I have been using powder free non-latex gloves for years, but I’m tired of going thrugh 6+ pairs a job due to them breaking and coming apart on me. I have tried mechanix type gloves but I hate them, they restrict my movement and make it hard for me to “feel” around for blind nuts and bolts. I fit just fine in XL surgical type gloves but the XL mechanix gloves still seem tight…
So what do you guys use?? My hands keep getting grungy even with gloves because they tare in the middle of a job and I don’t feel like grabbing yet another pair…
For general use I use regular latex gloves. I buy them in boxes of 100 at the hardware store.
For tasks that might involve torn knuckles, hot manifolds, or the like, I use regular leather work gloves.
I don’t wear gloves except when doing some isolated repair such as wrestling an exhaust pipe.
My preference is for a natural feel even if the random cut or gash does occur due to lack of gloves.
Cheap leather work gloves for rotating tires and taking things apart. For putting things together I always wind up taking off the gloves so I can feel the bolts or spark plugs start.
If it involves grease or oil, I always work without gloves.
Other than working in hot exhausts or brakes wearing gloves were too restrictive so it was bare hands work. I tried “liquid gloves” but it was too much trouble. And the finger wrap tape can be helpful but is also required too much time and trouble.
I use nitrile, but I bring them home from work instead of tossing them after I use them. If I want something thicker, I use nitrile coated polyester work gloves. They are $2/pair at the big box home store.
I generally go bare knuckles :). But, for specialty work, like A/C, I use nitrile gloves, and for potentially dangerous work, like cutting metal and exhaust work, I have a pair of mechanic’s gloves I got at Harbour Freight for around $15.
I also use nitrile gloves, which I purchase in bulk at Costco–in the health & beauty section.
Nitrile is more durable than latex, and if you get them in the proper size you can actually retain enough tactile sense in your finger tips.
I rarely use gloves. I just coat my hands with GoJo a few minutes before I start a job. I’ve done this for many years and it makes cleanup after the job very easy.
Mechanix gloves, or the far cheaper alternatives from Harbor Freight for the rough stuff. Blue nitrile for the messy stuff. I need to change them A LOT because they fill up with sweat (Anybody else have this problem?) so I don’t buy anything fancy. I get the gloves from various sources. They just reduce my use of GoJo or D&L at the end of the job.
I use blue nitrile gloves from Sam’s Club. I do go through 2 or 3 pairs on a brake job, but it keeps my hands cleaner. Also provides good grip for installing new oil filters.
If the sweat really bothers you, there are thin cotton gloves you can wear inside the nitrile gloves. I don’t bother the them, and frequently wear nitrile gloves for several hours at work. Sure, I sweat plenty, but I’m just used to it.
I use the blue disposable nitrile gloves for the most part. They come in a variety of different thicknesses (strengths), so I’ll use whichever thickness seems to correspond to what I’m doing. They seem to hold up better against solvents than latex. I just toss them when done, generally I don’t re-use them. If I’m doing something where I need more toughness, like removing a starter motor, I use some gloves made for dishwashing I buy at Walgreens. I think they are $1.50 a pair or so. I can usually re-use them many times. For really tough assignments, like rotating tires, I just use leather garden gloves. But I’m thinking of getting some of those mechanix gloves a try for that.
