Category: Cut Resistant Gloves

Impact Resistant Gloves

Posted on by The Glove Guru

I have seen a huge up-tick in Impact Resistant Glove sales over the last two years as more companies and users purchase these gloves. This is primarily due to the high costs associated with hand and finger injuries in heavy duty work conditions. Therefore, preventing injuries from any type of hand impact is paramount in hand protection. The hand injury statistics are out there but I prefer to address that issue in another post soon.

This would also include cut resistance which should be considered when purchasing a pair of impact resistant gloves. We feel that the combination of hand and finger impact resistance along with cut resistant to be very vital features in your selection of Impact Resistant Gloves.

The other additional and critical feature is superior grip for the obvious work-related functions.

Another important element is to make sure that an Impact Resistant Glove has double stitching on all the seams throughout the whole glove. This stitching feature is often overlooked and is important to extend the life of the gloves since they will take a fair amount of abuse. Once a seam fails, the gloves are no longer usable and become nonfunctional. However, this feature does not apply to a “seamless” constructed glove shell like the Maximum TuffMax 5 Safety Gloves and the G-Tek Polykor Impact Resistant Gloves. 

Lastly, make sure that the gloves have a reinforced thumb crotch for extra durability and extended life of the glove in an area known for high wear.

As a result, the five features that include impact resistant, cut resistance, outstanding grip, double stitching on the seams throughout the glove, and a reinforced thumb crotch were the main criteria for the models that we stock and sell.

Understanding the Impact Resistant Glove Standard – ANSI-ISEA 138-2019

It is important to note that any glove claiming impact resistance must be certified and comply with the new ANSI/ISEA 138 – 2019 Impact Resistant Glove Standard.

As I was preparing this post, I was going to detail the impact standard but since it is very technical with engineering stats and technical terminology, so I decided to discuss it in simple lay terms to keep things straightforward for the normal user. If someone wants or needs a more detailed description of the standard, I am providing a link below this paragraph that was prepared by PIP (Protective Industrial Products). It is a well done and thorough presentation with some images which was created by one of their glove product managers that covers the standard, the testing, and the markings.

Link: ANSI-ISEA 138 – 2019 Standard

In simple terms, the glove impact standard includes three levels of impact protection. They are Level 1 which is low force, Level 2 which is medium force, and level 3 which is high force.

I tested the Level 2 and 3 protective models since we wanted to only carry the better models which also provided cut resistance. Additionally, the price points between a Level 1 Impact Resistant Glove and a Level 2 & 3 Impact Resistant Glove were comparable, so we only selected the higher performing glove models. Personally, I could not feel the difference between the 2 and 3 rated gloves when testing them against a brick surface and the only difference that I could determine was a small increase in the thickness of the TPR (Thermal Plastic Rubber) which is the protective coating on the back of the fingers, the knuckles, and back of the hand.

Since it is my job to provide you with some sound advice, I would not waste my money on a Level 1 Impact Resistant Glove unless you want that particular glove for other reasons beyond impact protection.

The Impact Resistant Gloves

Finally, let me get to the point on this topic and talk about the various Impact Resistant Gloves that we feature and sell. I have previously covered a few of these gloves in a previous post about our Mining Gloves. That category is broad with many glove options but our offerings in the Impact Resistant Gloves is very narrow and limited to only impact resistant glove models due to our high criteria and selection process.

As usual, I will refrain from listing each glove in this category that we offer at GO GLOVES for brevity and repetition since you can clearly see each of the Impact Resistant Glove models on our web site with very detailed glove descriptions and images.

I will also emphasize that I also apply my personal criteria with my 3 F’s as it applies to gloves: Fit, Feel, and Function. The combination of these three vital aspects has always worked when evaluating gloves in the past. It can seem personal, but after 30 years in designing, manufacturing, and selling gloves, I think I get it.  

