Just gave myself another scratch in my beaten up left hand. I was paring dovetails to fit on a longish board, blade in left hand, handle in right. My foot stumbled on something, left hand went down to save my balance, right hand followed, and I had blood all over the wood and a five stitch gash in my index finger. Lucky it wasn’t a bit deeper. And a sharp Lie-Nielsen hurts every bit as much as a blunt HF. The scariest thing about most accidents is that you can imagine something similar happening again no matter how careful you are.
Anyway, has anyone ever tried one of those chainmail gloves? They’re supposedly for carvers, but I suppose they’d do for chisel work, assuming they don’t get in the way too much. At $90 a pop I don’t feel like experimenting if someone has prior experience — though maybe every medievalist should have one.
Lucky Jim
Replies
Never used one but here's a braided stainless steel glove for $20:
http://www.chefdepot.net/bonesaw.htm
It looks like it may be more flexible than the chain-mail gloves.
Thanks -- interesting site. I notice they also carry the same (apparently) chain-mail glove that LV advertises as for carvers. I guess meat-carving isn't so different from woodcarving at that. I'm in Canada, but they seem to offer a pretty good worldwide delivery.
Jim
I haven't tried it in the shop, but I have a Normark filleting glove that's made of nylon and stainless steel. It was only about $13, and it works well against blades, although it will allow something pointy (like an awl or the tip of a narrow knife blade) to penetrate. I would guess that it's not nearly so cumbersome as a chain-mail glove.
You should be able to find one at any sporting goods store that handles fishing gear, or from various online sources.
-Steve
Thanks. My local LV has one or two other lighter options, like kevlar, but I thought I'd at least sound out the heavy-duty option. I've had a broken bone in that hand, two lacerated fingertips (those stitches through the fingernails are the stuff that dreams are made on), and now this. My wife, who was a trained nurse, is making noises about protection. And it might be handy if I should ever get into another bar brawl. I should be so lucky.
Jim
After I lacerated my hand before thanksgiving, my wife let it be known that I would be getting one of those chain mail gloves. However, we have to wait until the splint come off and the rehab is closer to finished before measuring my hand for size. Be careful with those "cordless" tools.
I feel your pain. Wish I didn't! I think my wife must have talked to yours.
Jim
I have a hauberk and coif. I never wear them in the shop.
However, I have experimented with a "cut proof" kevlar glove. I put one glove over a 2x4 and touched it to a spinning tablesaw blade. It tugged the thing into the blade and down into the saw insert. It crunched up the 2x4 badly.
Gloves are OK for carving and such- not around anything motorized tools.
Frank
Yes, agreed.
Please say that LOUDER!...The unspoken word is capital. We can invest it or we can squander it. -Mark Twain...
Be kind to your children....they will choose your nursing home.
...aim low boys, they're ridin' shetland ponies !!
"Gloves are OK for carving and such- not around anything motorized tools."
Yeah, I know. LV makes that quite clear in their catalogue. I was asking if anyone had used them with hand chisels for cutting dovetails, mortises, etc. I won't even wear a ring around machinery. I spent 5 years until I was 30 as a lineman on new construction. On one 6-man erection crew I was on I looked around and I was the only guy with all of his fingers. No more rings. I still have all my fingers, but they're a trifle weatherbeaten.
Jim
You are right. I really should take the rings off when I walk into the shop.
Frank
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