Whether you’re doing woodworking, carpentry, or any other wood-related profession, you can bet that you’ll be working with sharp tools. These tools are required to cut and shape wood into its ideal form, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous. Even professionals can experience serious accidents if they don’t wear the proper equipment. That’s why having the proper protective gear is essential.
When working on anything that involves wood, it’s always good practice to use woodworking gloves. These gloves are made to be resistant to cuts and splinters, ensuring your fingers and palms stay safe throughout the day. Available in varying sizes, shapes, and patterns, we reviewed some of the leading woodworking gloves in 2023 to help keep all your fingers in check.
If you want to keep your fingers and hands safe, you’ll need a reliable pair of woodworking gloves. This buying guide will cover what you need to know about these handy gloves.
Whether you’re cutting up planks of wood, carving them into shapes, or hammering them together, working with wood can be quite a dangerous endeavor. You’re constantly working with sharp and even heavy objects that, if not used correctly, can cause injuries to yourself or others nearby. Even with careful use of tools, you may have an accident with permanent consequences.
Due to the hazards of woodworking, many professionals try to minimize such risks in any way they can. One such method is through the use of woodworking gloves — these gloves protect the hands and fingers of the wearer by covering the hands in a cut-resistant layer of fabric. The cut-resistant material ensures that even if you scrape a sharp tool with your fingers, you won’t cause any injuries to them.
Gloves don’t always fit your hand. Depending on the size of the glove, they may be too small or too large to fit your proportions, and that can be a problem. Too large and the glove will be left with plenty of empty space and too small means that you can’t put the glove on entirely. Finding the right size for your glove can be a difficult process when buying online, so you’ll largely have to rely on provided measurements or customer reviews for more detailed information.
Woodworking gloves are noticeably thicker than regular gloves and for good reason. They’re made to be cut-resistant. The thicker the glove the more cut-resistant and durable it may be, but this isn’t always a good thing. The thicker fabric also means that it’s harder to move your fingers around, and this can be a problem if you’re trying to be precise with your finger movements for a certain task.
Choosing the right thickness of woodworking gloves is tricky, as you’ll have to be mindful of your safety without compromising on your convenience and movement. If you can move your fingers reasonably well, then it should be good enough for general use. Consider using thicker gloves if precision and accuracy aren’t as important as safety.
Woodworking gloves are clearly made for woodworking and carpentry, and this is where they’ll find the most use. You can wear them throughout your working session as they’ll be quite handy in keeping your hands safe from beginning to end.
Gardening is an activity that doesn’t rely on sharp tools as much as carpentry, but it’s still good to wear nonetheless. You can keep your hands safe from your scissors or pliers and it also protects your hands from dirt and soil.
While it may seem a little excessive, cooking is a great activity for wearing woodworking gloves. Working with knives can be a scary experience, especially for people not as familiar with them, and a pair of woodworking gloves will give them the confidence to practice their form.
Washing and drying your hands is a must before wearing gloves. It’s generally good practice to wash your hands first, but drying is the important factor here. It can be difficult to wear gloves with wet hands as the moisture will make it difficult to move the fabric across your skin. Ensure that your fingers and palm are dry before slipping the gloves in.
Cleaning your gloves is also important. While they won’t be used all the time, they will still rack up dust and dirt as you use them, and at some point, they can be quite dirty. Cleaning them ensures your hands inside stay clean and that you won’t dirty whatever you get your hands on, either.
This pair of gloves is perfect for more than just woodworking. As general working gloves, Dowellife made their gloves to be useful for many different hands-on activities and professions. You can use them for gardening, working on cars and even fishing. The cut-resistant material used also means they’re quite useful in woodworking, as you can keep your fingers safe from accidents throughout the day. With three different color options and many sizes to choose from, you can pick your ideal pair without much hassle, making it our best overall pick for general use.
Cut-resistant gloves are durable enough that they can last you months or even years without breaking. But what if you lose them instead? You can’t really do much about losing a glove other than buying a new pair. Fortunately, though, Thomen’s woodworking gloves come in two pairs, not one. This set comes with gloves that offer a surprisingly snug fit on your fingers if you pick the right size. They’re ideal for woodworking, dealing with broken glass, kitchen use, and more. This product also comes with a 100% lifetime satisfaction guarantee, so you can get a full refund if you’re not satisfied.
It’s always good to have extremely tough gloves, but you don’t have to go overboard. When working indoors, for example, you won’t need gloves with incredible durability or grip — a simple cut-resistant glove will do, and if it can deliver a comfortable wearing experience, even better. This pair of woodworking gloves by Kitchen Things is the ideal pick for everyday use indoors, as the gloves are thin and comfortable to wear. You won’t feel limited in your finger movement, either, meaning you can still use tools and make precise cuts without too much trouble.
Rubber grips are either loved or hated by woodworkers and professionals. On one hand, they’re reliable, as the friction provided by the rubber guarantees the grip will be solid for the most part. On the other, they feel very awkward to hold items with, as you get an almost sticky sensation when holding an object with rubber. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re a fan of the feel, this set of rubber woodworking gloves by NoCry is perfect for a secure hold on anything you need to carry. It’s cut-resistant, too, making this pair of gloves a well-rounded pair to wear in general.
Just because a glove is cut-resistant doesn’t mean its grip is good, and a good grip is essential when you’re holding fragile items such as glass. Lanon’s woodworking gloves feature a polyurethane-coated palm that’s ideal for holding and gripping items with ease. There’s even a reinforced thumb crotch for harder and firmer grips when necessary. This glove set is all about grip, which is why it’s so good for carrying heavy and fragile objects, though its lack of any smaller sizes may be a problem if you don’t have big hands.
A: Woodworking gloves can be used for more than just woodworking and carpentry; they can also be useful for gardening, welding, and more.
A: It’s best to wear woodworking gloves whenever you’re about to use a sharp-edge tool such as a knife, saw, cutter, or similar tool.
A: If the glove gives you enough room to move your fingers around comfortably while also having little to no extra space, it’s your ideal size.
