If you are whittling wood, you are going to using a very sharp knife right next to your fingers. Every now and then your knife could slip and cause a minor injury, especially if you are a beginner.
Using cut resistant gloves for whittling will help protect the hand from accidental cuts in the event that your knife slips or you get your fingers too close to the blade.
Keep in mind that while these gloves can stop a slicing cut, none of them will be able to prevent all injuries like punctures.
Some people also believe that using gloves can lure you into a false sense of security or cause bad habits. Since I do this as a hobby and for fun, I would rather have the gloves on and have that extra ease of mind that I won’t hurt myself doing something that I enjoy.
I use mine primarily because I like the security of knowing I won’t be as likely to injure myself when working on a small whittling project and recommend that beginners use them.
They come in several different varieties and each have their own characteristics that you should look into before buying one. I have tried a few different gloves and rotate them out depending on the situation. Here are the ones I used and what I liked about them.
Video Review
Cut Resistant Gloves
These are going to be your most basic and cheapest type of glove for hand protection. I have some and they are my most commonly used glove for smaller whittling projects.
If you are just getting into whittling and want something extra to protect your hands with, pick up some of these gloves at the beginning. You may find that you don’t need any other type of hand protection other than this.
Most of them use Kevlar fibers and are very comfortable to wear. Make sure you look at the cut resistance rating on the gloves as well. My preference is to only use only level 5 cut resistant gloves or equivalent.
– Pros
- Very comfortable
- Cheap
- High dexterity
- Can use on either hand (no right hand or left hand gloves)
- Not too hot
– Cons
- Wood chips get stuck in the fiber
- Not puncture proof
- Start to fray or get fuzzy over time
– Where to Find Them
These gloves are widely available online and can be easily purchased for less than $8 shipped to your door.
The best prices I have found are on Amazon but you have to sift through a lot of overpriced variants. The glove that I both like and use this one on Amazon.
Cut Resistant Gloves with Non-Slip Grips
These are basically like the gloves shown above but with rubber palms or grip dots to help hold on to your project easier. I have a pair of these for work and they do a great job at helping you keep a hold of the objects in your hand
Most of these are also made of Kevlar and are quite comfortable to wear. If you use the versions with the grip dots, you will have better traction than the plain cut resistant gloves with most of the dextarity potential.
If you Use the cut resistant gloves with the entire palms and fingers covered in the soft rubber, they will be a bit stiff at the beginning and need to be broken in a little.
– Pros
- Can hold on to your wood carving better
- Comfortable
- Affordable
- (Rubberized Palm Versions) Wood chips won’t get stuck in the fibers
- (Grip Dot Versions) Finger dexterity similar to basic gloves
– Cons
- Not Puncture Proof
- (Rubberized Palm Versions) Can be a little warmer than the basic versions and grip dot verity
- (Rubberized Palm Versions) Stiff and need to be broken in some
- (Grip Dot Versions) Wood chips get stuck in the fiber
- (Grip Dot Versions) Fibers fray after extended use
- The rubber and grip dots wear out over time
– Where to Find Them
The widest selection of these gloves are on Amazon, you can find just about any color, size, and cut resistance level you will need from multiple manufactures. You can even find various patterns of non-slip grips available as well!
I personally like using the ones with the full rubber grip and keep them at work, click here to pick up a set for yourself on Amazon.
Cut Resistant Gloves with Leather Palms
My go to cut resistant gloves for larger wood carvings are the ones with a leather palm. They both provide me with a durable surface, a little more puncture protection, and are a bit more comfortable to wear over the rubberized palm versions.
These gloves may be stiff in the beginning, but after some use they become softer and more pliable. They are an extra step up from leather work gloves as they have more dexterity and breath ability to them.
– Pros
- Durable palms
- Comfortable
- Wood chips wont get stuck in the fibers
- Slightly more protection on the leather surfaces
– Cons
- More expensive
- Not puncture proof
- Needs to be broken in for more dexterity
- Can be a little warmer than the basic versions
– Where to Find Them
My favorite version is made by Revco and have a nice soft leather palm that breaks in very easily. However they can be hard to find, so you will have to see if you can find a local dealer near you that sells them: https://www.blackstallion.com/products/gloves/bm88cr-detail.html
Steel Wire Reinforced Gloves
These are very similar to the regular Kevlar reinforced cut resistant gloves at the top of the page. Instead of Kevlar, they are made with a small gauge steel wire woven in the cloth fibers creating a very tough, cut resistant glove.
