only offered in one size, a lot of the buyers felt uncomfortable when working with this pair. The stitching could also be reinforced more. Despite being reinforced by Kevlar thread, buyers have also noticed that the stitching broke down after about two weeks of continuous use.
– Full cotton lining with moisture absorbent cuffs.
– Seams are strengthened by additional leather and are stitched by Kevlar threads to prevent any tears and rips.
– Highly recommended for use in Stick welding (SMAW), Mig welding (GMAW), Flux-Core welding (FCAW) or other high-temperature environments.
– Made in high-quality cowhide for heat protection.
– Comes in a black and red combination
– Dimensions: 13 by 7 by 1 inch and weighs about 12 ounces.
– Available only in one size.
#7
Caiman has been in operation for more than 33 years and for this amount of time, Caiman has gathered all of the industry knowledge that they could to continuously innovate all of their products among which are safety protective gear for welders.
Caiman aims to produce safety protective gear that is revolutionary, unique, and innovative without sacrificing the function and aesthetic appeal.
Caiman aims to produce unique protective gear without giving up on the aesthetic appeal, which is clearly seen on the Caiman 1600 Goatskin Mitts. I would consider working on welding with white gloves can be pretty brave for someone who’s nit-picky when it comes to dirt. However, the use of soft goatskin on this welding mitts, is in itself, also appealing due to this type of leather’s resistance to heat and flexibility of use. For its price tag, the Caiman 1600 goatskin mitts can be considered competitive for the lower-priced gloves available in the market. Great use for beginners in welding.
Sure the producers explicitly indicated that the welding mitts only have a 4-inch cuff, but I guess this is something that could be made longer. Caiman wants to produce functional and aesthetically-pleasing protective gear, having a longer cuff for additional protection would definitely be highly appreciated.
– Made from premium goatskin. Reinforced stitching to ensure strength.
– Completely lined and ensures protection from heat for wearers
– Size variations available from Small to Extra Large.
– Quality is best
– recommended for TIG welding. Offers a lot of flexibility and good enough insulation for TIG welding.
#8
Miller started out from a one-man operation team in 1929. Since then, the company has transformed to become the biggest manufacturer of arc welding products. Miller Electric Mfg. LLC is owned by Illinois Tool Works and have designed products for users in a broad range of industries.
Industries ranging from manufacturing, to fabrication, construction, aviation, motorsports, education, agriculture, and the marine industry. Miller Electric is all about building things that matter specifically made to be result-focused and targeted to meet the crucial and most important welding health and safety needs.
This pair of Miller MIG Welding Mitts look reliable and the first impression actually lasts. Most of its reviewers have found that this pair of mitts from Miller Electric is worth the buy. Despite the price tag of about $25, a considerably higher mid-range welding gloves.For its value, users have found it flexible and trusty for use in either MIG welding, TIG, and even Stick. Stitched with Kevlar thread, you can feel at ease that you’re paying your money’s worth when you get the Miller Electric MIG Welding Gloves.
As with the other reviews of gloves, sizing is an issue for the Miller Electric Welding Mitts. A complaint which one of the buyers have commented is that even though the mitts were labeled as extra large, it was not enough to cover the entirety of his hands. For people with long fingers, this might not be the pair of gloves you should be getting.
– Weighs about 10 ounces and measures about 13 x 7.5 x 2.5 inches for Extra Large size.
– Back material is made from split cowhide, cuff from pigskin, and the palm is made from split grade of leather cowhide.
– Seams are sewn from Kevlar.
#9
When Hobart started out in 1917, the company focused on creating, trying out, and fabricating a complete line of welding and cutting products that are at par with the industrial standards. These products were made to be of high quality and easy to use, and were made sure to have the 5/3/1 industrial warranty.
Whether you’re completing projects for a living or an avid hobbyist creator, Hobart has the products that will suit your needs.
With a muted color, Hobart 770440 Premium Form Fitted Welding Gloves looks like it’s ready to take on any kind of welding jobs. It could be seen that the makers have reinforced the areas in the hand where heat is highly experienced such as the back of the palm and fingers but not covering it entirely that the gloves’ dexterity and flexibility is lost. The leathers used were definitely considered because they used both grain and split; grain for heat resistance and split for abrasion resistance, both of which are necessary when it comes to welding work.
Looking at critical reviews, most buyers found that the stitching were weak and it gave up easily especially in the fingers. It is quite unfortunate because for that price, one can expect more from the amount that they paid it for. The fit was well, but, due to long exposure to heat, some users found that the gloves shrunk and some even melted.
– Item weight is about 10.5 ounces. Extra large size measures 17x7x1.5 inches in dimension.
– Recommended use for welding using Stick and MIG.
– Made from premium grain leather and stitched with Kevlar threads for endurance.
#10
Black Stallion has been in the business of providing its consumers with “high-quality, innovation-driven, and value-added gloves” for more than 40 years. Black Stallion, as a company, focuses on its consumers needs in order to manufacture only the best welding gloves.
They are able to do so with consistent quality, which are perfect for use in the industrial, oil & gas, construction, and mining industries.
One could say that Black Stallion had their consumers’ best interest in mind just by looking at the BM88 Premium Grain Pigskin and Cowhide MIG welding gloves. Black Stallion added extra protection to the areas where a lot of wears are expected such as the sides of your pinky finger and even added a RestPatch, a patent they use for extra padding in the wrist. The Black Stallion BSX – BM88 has a snug fit and makes use of pigskin for added flexibility and cowhide for heat protection.
Too snug, is how one can describe the best-selling Black Stallion BSX-BM88 and like other gloves I have reviewed, this one is not for people with longer fingers. Sizing was the only flaw that buyers found in this best-seller from Black Stallion.
– Wide range of available sizes from Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, 2XL, and 3XL.
– Engineered for MIG Welding use due to the reinforcements made on the index and thumb made with fine grain pigskin. Secondary use is for TIG welding due to its durability and flexibility.
– Stitched with Kevlar threads that can withstand the hot sparks and better resistance against abrasion.
– Enhanced with Black Stallion exclusive patents Restpatch for added wrist support and Dragpatch which protects wearers from heat.
Metals by their composition have a very high melting point which makes them reliable materials for bridges, building framework, and a variety of other applications in different industries. In order to transform aluminium, copper, nickel, or tin to the different structures, one must apply heat to make them more malleable and workable.
Welding gloves are all made to be heat resistant due to the amount of heat that welders use in order to work on these base metals. A welder is usually faced with temperatures that range from 3,000 ℃ up to 20,000 ℃, when you’re working with these extreme temperatures, it’s best to be completely protected and geared up.
TIG or Tungsten Inert Gas welding and MIG or Metal Inert Gas welding are both arc welding process. The difference is in MIG welding, a filler in the form of an electrode material is used to bond two metal pieces together, while in TIG welding, the two bonded materials are heated in order to form the bond.
That said, TIG welding gloves are usually made of thin materials to allow enough dexterity and using TIG gloves might not be too wise since MIG welding uses higher temperature compared to TIG welding.
You might see in these products how the leather are described, they are either called Top Grain (or just grain for that matter) and split leather, and yes, there is a difference.
Before leather gets manufactured into different products, the top and the bottom layer of the hide is separated thus resulting to Top Grain or Split. Top grain only means that it is the top layer of leather and split as the bottom layer. So, if you step in the store and you are faced with choices saying “top grain”, it doesn’t mean that the leather quality is the best, it just means that it is the top layer. Top grain is usually smooth looking and is often made into bags, wallets, etc. Split leather looks more fuzzy but is a lot softer than top grain.
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