Welding is a type of job that requires you to be surrounded by extreme levels of heat, ultraviolet rays, electricity, and infrared radiation. That is why protection needs to be the topmost priority when you decide to carry out a project with welding machines.
When it comes to protective gear, the gloves come first. That begs the question of are welding gloves heat resistant. Also, can they actually protect your hands from other elements?
Well, we did experiment with these a lot. And we have learned a lot of amazing things from those. We will discuss it all in this article. So, if you want to feed your curious mind properly, go through the entire article!
Are Welding Gloves Heat Resistant?
Yes, welding gloves can surely withstand high temperatures. But they can only withstand that amount of temperature for a short amount of time. To be exact, the gloves can withstand 2000 degrees Fahrenheit for a reasonably short period.
When we talk about more extended periods, these can only handle 600 degrees Fahrenheit. But the thing is, the heat resistance trait is something that will highly depend on the construction material. Most welders do not understand this criterion and usually end up with serious injuries.
According to the report published by the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2014, 14120 workers received severe thermal burns. All of them required time away from work just to recover from the burn. These injuries occurred because the workers used incorrect protective gear.
How Do Welding Gloves Protect You?
Both the internal and external material will come into play when it comes to offering protection. However, the outer material plays the most vital role in this case. Nonetheless, the material will absorb most of the heat and not let it get inside in terms of heat.
On the other hand, the outer material will not conduct electricity when it comes to shocks. As a result, even if you come in contact with electrical flowing material while welding, you will not feel any electrical shocks.
Finally, most of the gloves are impact-resistant. That makes them cut-proof and resistant to pointy objects. This trait will come in handy if you work with a lot of sharp tools in your workspace.
Types of Outer Materials of Welding Gloves
As you can tell, the construction material is all that it counts when it comes to heat resistivity and other protections. So, without further ado, let us give you an idea regarding the different types of materials that these welding gloves will usually utilize, shall we?
Leather
The most popular outer material for welding gloves is leather. And there are different types of leather available. Each one has a unique property. Here is a short description of each:
Kevlar
Just like leather, Kevlar is pretty popular. It is a type of synthetic fiber and has higher heat resistance. However, that is not the only thing this particular material offers; it can also resist cuts exceptionally well.
Furthermore, these will not melt that quickly. So, even if you mistakenly keep these gloves near a heat source, you will not have to worry about them getting damaged. Basically, you can expect these to last for an extended amount of time.
On that note, Kevlar is one of the most robust materials available. If there is enough amount of it, the material can stop a bullet. But that does not mean that the material is stiff. In fact, you will find that the material is exceptionally flexible and light in weight.
Terry Knit
Dexterity is one of the factors that you would require while working with different types of projects. However, it does not excel that much in terms of heat resistance. Nonetheless, this material can withstand up to 250 degrees Fahrenheit, which is not that small in scale.
The lower heat resistance is filled by higher insulation. In other words, the inside will remain adequately insulated. Usually, you will find insulated loops on these options. For that reason, the gloves achieve a breathable nature, which will let you work in a hot environment for an extended amount of time.
Other Materials Used for Welding Gloves
Apart from the materials we have mentioned above, the manufacturers will use plenty of other materials. Wondering what materials are we actually talking about? They are as follows:
Interior Fabrics of Welding Gloves
Some of the gloves will utilize the same material for both the exterior and interior of gloves. However, in some cases, the interior will have a combination of these materials:
Final Words
To wrap things up, the answer to — are welding gloves heat resistant — would be a yes. But as you know by now, the material is all that is going to count when it comes to the level of heat resistivity. So, consider both the internal and external material before you make a purchase. Also, I will suggest you to get welding sleeves too!
