Welding Glove Protection

Leather Welding Material Breakdown

Leather is the main material used in welding gloves. Therefore, we thought it would be helpful breaking down the main components of leather. Here is your crash course lesson on leather gloves:

The Cut:

The first major component of leather gloves is the cut.  Most stick welding require split leather, where Mig/Tig gloves require a grain cut.
Here is an overview of both:

Grain

Grain leather is the smooth external side of the hide. This type of leather provides durability and dexterity.

Split

Split leather is the rougher internal side of the hide.  The three different types of split leather are side, shoulder or belly split.  Not all split leather is equally created. It all depends on where the leather derives.

  • Side Split - This part of the leather is more durable and provides the greatest protection.
  • Shoulder Split - More economical than side, but less durable.
  • Belly Split - Most economical; however, it has the least consistency of texture and appearance.

Different types of leather

Cow-Icon  Goat-Icon  Deer-Icon  Pig-Icon

Here is a quick breakdown of leather, which is the material most commonly used in welding gloves:

  • Cow-Icon 
    Cow Leather
    - Provides excellent abrasion resistance and durability
  • Goat-Icon 
    Goat
    - Independent tests have proven goat leather to be a stronger and more durable leather
  • Deer-Icon 
    Deer
    - Providing all-day comfort and great sensitivity to touch due to its softness
  • Deer-Icon 
    Elk
    - Recognized as one of the most durable and softest leathers
  • Pig-Icon 
    Pig
    - Offers the greatest durability due to the porous texture of the hide

Open flames burn the naturally occurring oils in leather as well as the chemicals used in the leather tanning process, which causes the gloves to harden and char.  The better leather used in welding gloves, the longer the welding glove will last.


Insulation

mcr-4500_Cutaway-web600

Insulated linings help protect areas exposed to high radiant energy.  All leather welding gloves provide insulation and thermal protection.
However, some leather glove styles provide more protection than others, based on the type of leather and lining.

Here are the most common linings used in welding gloves:

Heavy Leather Welding Gloves

Premium Heavy Leather Welding Gloves

Premium heavy leather welding gloves

MCR Safety's Premium welders are made from select heavy side leather.  All premium gloves are sewn with 100% DuPont Kevlar thread, welted seams and a turned leather hem to protect stitching from sparks and heat. These gloves can be used for medium to high heat welding applications with temperature ranges of 300° - 400°.

Other features of premium heavy side welding gloves:

  • A full sock lining is sewn in all fingertips
  • A generous size providing easy donning and doffing. Sometimes a welder needs to quickly remove their welding glove
  • Welted seams provides greater protection against sparks, which will normally burn traditional seams

Here are some of MCR Safety’s top premium heavy side welding gloves to consider:

mcr-4600-web600
4600

Blue Beast®, blue side leather, reinforced palm, wing thumb

mcr-4620-web600
4620

Kodiak®,  brown side leather, reinforced palm, wing thumb

Select Heavy Leather Welding Gloves

We are known across the industry as having a large selection of welding gloves options. Our select welding leather gloves are made from medium to heavyweight shoulder leather.

mcr-4500-web600
4500

Blue, foam Lined, wing thumb

mcr-4320-web600
4320

Russet, select shoulder leather, reinforced thumb, DuPont™ Kevlar® sewn

mcr-4150-web600
4150

Gray, select shoulder leather, cotton drill lining

Competitive Value Grade Heavy Welding Gloves

We know welders many times are looking for a competitive price. As we highlighted above, by manufacturing lower quality, shoulder cowhide leather, we are able to manufacturer lower cost alternatives. Here are a couple welding gloves to consider:

mcr-4501_v2-web600
4501

Blue, shoulder split leather, full sock jersey lined

mcr-4300B-web600
4300B

Russet, shoulder leather, wing thumb

Foundry Glove

When handling hot molded products or metal materials, MCR Safety’s foundry glove provides temperature protection up to 500º, depending on the application.

mcr-4750-web600
4750

High Heat, double wool lined palm, protects up to 500°F

mcr-4550-web600
4550

High Heat, red jersey foam full sock lining, protects up to 400°F

Last but not least, we carry welding gear many don’t offer. We carry smaller sizes for ladies and some XXXL sizes for those with longer fingers.