Presently, we narrowed our line down to the Boss and Maximum Glove models due to their high performance. Over time, we have reviewed many Impact Resistant Glove models from many of our manufacturers and concluded that the models we offer are the very best for our customers. As you may already know, we can offer every model available to us, but we don’t just wish to sell gloves, we only wish to sell the best glove models with price considerations and high performance.

I anticipate that we will continue to add more Impact Resistant Gloves to our inventory as new models are developed and introduced. If you wish for us to inform you about any new listings of new glove models, please let me know by responding to this email or the post.

Useful Links:

Impact Resistant Gloves

Mining Gloves

Cut Resistant Gloves

ANSI-ISEA 138-2019 Standard

GO GLOVES

My very best to all of you in 2022 and please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need any assistance.

Thank you for subscribing,

Joe McGarry

The Glove Guru

The Best Coated Work Glove for Men and Women

Posted on by The Glove Guru

The Best Coated Work Glove for Men and Women

In my opinion, the most versatile and best coated work gloves for both men and women are the Maxiflex Ultimate Seamless Knit Nylon/Lycra Gloves with Nitrile Coated Micro-Foam Grip 34-874 by ATG-PIP. Our Product Code: WK-C874.  

We have sold these tried-and-true coated grip work gloves for over 17 years now since 2007 when they were first introduced to the USA by the John Ward Company now named ATG.

FYI: ATG is the same manufacturer of the popular Maxiflex; Maxicut; Maxidry; and Maxichem lines of coated work gloves.

I cannot say enough about these gloves but for starters how can anyone object to a durable yet light-weight, breathable, and long-lasting work glove for “half the price” of a good pint of craft beer. I will add a sales pitch here by mentioning that we also offer the lowest pricing on these gloves due to our high purchasing power and we pass the savings onto our customers.

I will provide a brief as possible narrative about these gloves which reflects on my experiences and phone calls with these gloves over the years. It may seem a bit lengthy but then this post remains in perpetuity for years to come on the internet archives and will help save time down the road as a good reference for buyers looking for a great coated work glove. This way, you or anyone can refer to this post or share the link. It would also be inappropriate for me to include all of these features and benefits in the product description on our web site but I can link to this post to help buyers.

I will start by sharing a story about one of our customers who is the masonry and brick laying industry. The owner, who happens to be local, stopped by our facility looking for good work gloves for his brick layer employees. After a brief discussion, I went back to our warehouse and handed him a pair of these Maxiflex gloves. He immediately looked at me like I was used car salesman and said, “These are too lightweight. I need a glove that is more durable.”  I told him to test them out first and let me know what he thinks.

After a few days, he stopped by again and purchased a few cases (244 pairs) and he has since become a large repeat customer for these Maxiflex 34-874 Gloves since.

In conclusion, you do not have to be a mason to comprehend the incredible wear and tear that these gloves would endure every-day.

I should also point out that these gloves come in a Coated Palm and Finger version; a Coated Palm, Finger, and Knuckle version; a Full Hand Coated version; a Cut Resistant version; and a Hi-Visibility version. My focus here will be on the most popular Palm and Finger Coated version but most of the same attributes apply to the other models as well.  I will add links to each of the models above at the bottom of this post.

One big feature is that these coated grip gloves are sized for both Men and Women since they come in sizes XXS to XXXL.

Features and Benefits:

  • Micro-Foam Nitrile coatings are very compatible for use with light oils and petroleum’s, and they will provide a great grip in both wet and dry conditions and they have excellent abrasion resistance as exemplified by my mason users example above.
  • The knit wrist helps prevent dirt and debris from entering the glove.
  • 100% Silicone free which prevents clogged pores on your hand and prevents trapping bacteria.
  • Patented micro-foam nitrile coating offers 360° breathability which is a nice feature to have in a work glove that you need to wear all-day long.
  • These gloves are 25% thinner than most any foam coated nitrile gloves on the market. This provides you with a very high-level of dexterity.
  • The design of these gloves (all models) mimics the “hand at rest” position. This significantly reduces hand fatigue and increases the gloves comfort.
  • The micro-cup finish (like mini suction cups) allows for a controlled and optimized grip in wet and dry conditions.
  • CFIA Approved. (Canadian Food Industry Approved)
  • Complies with FDA food handling requirements 21 CFR, Part 177. These last 2 features demonstrate the safety with these gloves in all environments which has become very important these days due to inferior and risky glove imports.
  • These gloves are machine washable, too. This is a cost saving feature and I personally wash them while wearing them just like normally washing your hands.

