# Better Gloves for Finishing



## Handtooler (Jul 24, 2012)

Harbor Freight has 5 mil Nitrile gloves 100 pr box for $7.49 and you can use the coupons. Great buy


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## jumbojack (Mar 20, 2011)

I had a bad reaction to some industrial cleaner, my fingers were a mess. Dr prescribed a steroid in a vasaline like substance and was told to wear nitrile gloves all night and whenever in the shop. The HF gloves (under $8) did the trick. I could get nearly a week with the night gloves and most of a day in the shop with a pair.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

i haven't tried the HF gloves-these K-C ones are 6 mil.


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## NormG (Mar 5, 2010)

HF Gloves are wonderful item to purchase, they really do hold up


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Are the HF ones purple? I didn't think so!


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## MHarper90 (Oct 12, 2013)

I studied medicine for a while before deciding to be a Navy Nuke. In that time I also got my EMT and almost finished my Paramedic license. I've had clinicals in several ER's and have rode on many ambulances. My favorite gloves are the KC300's, but they're actually pretty pricy. So when I worked at my last job (before the Navy) of woodworking, I wore the KC100's every time I painted, stained, spray painted, or used the HVLP, or any time I came in contact with solvents and thinners. They are so nice, hold up very well, are thick enough to be strong, but thin enough to have good dexterity and touch sensation. I don't believe I've ever torn a pair in a medical or wood shop setting. Very much worth the price (which I believe comes out to about 8 or 9 cents a glove, but they usually only come in boxes of 250).

You don't know what you're missing out on!

btw, KC stands for Kimberly Clark.


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## taoist (Jul 31, 2011)

The HF gloves I use are blue.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

I have to admit that I had never paid attention to the thickness of nitrile gloves until I picked these up. It appears that the standard fare at drug stores and the like are 3 mil. In addition, HF ( and I presume others) sell 5, 7, and 9 mil gloves-the latter used for things like hazardous substances. The purple ones in this review fall right into the middle of that spectrum at 6 mil. I find these to be comfortable and durable. Given how many gloves I use in a year (less than a box?), and that I can add these to one of our frequent Amazon orders, I'm going purple.


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

Not to knock the Kimberley Clark gloves, they really are a good product, but I should chime on on the HF glvoes, they really are a Harbor Freight gem…

I have used the purple KC gloves, as well as the Blue 5 Mil Harbor Freight gloves. The 1 extra mil doesn't buy you much, but it does buy you a little smidgeon of extra durability. I haven't found the HF glvoes to be lacking in that area though. I wouldn't trust any nitrile gloves for work with any acids, but with things like oil based stains, and I even use them in the kitchen. I put them on, wash my hands and then go to cutting the Jalapenos (jalapeno in the skin can be painful if you wipe sweat from your eyelids later…). I have never torn, snagged, or otherwise had any sort of failure from them.

However, my wife prefers the purple KC gloves because, well. Dr. Oz uses them… (Sorry, you guys can't see me rolling my eyes here…). I got a smaller box

I also previously tried 3 mil glvoes, but I think they were Latex. They were the white ones from I think Home Depot… They were NOT a good solution, too thin and they broke almost instantly when I pushed my big hands into them…

At this point I have about 1.5 boxes left, one mostly full box in the master bath linen closet with the first aid stuff, and the just around a half box in the shop of the ones from Harbor Freight… The box in the shop is labelled "Western Safety" and the box in the bathroom is labelled "Hardy" the graphics on the boxes are different, but otherwise, the size, shape, material, design etc… of the packaging, and everything about the actual product appears to be identical. It looks like they simply rebranded their prior product for marketing reasons.

http://www.harborfreight.com/5-mil-nitrile-gloves-powder-free-x-large-100-pc-68498-8413.html#.Ux8vhldU1I

The Kimberley Clark gloves are considerably higher in cost, although still not unreasonable on Amazon…
http://www.amazon.com/KCC55084-KIMBERLY-Purple-Nitrile-X-large/dp/B009A59S3G/ref=pdsimindust6?ie=UTF8&refRID=03YYJ3XY4TNEYZ8H02VV

It would be hard to go wrong either way, so the big question is, do you want to look like a guest on Dr. Oz show?


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Dave,

You ruined it!!! I was all happy with my purple gloves and now all I'm going to think about is looking like Dr. Oz!


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## Purrmaster (Sep 1, 2012)

I'll second the Harbor Freight gloves. I've gone through several boxes of the the medium duty ones and they're great. About $7.49 for a box of 100.


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## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

Even if Harbor Freight gloves were only half as good as the Amazon gloves the HF gloves would still be the cheaper in cost. If the HF store is in driving distance then they are the way to go. It is difficult to drive to Amazon. HHHMMM My wife went to the local lumber yard a couple of weeks ago. She was refinishing some cabinets. I told her to buy nitrile gloves. They should be blue I said. Well she came back with purple gloves. I guess it has been awhile since I bought any of those. No idea what she had to pay for them but the price was just right. She used them several days on that project without tearing them. Worth the price if they were $20 a pair (she only got one pair). BTW I used to use a mechanic that wore the blue nitrile gloves to assemble engines etc.


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## Purrmaster (Sep 1, 2012)

I wanted to add a little note here: I've read that nitrile is the way to go when using epoxy. They are more resistant to the resin than latex.


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

Charles, Don't worry about it, the women LOVE Dr. Oz…


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## ScottStewart (Jul 24, 2012)

I use the KC gloves all day at work and love them since they seem to have a bit of "give" to them, especially compared to the cheaper versions.


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

I'm sold on the HF gloves. I use them almost every time I break out stain or any wipe on finish. Never had one rip. I also try to find coupons on them, but they are getting rare. I believe they are 5 mil, the 100 pack for $7.49. Great glove.


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