These gloves are very similar to the Kevlar gloves both in fit and comfort. Plus you can find some of them with the same grip dots or rubber coated palms as well.
You can use this style of glove or the Kevlar gloves with similar results. Either way you cant go wrong. The only thing I noticed is that these are a bit stiffer than the Kevlar gloves.
– Pros
- Very comfortable
- Cheap
- Can use on either hand (no right hand or left hand gloves)
- Not too hot
– Cons
- Wood chips get stuck in the fiber
- Not puncture proof
- Start to fray or get fuzzy over time
- Slightly less dexterity than basic cut resistant gloves
– Where to Find Them
I find these everywhere, but Ebay has my pick for an affordable version shipped to my door. [sherpa id=”62282ad7″]
Metal Mesh Gloves
These are amung the most slash resistant gloves the market, If you are really worried about hurting yourself you can pick one of these up for a bit more than the other gloves. Some people use standard filet metal mesh gloves which are a bit cheaper, but there are dedicated wood working gloves that can cost well over $50 each.
When using metal mesh gloves you will be loosing some dexterity and comfort in exchange for more protection, but not so much that you can’t properly handle the wood.
The small interlinking chains or woven wires are small enough that the glove can readily form to the shape of your hand and benefit from a slightly looser fit. The ones I have used come with an adjustable wrist strap to keep the glove secure when using so there is no worry about them slipping off.
– Pros
- Highly slash resistant glove
- Very durable
- Adjustable wrist strap
- Basic versions are more affordable
– Cons
- Can get expensive (especially for dedicated wood working versions)
- Sold per glove
- Not as comfortable as cloth gloves
- Slightly less finger dexterity
– Where to Find Them
There are a few places you can fin these gloves but the most affordable place I have found that sells them is on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3xeA8aM
Another great place to look for a carving specific glove is LeeValley.com. They are quite a bit more expensive but are made for woodcarving. Personally I find that the regular glove does the job just fine.
Shop Gloves
Just about everyone has some sort of shop or work gloves at the house. These will easily get the job done in a pinch if you want a little bit of hand protection while getting started.
Ideally, you will want something that you can easily handle the sized wood you are working with. If it is a small and intricate wood carving, using the bulky gardening gloves may make it harder to hold on to the project.
These gloves are usually not rated for slash resistance and your knives can easily go through some of the basic shop gloves if you aren’t careful. Still, they are better than nothing!
– Pros
- Available everywhere tools are sold, you may already have some!
- Cheap and affordable
- Plenty of different styles to choose frome
– Cons
- Most are not rated for slash resistance
- Not puncture proof
- May not last too long
– Where to Find Them
Your local hardware store or automotive store will have the best selection of these glove and you can even try them on at the same time! I like the fit and feel of the Mechanix gloves and would start there.
Finger Guards
When simple is all you need, pick up a finger guard or two. They make these for both your thumb and fingers.
These are great for hot days, or if you just want to protect a few fingers while maintaining a high level of finger dexterity.
They also just slip right into your pocket when you are done and it makes them quite nice for whittling on the go!
– Pros
- Cheap
- Covers only the fingers you want to protect
- High level of dexterity
- Portable
– Cons
- Can be a little loose
- Not very stab resistant
- Not covering your other fingers
– Where to Find Them
The one I have pictured are the junky one size generic versions, but the G & F leather thumb and finger protectors are a bit nicer and you can find them a really good price on Amazon: https://amzn.to/37unudc
Athletic Tape
For absolute simplicity, price savings, and comfort I like using self-adhering athletic tape/bandages. I can make the thumb guard as thin or as thick as I need, and cover multiple fingers several times with one $8 roll.
These are what I personally use as I can make the right size guard I need for my fingers that wont slip off while whittling and can come off to be reused later for the next project.
They aren’t rated for cut resistance, but they will stop an accidental cut very easily and can just be replaced if worn out. Plus, you can maintain a high level of finger dexterity with these even when covering all of your fingers.
– Pros
- Super affordable
- Comfortable
- Custom make to your own size
- Lots of colors
- High dexterity
– Cons
- Not puncture resistant
- Can get dirty a bit easier than the others
– Where to Find Them
I pick mine up at my local convenience store, you don’t need anything special. For me, the store was literally down the road and I just walked over to pick up a few rolls.
Otherwise, you can pick up a roll on Amazon for pretty cheap. Click here to pick up a roll for yourself.