*NOTE: Left Hand (LH) only available on styles 4150, 4320, and 4600

Mig/Tig Welding Gloves

Mig and Tig welding involves lower heat, when compared to stick welding, traditionally less than 200 degrees.  When a welder is Mig welding, dexterity is not as important.  However, when Tig welding, gloves need to be tight fitting and dexterity is extremely important to the quality of weld. While Tig welding, the welder needs to have a good feel of the rod and welding gun.

MCR Safety’s Mig/Tig gloves offer greater dexterity than heavy side welding glove and help reduces a welder’s hand fatigue. These gloves are made from thinner, softer leather including cow, pig, goat, deer, and elk grain leather.

Below are some of the most popular styles we offer:

Premium Cow Grain Mig/Tig Leather Gloves

mcr-4950-web600
4950

Top Grain Cow, 4.5" split gauntlet cuff, DuPont™ Kevlar® Sewn

mcr-4921-web600
4921

Grain cowhide, double palm index & thumb, sewn with Kevlar®

Select Gloves Cow Grain Mig/Tig Leather Gloves

mcr-4952-web600
4952

Grain cow, 4.5" Split cuff, sewn with DuPont™ Kevlar®

Premium Goat Grain Mig/Tig Leather Gloves

mcr-4850-web600
4850

Grain goat leather, sewn with DuPont™ Kevlar®, 4.5" split cow cuff

mcr-4840-web600
4840

Grain goat, straight thumb, 5" split cow cuff, DuPont™ Kevlar® Sewn

mcr-4909-web600
4910

Grain goat leather, Clute pattern, 2.5" Band Top

Mig/Tig with Cut Protection

mcr-4850K-v1-web600
4850K

Grain goat, DuPont™ Kevlar® Liner, 4.5" split cow cuff

mcr-4840K-web600
4840K

Grain goat, straight thumb, 6" split cow cuff, DuPont™ Kevlar® Lined and Sewn

Mig and Tig gloves are an excellent choice for circuit board manufacturing, ornamental artwork, automotive, and light manufacturing.

XS and XXXL options

mcr-4809-web600
4800

Grain goat leather, Clute pattern with Band Top, fingerless

mcr-4909-web600
4900

Grain goat leather, Clute pattern, 2.5" Band top


Welding Glove Pointers

Welding gloves can vary significantly in cost, depending on the glove’s specific components.  A thorough analysis should be conducted to assure accurate comparison of different welding gloves and glove brands.
Here are features that affect a welding gloves’ performance and cost:

  • Leather
    - Premium vs Economy leather. Remember that grain leather will allow for better dexterity.
  • Linings
    - Jersey vs Thermosock, Full Sock vs Two Piece
  • Type of Thread
    - Kevlar® vs Polyester
  • Sizing
    - Large vs Extra-Large
  • Length
    - From Fingertip to Cuff
  • Hem
    - Fabric or Leather
  • Welting
    - Partial or Fully Welted

Latest Products that Feature Welding Safety

Mustang Utility Leather Drivers Work Gloves Grain Goatskin with Double Palm DuPont™ Kevlar®...

Mustang Utility Drivers Work Gloves Grain Goatskin with Double Palm DuPont™ Kevlar® Lined...

MCR Safety Welding Premium Top Grain Goatskin Palm Split Leather Back Sewn with DuPont™...

MCR Safety Welding Premium Top Grain Goatskin Palm, Split Leather Back 2.5 Inch Split Leather...

MCR Safety Welding Premium Gold Grain Elkskin Leather Cotton / Foam Lined Back Sewn with DuPont™...

MCR Safety Welding Pearl Gray Grain Elkskin Cotton / Foam Lined Back Sewn with DuPont™...

MCR Safety CutPro® Leather Drivers Cut Resistant Work Gloves Grain Goatskin Leather with...

MCR Safety Blue Beast Leather Welding Work Gloves Jersey Lined Select Side Split...

MCR Safety Welding Leather Welding Work Gloves Premium Select Shoulder Leather Reinforced...

MCR Safety Mustang Leather Welding Work Gloves Premium Top Grain Cowskin Leather 4.5 Inch Split...

MCR Safety Blue Beast Leather Welding Work Gloves Premium Grain Goatskin Leather 4.5 Inch Split...