A few application examples include General Assembly; Micro-Engineering; Automotive; Painting, Factory work; Construction; Painting; Manufacturing; Warehousing; Packaging Assembly, Delivery workers; and Horticulture.  

We offer these 34-874 Maxiflex Gloves in various options including the sizes I previously mentioned. The options include ordering by the pair; a 3 Pak, by the dozen, or by the case (144 pair). You can even mix sizing when ordering in bulk by specifying the sizing mix you would like in the special instruction box during the check out process.

Lastly, EN388 Performance:

Links to this model and the other similar models: 4131

https://www.gloves-online.com/coated-g-tek-maxiflex-i-coated-gloves

https://www.gloves-online.com/coated-g-tek-maxiflex-endurance-coated-gloves

https://www.gloves-online.com/coated-g-tek-maxiflex-endurance-full-coated-gloves

https://www.gloves-online.com/coated-g-tek-maxiflex-endurance-drivers-coated-gloves

https://www.gloves-online.com/atg-maxicut-cut-resistant-gloves

https://www.gloves-online.com/coated-maxiflex-hi-vis-coated-gloves

Thank you for subscribing and please let me know if you have any questions.

Joe McGarry

The Glove Guru

High Performance Cut Resistant Gloves (Uncoated Models)

Posted on by The Glove Guru

In this post I will discuss “Uncoated” Cut Resistant Gloves. I think it is important to distinguish uncoated cut resistant gloves from coated cut resistant gloves for several reasons. I’ll cover the differences as I discuss the features.

Although you can conclude from my previous discussions that I’m a big fan of coated cut resistant gloves, uncoated models are very appropriate for many uses and indications requiring safety cut resistant situations.

Largest demand for uncoated cut resistant gloves:

The largest demand for uncoated cut resistant gloves is in the food service industry where the need for enhanced gripping is not required. I know many of you will initially think the need for grip is needed due to the sharp knives used but this is not the case. For those of you familiar with the food industry and particularly butchers, you will always see a butcher wearing only “one” glove. These gloves are always cut resistant models. The hand usually without a glove is referred to as the knife hand which meat and poultry cutters prefer in order to maintain better control of the knives. As you can imagine, gloves can diminish the intricate control of the knife and this hand does not need any cut protection. On the other hand, the actual piece of food does not require any special gripping. This hand only requires the use of a disposable glove to protect from any cross-contamination from someone’s hand.

Uncoated Cut Resistant gloves are not limited to the food service industry by any means. They are widely popular in uses such as the fishing industry, oyster shucking, sheet metal handling, canning, and other industrial applications. Uncoated cut resistant gloves are normally easier to clean and sterilize and are not prone to breakdown due to harsh chemicals.

Uncoated Cut Resistant Gloves are ambidextrous:

Another interesting aspect of uncoated cut resistant gloves is that they are ambidextrous meaning they can be worn on either hand. This cannot be accomplished with a coated cut resistant glove due to the coating on one side or the palm side.  

This ambidextrous feature can also extend the wear life of the gloves which can also reduce costs.

ANSI Cut Level of Uncoated Gloves

You will find that uncoated cut resistant gloves come in all levels of cut resistance. To save reading time and repetition on this topic, you can find other references on this issue in other posts. Just type in ANSI Cut Level in the search area of this blog and you will find plenty of references on this issue.

