Grinding gloves

S.Alexander

S.Alexander

Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
2,614
I'm curious as to what type of gloves (if any) you guys use while grinding?

I personally like to use gloves during grinding before heat treat. This allows me to bear down and really hog material off. I've tried without gloves while using a push stick, but I prefer the tactile sensation of using my hands.

I've tried general work gloves, but they are a bit bulky and I ended up grinding parts of the fingers off. Gardening gloves worked ok for a while. I liked how thin they were, but the rubber fingers didn't work well for long o_O... A bit melty.

Post heat treat I don't use gloves, so I can feel the amount of heat in the blade and cool it down in water.

What do you guys use?
 
I wear leather gloves for the pre-heat treatment grinding. Without the gloves I was afraid to grind for fear of getting burned so I would rush and do a lousy job. It doesn't help that I use a Sears 2 X 42 going a thousand miles per hour. It has made a BIG difference for me. I try not to use the grinder after heat treatment, and it sounds like a good idea to do it bare handed if one needs to grind post heat treatment.

- Paul Meske, Chippewa Falls, Wi
 
cowhide leather gloves that fit well (not the lose type)
I hold the tang in my hand and support the spine with a paint stirring stick in my other hand
 
I use the gray knit metal handling gloves. I buy them by the gross. I get a size the fits snug, so I have good control and no extra at the fingertips. When they get holes in the fingertips, I switch them to the other hand and get a little more out of them. They cost about $.50 a pair.
 
Pre heat treat rough grinding I've been using those rubber dipped cotton gardening gloves for the last while. They're cheap, and I don't grind through the fingers any faster than I grind through welding gloves.
After about a 60 grit I switch to just my hands and keep it cool. I find I have better control that way. I've tried push sticks, and for me it's just a good way to ruin lots of blades quickly and without burning myself.
Taping up fingers with vet wrap works well too. Although I have had it catch fire on me before.

After heat treat grinding is no gloves.
On the buffer I use the cheap white knit cotton gloves. The sort sold at hardware stores for $7 for 12 pairs. I'll only use gloves on a buffer with the wheel between flanges though. I snagged a glove on a spiral point on the big Baldor about 2.5 years ago, and nearly lost my left index finger.
 
i use leather gloves, but soon they burn through. i put a few strips of masking tape over the burn hole when i change belts :D i cannot seem to hold the blade steady from its ends, the rocking/tipping motion gets more pronounced so my fingers are usually supporting near the shower of sparks. i have seen these things called rhinoskins, they are tips to cover your fingers while grinding, but i am not sure how fast they burn through. does kevlar burn through ? there must be some material out there that would work well... DSC_0126 by john april, on Flickr
 
I too use the cotton gloves dipped in plastic/rubber. This is for pre ht grinding. For profiling I'll use leather gloves sometimes. Post ht I use athletic tape on both index fingers and each thumb.

I have used Laurence's Rhinoskins and like them very much. I work in large batches and might be grinding 20 to 60 knives at a time. They were expensive for that cause I would chew them up. However if I worked on one blade or a small group of say five or so, I really wouldn't consider anything else. They work very well. Couldn't recommend them highly enough.
 
When hollow grinding I support the blade with my index finger like John mentioned and burn holes through the same way. My resolution was to cut the unburned fingers off of a couple pair and slide them over the index finger to have a double layer with a dab of ca glue holding it on. When it burns through I rotate it and reglue or put a different finger over it.

I don't wear any when flat grinding because for whatever reason though I hold the blade the same way the sparks don't hit my finger.

I tried making a little copper shield from shim stock and it works, but was too rigid and I couldn't feel what I wanted to.
 
Geoff Flato said:
Pre heat treat rough grinding I've been using those rubber dipped cotton gardening gloves for the last while. They're cheap, and I don't grind through the fingers any faster than I grind through welding gloves.
After about a 60 grit I switch to just my hands and keep it cool. I find I have better control that way. I've tried push sticks, and for me it's just a good way to ruin lots of blades quickly and without burning myself.
Taping up fingers with vet wrap works well too. Although I have had it catch fire on me before.

After heat treat grinding is no gloves.
On the buffer I use the cheap white knit cotton gloves. The sort sold at hardware stores for $7 for 12 pairs. I'll only use gloves on a buffer with the wheel between flanges though. I snagged a glove on a spiral point on the big Baldor about 2.5 years ago, and nearly lost my left index finger.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the replies guys. I guess I'm not the only one with this problem.

Geoff, do you find that the gardening gloves start to melt after using them for a while?
 
john april said:
i use leather gloves, but soon they burn through. i put a few strips of masking tape over the burn hole when i change belts :D i cannot seem to hold the blade steady from its ends, the rocking/tipping motion gets more pronounced so my fingers are usually supporting near the shower of sparks. i have seen these things called rhinoskins, they are tips to cover your fingers while grinding, but i am not sure how fast they burn through. does kevlar burn through ? there must be some material out there that would work well...
Click to expand...

Nomex? Air force pilots gloves maybe?
 
I have a pair of those somewhere I wanted to try but I can't find them and don't want to buy another pair as I remember thinking they were useless for nearly everything I wore gloves for previously.
 
I'm surprised everyone wears gloves. In my shop No gloves around my grinder, buffer, wire wheel, drill press, mill and other tools that could grab said gloves and remove some digits. In the shops that I have work at gloves where a big no no. Be safe guys
 
I don't see a danger at the grinder. At the drill, mill, wire wheel or lathe sure.

More often than not I don't wear them because they aren't helpful. Some shops I've been in require them o_O Nothing like fighting with a micrometer and telescoping gage with those stupid* latex dipped gloves.

*I hate them if they work for you, they're not stupid.
 
I'm with you, JT. No way I'm coming anywhere near these things with gloves on.
 
Sounds like a test is in order, a la the "throw the clothed mannequin at the pto shaft" test.

Anyone know where I can get a dummy hand on a stick? :D
 
gloves-you-mean-bitch-mittens.jpg
 
No gloves for me,

I will use these if it gets to hot

201395.jpg
 
I haven't found them to melt the rubber off. I'll generally grind through them instead. I use the grey colored "winter" ones if that makes any difference. Slightly thicker.

I was strongly against gloves until recently, due to nearly loosing a finger as a result of them. But I always tend to lightly drag my index finger on the wheel when grinding, and I have so little feeling in my fingers that I'd usually grind a fair bit off before noticing. Its probably due to damaging the nerves in that one finger. I finally gave in and started wearing them a month or so ago. On a contact wheel (or even Platten) without a work rest I can't imagine any way of getting them caught. I only use a work rest for profiling (with a push stick) so it's a non issue for me.
On a work rest I'd probably be a bit hesitant.

Lathe, mill, drill press, forget it. Not a chance.
Between my finger and seeing a wood lathe scalp someone in highschool, I know just how ugly that can be
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top