If you want to use welding gloves (also called welders’ gloves), you should be familiar with different types of welding gloves in the market, such as leather welding gloves, Hobart welding gloves and latex welding gloves.

For welding glove suppliers, it is beneficial to understand customers’ requirements. Education and training about various welding processes is necessary to acquire this knowledge. Additionally, a welding gloves provider should keep track of technical developments and new manufacturing technologies related to the industry.

Some important steps that you can follow while searching for resources on welding gloves education and training are:

1. Read through basic information about welding gloves
2. Search for welding gloves selection guides
3. Subscribe to magazines that provide welding gloves education and training articles

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Read through basic information about welding gloves

Welding gloves manufacturers offer various types of welding gloves, such as chemical resistant welding gloves and heat resistant welding gloves. Education and training about the types of and materials for welding gloves is important before you buy a pair. Websites of manufacturers and the B2B (business-to-business) marketplace provide basic information about the different types of welding gloves, their materials and applications.

I recommend: Welding Machines and Equipment, a B2B marketplace for welding equipment and accessories, provides information on welding gloves, including their types, materials and applications. WorkSafely is another resource that provides information about welding gloves and their different mateials. If you want to use Kevlar welding gloves, you can read through information by DuPont, the developer of Kevlar material.

Search for technical articles that can help you select an appropriate pair of welding gloves

In order to protect your hands, the selection of welding gloves is an important task. You can refer to online resources that can help you with this task.

I recommend: Read about welding gloves education and training information at American Welding Society. OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) publishes a selection guide for personal protection equipment, including gloves. EHS Today is another information resource that provides guidelines for the selection of hand protection devices, including welders’ gloves.

Subscribe to magazines that provide information on welding accessories, including welding gloves

For a supplier of welding gloves, education and training on new materials and manufacturing technologies is very important to stay ahead of your competition.

I recommend: Welding Magazine provides updates on welding equipment, accessories and safety regulations for different welding processes. Occupational Health & Safety offers information about safety measures for different processes, including welding. Additionally, you can subscribe to an e-newsletter by WelderSource.com, a distributor of welding supplies.

Welding gloves are a necessary accessory for every welder. Without them, their hands would be exposed to burning temperatures, sparks, molten metal and strong electrical currents. With them, however, they not only enjoy protection from these elements, but they also have greater control over their welding, due to the gloves' textured palms, ergonomic stitching and flexible materials.

When choosing your first pair of welding gloves, it's helpful to try some on before making the purchase. Once you know your size and preferred style, you can look for a pair of gloves that satisfies your specific welding needs. The following facts are helpful to remember when shopping for gloves, especially if you're unsure of which style to purchase:

1. Welding gloves are made from a variety of materials with varying degrees of strength, durability and heat-resistance.

2. Welding gloves have different shapes and features that affect their fit and flexibility.

3. TIG welding and other forms of arc gas welding require special gloves.

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Choose welding gloves that are both supple and durable

Welding gloves are made from many different materials, but the most popular by far is leather. Its abrasion resistance, durability and insulation make it an ideal material for welding aprons and gloves. For the best touch and dexterity, try goatskin or sheepskin gloves. For better breathability, consider pigskin. Because it's so soft to the touch, deerskin offers incredible comfort, as well.

I recommend: Airgas stocks welding gloves made from traditional split cowhide leather, as well as other materials for your retail store or distribution center. If you're interested in trying a different leather for increased touch and feel, check out the gloves from the Hanna Rubber Company.

Pick welding gloves that match your gear and the shape of your hands

Beyond the basic protective ability of a glove's main material, there are a few other factors that affect its fit and appropriateness for your work. One feature a good glove should have is a gauntlet. This piece of material covers your wrist and insulates your forearm against heat and sparks. Besides a protective gauntlet, other features you should consider are a reinforced thumb, foam lining, double stitching and Kevlar reinforcements.

I recommend: Both United Glove and MSC Industrial Supply carry a large line of welding gloves in different sizes and styles and both offer bulk or wholesale pricing. Of particular note is MSC's Natural Thumb line of gloves, which features a thumb piece that attaches to the glove at a 45-degree angle, allowing you more flexibility while welding. Their catalog is also a good source of generic welding gloves information.

Find welding gloves designed specifically for your kind of welding

Although general, all-purpose welding gloves work for a variety of standard applications, you'll need different gloves for TIG, MIG or MAG welding. The electrical currents and unique materials used in these processes demand a different level of protection for your hands, which you can find in specially designed gloves.

I recommend: Superior Glove is a welding gloves provider that boasts an excellent selection of TIG welding gloves made from leather and other synthetic materials. Carolina Glove and Safety also makes an inexpensive goatskin TIG welder, as well as a grain cowhide MIG welder, and offer quantity discounts. If you're looking for a very specific kind of glove, consider using a welding gloves list or a welding gloves directory like PowerSourcing to find a manufacturer who makes it.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Ask other welders what materials and styles of welding gloves they prefer. A seasoned welder's years of experience will tell him which designs work and which ones don't.

A welding glove (also known as a welder's glove) is an important piece of apparel that provides protection against welding sparks, flames and heat generated during the welding operation. These gloves are increasingly used, as regulations for the safety of welding personnel are become stricter.

While interacting with the suppliers of working gloves, you will come across various technical terms that indicate types, standards and materials for these gloves. This guide will explain the technical terms related to welding gloves, such as PPE, OSHA guidelines, CE certification and welting.

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PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

In the field of industrial safety, PPE includes the clothing accessories that protect operators from potential hazards in the work area. Different personal protective equipment available in the market include helmets, goggles, gloves and shields.

I recommend: To learn more about personal protective equipment, read through information at Interactive Learning Paradigms Incorporated (ILPI).

OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) guidelines

OSHA is a non-profit organization that develops and publishes standards for the safety of industrial personnel. While selecting welding gloves, you can refer to the guideline for PPE selection.

I recommend: Occupational Safety & Health Administration provides description about its standard 29 CFR, which provides guidelines about selection of various PPE, including helmets and gloves.

DIN EN 420

Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V. is a German standardization organization that develops and publishes standards for industrial products. DIN EN 420 is the standard for different protection gloves, such as cut-resistant gloves and welding gloves. This standard assures the design, construction and efficiency of protection gloves.

I recommend: To understand the scope of this standard, read through information at Ansell Occupational Healthcare.

CE certification

While interacting with welding glove suppliers, you will come across this term frequently. The CE certification or CE mark is mandatory for all products in the European Economic Area. The CE mark assures mechanical properties of welding gloves.

I recommend: Occupational Health & Safety is a magazine that provides importance of CE certification for different working gloves, such as welding gloves and cut resistant gloves.

Aluminized gloves

As the name indicates, these gloves have aluminum fabric or pads that provide insulation from the heat generated during welding or melting of the metal.

I recommend: The Advanced Photon Source (APS) provides a brief description about various working gloves, including aluminized gloves.

Kevlar gloves

Kevlar is a material that has excellent strength to weight ratio. Many working gloves manufacturers use Kevlar for producing welding gloves.

I recommend: To learn more about Kevlar and its advantages, read through information at WorkSafely, a knowledge resource in the field of industrial safety.

Welting

Before buying a welding glove, you must be aware of the general construction of a working glove. Welting is the piece of leather sewn into a seam toward the outside of the glove. This part protects the glove seams from wear and tear.

I recommend: For more information about welting and other constructional details of welding gloves, read through information at Airgas.