[TheForge] gloves--shmoves

[Ries Niemi]

Everybody has their own opinions and beliefs about this one, and it is 
a sure fire argument starter.
I repeat, I have worn TWO gloves every day in the shop for over 25 
years. Never had a serious burn, never had stitches, never had the 
gloves caught in a machine and pull my hand in. And I work with all 
kinds of big power tools all the time. Big rolls, angle rolls, power 
hammers, bandsaws, cold saws, ironworkers, and treadle hammers, to name 
a few.
I have had countless times where the glove, instead of my hand, got 
burned, wire brushed, nicked by a bandsaw blade, pinched between two 
pieces of steel, and poked with red hot mig wires.
I have always felt safer with gloves on.
I forge with gloves on all the time, and, while I aint no Samuel 
Yellin, my hammer control is just fine.
However, I am ME, and you are YOU.
Nobody says you have to do anything MY way.

I have a friend who always mig welds in shorts and flip flops. I know 
other people who insist on welding without a helmet. I have seen very 
accomplished smiths hand hold a chisel under a 200lb power hammer.
I dont do any of those things, but I wouldnt tell them not to.
I myself almost never wear big clunky steel toed boots. I do almost all 
my shop work in rubber birkenstock clogs. And I have never injured my 
foot. So I am just as weird and idiosyncratic as anyone else.
We all just do what we feel comfortable with, and what works for us.

The only exception is, when I am paying someone to work for me, I tell 
them to wear safety gear, such as gloves, earplugs, face shields, and 
respirators. That is because I am responsible for their safety when I 
am paying them. On their own time, they can weld naked and hold steel 
in their teeth while they grind it, but on my dime they gotta play it 
safe.

ries