Carving Gloves - Kevlar or Spectra?

After being relatively lucky getting only minor cuts over several decades while carving I have decided to purchase the protective gloves I have seen used on some of the woodworking TV shows. Someone I know narrowly escaped needing tendon repair after a cut. Fortunately he only needed skin sutures but it showed how easily serious injury could occur.

I was intending to buy Kevlar gloves but after looking online I see that there are also gloves sold made with Spectra. I need advice as to pros and cons of each material (dexterity, slipperiness, etc). The Spectra ones seem to cost more but that IMO is not a negative if they are superior.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Scott

I was able to find the answer to my question after a more thorough web search. These gloves are common in the food industry and have a level rating from 1 to 5, with 5 being the most cut resistant. Apparently Spectra is the lowest, Kevlar next, followed by something called Dyneema fiber and finally metal mesh for the highest protection.

I'm going to do more research before buying but I'll probably be buying at least a level 3 glove, possibly higher if it doesn't give up too much in dexterity.

Long time ago I did a job at DSM, the inventor of dyneema
They were still finding aplication for the material
One was a dyneema fiber butcher glove with a coarse flexible wire mesh woven in
I do not know if those are commercialy available now

Dyneema is really hard to cut
We used a soldering iron sometimes
Peter

scottl, I've got a brand new stainless steel metal mesh glove,[Whiting&Davis] #A515M D .
Name on the bag is Sperian Protection USA,INC.Smithfield RI. 02917.
Glove is ambi-whatever. turn it inside out to fit your other foot.
Amazon wants $91.00 +4 shipping.
You can have this one for postage,
I stuck it on my left hand, And you really know It's there! I sure wouldn't want to do any fine detail
work wearing it, And I noticed your fingernails catch inside when you close your fist
If you google it, there's a pretty good picture.consider it your belated Christmas gift from bah humbug dave [acme thread] PM me your address

Scottl said:

I was able to find the answer to my question after a more thorough web search. These gloves are common in the food industry and have a level rating from 1 to 5, with 5 being the most cut resistant. Apparently Spectra is the lowest, Kevlar next, followed by something called Dyneema fiber and finally metal mesh for the highest protection.

I'm going to do more research before buying but I'll probably be buying at least a level 3 glove, possibly higher if it doesn't give up too much in dexterity.

Click to expand...

Spectral is a brand name of Dyneema, fish processing plants use gloves that have ss wire in the yarn.

It sounds like they would be handy for 'Swarf Mining'.

seiner said:

Spectral is a brand name of Dyneema, fish processing plants use gloves that have ss wire in the yarn.

Click to expand...

Other way around but yes they are one in the same.

acme thread said:

scottl, I've got a brand new stainless steel metal mesh glove,[Whiting&Davis] #A515M D .
Name on the bag is Sperian Protection USA,INC.Smithfield RI. 02917.
Glove is ambi-whatever. turn it inside out to fit your other foot.
Amazon wants $91.00 +4 shipping.
You can have this one for postage,
I stuck it on my left hand, And you really know It's there! I sure wouldn't want to do any fine detail
work wearing it, And I noticed your fingernails catch inside when you close your fist
If you google it, there's a pretty good picture.consider it your belated Christmas gift from bah humbug dave [acme thread] PM me your address

Click to expand...

Thanks for your generous offer, but I've already decided to go with fiber, possibly SS thread wrapped due to the enhanced grip and feel. I am researching several possibilities and may buy more than one type. Last summer I sliced my thumb on a chisel while shaving something down on an outside repair. I was pulling back my left hand after feeling to see if the patch was flush yet and must have gotten careless with the position of the chisel as I sliced the thumb on the way by. The cut was clean and minor and was sealed up the next day after applying antibiotic ointment and an adhesive bandage. It proved how easily serious injury could occur as I keep my tools stropped to a razor edge and the slightest contact can slice skin.

I bought 2 different brands from Amazon and both offer high level (4-5) protection. They do seem a little more slippery than Kevlar but perhaps a bit of fabric tape strategically placed will help that. I do not wish to coat them with anything as solvents might weaken the fibers.

Thanks for all replies.