Uncoated Cut Resistant Glove Fibers:

You will find the same type of fibers in both the coated cut resistant gloves as well as the uncoated models. However, you will find a few antimicrobial uncoated models that use a special blended antimicrobial fiber with the cut resistant fiber. This feature is easier to accomplish with uncoated models since coatings are difficult to be made antimicrobial and coatings can also block the antimicrobial feature of the fiber in the gloves.

Pricing:

You will not find any significant difference in prices verses the coated and uncoated models. Pricing is largely reflected by the fiber used and since both types use the same fibers, pricing will be similar. The coatings themselves are fairly inexpensive and are applied using machines.

Examples of Various Uncoated Cut Resistant Gloves:

Below are a few examples of our most popular uncoated cut resistant gloves. I am not going to bore you by listing all of these uncoated cut resistant gloves here in this post, so I think listing the most popular is a better approach. You will find a link to all of our cut resistant gloves below if needed.

Also, I will only include a few important bullet points with each example and you can review a more detailed description by clicking on the links.

Please note that the examples listed are approved for direct and indirect food handling.

Wells Lamont Whizard Stainless Steel Metal Mesh Gloves

Micro-plasma welded 4 mm rings have no gaps to trap soil that can feed bacterial growth.

  • Ambidextrous
  • Available in 3 Wrist Lengths and 7 sizes for men and women.

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Kut Gard Dyneema Antimicrobial Cut Resistant Gloves

  • Antimicrobial Fiber
  • Ambidextrous
  • 13 Gauge Seamless Thin Knit
  • ANSI Cut Level 5

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Kut Gard Dyneema/Lycra Seamless Knit Cut Resistant Gloves

  • Ambidextrous
  • Softer and more flexible 13 Gauge Seamless Thin Knit 
  • ANSI Cut Level 2

Link to Cut Resistant Gloves

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The Glove Guru – Joe McGarry

Why I generally suggest Coated Cut Resistant Gloves over uncoated versions

Posted on by The Glove Guru

As many of you may already know that I am very partial to coated cut resistant gloves. However, I wanted to substantiate my position on the matter from a technical and practical perspective.

First, I should emphasize and disclose that I also highly endorse uncoated cut resistant gloves for special uses. One ideal example would be cut resistant gloves used for safety purposes in the food services and food handling sectors. These would be uncoated gloves like the extraordinary Wells Lamont Whizard Stainless Steel Mesh Cut-Resistant Gloves and the PIP Kut Gard Seamless Knit Dyneema Cut Resistant Gloves. Therefore, I will discuss these further in another new Glove Guru Blog post.

Thinness and Cut Resistance

As I have previously discussed in other posts, Coated Cut Resistant Gloves have vastly improved in recent years. Not only have they become exceptionally thin, the level of cut resistance has become remarkably very high. These two advantages alone make an impressive case to support and recommend their use in most applications requiring safe cut resistant protection.

Gripping

The other main and very important advantage of the coated versions is the superior grip over uncoated models. Gripping is a major factor in safety gloves, especially when it includes cut resistance.

ANSI Cut Resistance Levels

Since I often refer to the ANSI level of cut resistance, for those of you not familiar with this EN388 standard, you can refer to my post which explains this standard and the newer rating symbols.

EN388 link: ANSI STANDARD

You will need to familiarize yourself with the various ratings in order to purchase cut resistant gloves for your particular application. The new ratings refer to ANSI Cut Levels A1 to A9. The most popular gloves are usually A2 to A4 (A4 being a higher cut resistance). When you are looking to purchase a new pair of cut-resistant gloves, we make it easy for you to locate a glove with the rating you prefer. Simply type in the rating number in our site search box at the top of our Home page and we will display all the gloves with that rating. It’s that easy. For example: Type in A4 in the search box and all of the ANSI Cut Level A4 gloves will display for you.

Pricing

Regarding pricing, it should be obvious to everyone that the higher the price, the higher the level of cut resistance. This is largely due to the fiber being more expensive to make or with the blend of other fibers such as stainless steel. The old axiom of “you get what you pay for” applies here, too.

