[TheForge] gloves

[Jason Nass]

I think the important thing with wearing gloves is that if you do, you don't
fall into the false sense of security they offer... I use one on my offhand
sometimes when whatever I am working with is just a tad too hot to hold
barehanded, or if I have to have my hand close to the fire... but I am also
very aware of the possible need to ditch the glove in a hurry if it is
getting too hot. Perhaps I'll buy a pair offa Ralph next time I am down at
his shop.

Jason Nass - MacTalis Ironworks
me at wargoth.com

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of xlch58 at swbell.net
Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2011 4:52 PM
To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] gloves

On 3/31/2011 12:40 PM, David Childress wrote:
> Most smiths I know use
> just one glove on their off hand.  The glove just lets them know that 
> they are about to be burned before they are cooked, it is kind of like 
> a fuse.  The glove may be trash but it saves on the burn cream.
>
I wear gloves on occasion, leather.   They let me take a little more 
heat when doing chisel work or when holding a shorter iron.  The reason that
I don't put gloves on students is that they have the wrong instincts and are
often too absorbed in a single aspect of what they are 
doing and not paying attention to where all their body parts are.   I 
teach them to hover their hand over any piece of steel in the smithy before
picking it up.  If it is black heat you will generally sense it.  
Even if you don't, then your reflexes will generally work as designed 
and remove your body part before serious damage is done.   If they are 
wearing a glove they can't get their hand out fast enough to prevent 
more serious burns.   Leather has a thousandth of the heat conductivity 
of aluminum, but its heat capacity is about the same, so once it makes it
through the layers of leather, it is hot hot hot and even after you drop the
iron, the heat will continue to build on the inside face of the glove as it
migrates from heat saturated outer layer while you dance around trying to
remove it.

Charles
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