Coatings

Regarding coatings, Nitrile Coated Cut Resistant Gloves are the most popular since Nitrile is a very durable latex rubber free polymer and it is also resistance to most chemicals. Polyurethane is an excellent coating like Nitrile but not as popular due to the complexities in manufacturing the PU polymer. Plus PU coatings tend to be more expensive.

I personally like polyurethanes over nitrile coatings since they are also biocompatible and just as strong and resistant to chemicals.

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Some Glove examples:

One of popular A4 models is the #WK-CC470 ATG Nitrile Coated Dyneema Maxicut Cut Resistant Gloves (19-D470).

The 470 model is very form-fitting and very durable. Most users purchase these since they have a long-life and the cut resistance is very respectable.

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Another popular A3 model is the #WK-CC3745 ATG MaxiCut Ultra, Cut Resistant Micro-Foam Nitrile Coated Gloves (44-3745)

The 3745 is another example of a nice form-fitting glove and they also comply with FDA food handling requirements 21 CFR, Part 177.

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An A3 model that we’ve sold since 2008 is the #WK-CC322 GREAT WHITE™ Dyneema®/Lycra® Polyurethane Coated Cut Resistant Gloves (19-D322)

This model has an A3 ANSI Cut Level. This glove is particularly unique since it has a Dyneema/Lycra blend with a polyurethane coating. The Lycra offers a bit more comfort in the fit and polyurethane coatings are as durable and chemical resistant as nitrile. They just aren’t as popular since the polyurethane coating is very difficult to make and manufacture.

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A popular A2 model is the #WK-CC8743 ATG Maxiflex Cut, Cut Resistant Micro-Foam Nitrile Coated Gloves (34-8743)

The 8743 is not as cut resistant as the above models but an A2 rating is fairly good for most applications and this model is less expensive. This model also complies with the FDA food handling requirements 21 CFR, Part 177.

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These are just a few examples of our coated cut-resistant models. To see our entire line of cut resistant gloves, go to this link:

Cut Resistant Gloves

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To see our entire line up of Coated Work Gloves, go to this link:

Coated Work Gloves

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Thanks for subscribing to my blog and thank you for your continued business.

Joe McGarry

The GLOVE GURU since 1989

Another new Coated Cut Resistant Glove

Posted on by The Glove Guru

As I have previously discussed, the Coated Work Glove category continues to expand for very good reasons. You can check my previous posts so I won’t belabor that issue in this particular post.

This week, we added another new glove to the coated work glove category and this one is a new Thin Cut Resistant model. The coated cut resistant line-up continues to expand for obvious reasons. Their durable, light-weight, offer high dexterity which adds to the safety aspect, and the pricing is becoming very reasonable.

See the new G-Tek Polykor X7 seamless knit with a double dip full nitrile coating and micro-surface grip. Model 16-939. Our listing WK-CC939.

G-Tek Polykor X7 Gloves 16-939

The Polykor blended shell is a proprietary cut resistant fiber that was invented by the PIP group to circumvent the more expensive branded cut resistant fibers which reduces the costs but not the cut resistant performance.

An interesting aspect to me is that the shell is an 18 gauge seamless knit which makes them even thinner than the typical 13 or 15 gauge knits. I doubt many will notice this at first, but this represents a major accomplishment when considering this model is cut resistant as well.  

They are double dipped with a full coating to maintain dry hands in any wet or oily environment.

The Nitrile coating, as most know, is one of the most durable and chemical resistant and the micro surface provides outstanding grip by acting as tiny suction cups.

The other attributes are that they are washable, and resistant to chemicals, water, and UV light.

They are ANSI Cut Level A3 with an EN388 Rating of 4X42C.

Uses include:

Finishing & Inspection, Electronics, General Duty, Small parts assembly, Construction, and Maintenance.

Coated Cut Resistant Gloves

Posted on by The Glove Guru

Coated Cut Resistant Glove with knife

Coated Cut Resistant Gloves

I’ve covered coated work gloves in the past but this post is focused specifically on coated cut-resistant gloves.

Most workers know about traditional cut-resistant gloves such as the old Kevlar thick knits used in factories or the super metal mesh gloves worn by butchers. However, the most prevalent today are the thin knit coated cut-resistant gloves that are popular since they are thin, seamless, and very flexible which adds additional elements of safety.
The uses by our customers are very diverse numerous but I’ll provide the most popular uses that are known to us. I list them since it is a good reference guide for new customers.

Uses include:

Automotive; construction; electronics; fishing industries; glass cutting; glass industry; metal stamping; parts assembly; sharp parts handling; recycling; sanitation; sheet metal handling; and waste handling.

Due to the many uses that I just mentioned, there are specific coated cut-resistant gloves designed for these particular uses. Examples include general duty construction and work gloves; liquid proof models, and even chemical resistant versions. This is why we carry 9 different coated cut-resistant gloves just for these uses. Rather than provide 9 separate links in this post, it would be much easier for you to find a model that meets your use in the following links.

Since coated cut-resistant gloves have different levels of cut resistance, you may find the following link on the new EN388 Cut Resistant Standard helpful. We show cut resistant levels in each of our glove listings.

Understanding the new Glove Cut Resistant EN 388 Standard

Posted on by The Glove Guru

Many of you who use Cut Resistant gloves will begin to see the new markings relating to the new standards on the gloves they use. They can be a bit confusing at first but they are simply more precise as to the mechanical risk.

To make them easier to understand, we have loaded a printable PDF file on our web site that you can print out. This file is compliments of the technical people at the PIP Glove Company.

Regarding the cut resistance, most gloves in the old 3, 4, and 5 ranges remain almost the same but with a new A3, A4, and A5 symbols. I mention these ranges since most of the popular cut resistant gloves fall in these ranges.

Link: New EN 388 Standard

Link: Cut Resistant Gloves

Updated EN 388 Standard for Protective Gloves

Posted on by The Glove Guru


https://www.gloves-online.com/catalog/cut-resistant-gloves
The European Standard for Protective Gloves, EN 388, was updated on November 2, 2016 and is now in the process of being ratified by each member country. Glove manufacturers selling in Europe, have two years to comply with the new EN 388 2016 standard. Regardless of this allotted adjustment period, many leading manufacturers will immediately start using revised markings on gloves. Therefore, we thought it would be wise to provide this information now to help avoid any confusion. 
The good thing is that the new markings will include the old markings with the added two new testing results added at the end for the new TDM-100 Cut test and the new Impact Protection test. 
Unless someone can convince me otherwise, I have found that the old EN 388 standard and markings provided an excellent guide for our customers in the USA.  However, for the sake of proper technical information I have provided both markings as a guide. 
As far as impact protection (the last letter), it is a simple P for Passed; F for Failed; or X for Not Tested. 

Glove Guru Blog is rich in glove content

Posted on by The Glove Guru


Looking back to 2008 when I started the glove guru blog I didn’t realize the real value that it brings today to our customers old and new. Unlike a collection of news stories and magazine articles posted on our website (which we have), the glove blog brings a wealth of glove information all in one place and remains a permanent archive of old and new posts. It also contains links to external glove information. 
Most people overlook the value of a good blog until they are searching for answer to a question about glove not easily found. It may not seem like a high number but about 30 people a day search our glove blog looking for specific information. My bet is that if you were one of those 30 people and you found what you were looking for, you were very happy you found the blog. 
The blog contains title tags in a right hand navigation bar which can lead you directly to a specific category post or you can use the search bar for other specific glove content. In all, it remains a gold mine of good glove content. 
Examples of popular posts are:
Obviously, not all of the posts are technical or data rich since we do share some fun glove stuff and even some celebrity glove information. 
As a footnote, if you have a glove question and you cannot find an answer on the glove blog, please let us know. Most of the content is usually the result of phone calls from our customers so you will be helping others if you let us  know.