Do you wear gloves while digging

[NLINE SIXX]

I ask this question because I was out MD Friday at some rental property my mom owns. I found quite bit of clad coins while there, at one point I was there on my knees digging and one of the neighbors dogs (Boston Terrier) came over to check out what I was digging. Of course I continued digging and the dog wanted some attention so I was petting him and talking to him and continued digging when all of a sudden I was stung or bit by "fire ants" . They are a problem here in the South and are painful. Also at another MD outing I was digging and as I was about to reach in the hole a centipede crawled across the bottom of the hole. They also have a pretty good sting to them also.

So I had noticed at my work place there are several of our mechanics in the shop area that wear these blue colored I guess mechanics gloves. They are similar to surgical gloves but look like there a lot tougher. I may have to purchase some of those.

NL6

 

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[SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS]

N Six

only in the winter when very cold, otherwise I hunt naked,

my hands.

Want to be able to feel anything, love playing in the dirt.

Also gloves give me a problem with the pads on my machine.

have a good un....

 

[Mona Lisa]

Hey, Sixx. I always wear gloves. I wear rubber-coated knit gloves all year long. They keep my hand dry, clean, and safe from cuts. They're great in the winter with a thin liner worn underneath. Here's a picture of what they look like. Oh yea, sometimes I'll just wear a glove on my left hand, cuz that's the hand that gets dirty. My digger is in my other hand.

 

[Leon]

I always wear gloves too, these days. When I first started detecting I couldn't stand to have them on. Now, I can't stand not to. The gloves I wear are some that my cousin give to me. They are called, "Hi Flex", and are made by, "Ansell". These gloves fit very tightly on the fingers and it's is almost like not having them on. In the winter, when it's cold, I throw on a pair of Brown Jersee's to help beat the cold...

P.S.> As you tell by the pic, it's about time to get a new pair. I've had these since last spring, and have only gone through two pair in my year and (8) months of detecting. I'll usually wait until they have a hole in them before tossing them out...

 

[jeff of pa]

I Never wore gloves till I did a Drained Lake.

The mud was Very Sticky (Without Exaggeration, like digging in Peanut Butter) & Possably Contaminated by Field runoff,
& my fingers got so raw, from using them to dig, I couldn't pick up a coin off a hard flat surface.
At that point I started wearing Surgical Gloves for that place.
HOWEVER, I Don't wear them anywhere else.

 

[NCHermit]

I wear wetsuit gloves when detecting in cold water.I sometimes use those blue latex mechanics gloves when on land.They work well,you can still feel small objects.The draw back to them are they can get rather hot after a while.

 

[slow sweeper]

When it's cold I sometimes wear the fingerless wool gloves. But just got me a pair like haupin talked about. Haven't used them for detecting yet though. I've cut myself a few times on sharp pieces of aluminum and broken glass. When I lived in Everett WA. I discovered quite a few hypodermic needles in the lawn of the duplex I was renting. Not so sure that anything but the toughest gloves would help in that situation but I'm leaning in the direction of wearing gloves from now on.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

I started wearing Wells Lamont nitrile coated gloves. Where I hunt in a park I have dug needles, razor blades, can slaw, any number of sharp items.

http://www.wellslamont.com/styledetail.tpl?style=133

Also pretty nice for early season digging. Keeps your hands warm (and clean). For you fly-tyers, it means your rough finger pads no longer cut the silk when tying dry flies.

Also, last year the park was closed because the river flooded it with effluent from the nearby sewage treatment plant, and there was an E.coli hazard that closed the park for a month. Ewwwww.

 

[The Beep Goes On]

I think gloves are a must. Sharp objects, bacteria, etc. can ruin your day. I've got one set for the beach (neoprene) and one for land (leather/fabric)...

HH!
TBGO

 

[NLINE SIXX]

Wow! you guys have raised some interesting points to consider while digging,razor blades,hypo needles,ecoli,etc. I was out this afternoon MD and got a strong signal close to a barn as I put my very small digging shovel in the ground I disturbed a "fire ant" bed. Thousands of them came out mad as heck so I left well enough alone for the time being, but do remember the spot for another day.

The blue mechanics gloves do seem they would work since they fit snug on the hands and look tougher than surgical gloves, but as someone mentioned would get awful sweaty. I know surgical gloves do on me when I've worked with fiberglass before.

Thanks everyone for the pics of the different kinds to consider.

NL6

 

[Rich in Texas]

I started wearing the rubber coated knit gloves after slicing a finger open on buried glass. It also helps with the wear and tear on the hands when the ground is like concrete here.

Rich

 

[willie d]

I started wearing my old army leather gloves when I started coming across more glass and can slaw.

 

[DigEmAll]

The blue gloves that everyone is talking about are Nitrile gloves. They are petrolium resistant whereas latex will fall apart after being saoked in gasoline for a bit. They are just a bit tougher than latex, and don't stretch as much. They also are cheap at twenty cents a pair, but plan on going through a couple pair on every dig; they tear just like the latex do.

http://www.carepathways.com/estore.cfm?ID=ISG421NF1-EA&src=Froogle


The glove of choice for me are Franklin batters gloves for baseball. About 15 bucks a pair and tough and thin. I can pick up coins laying flat on a sidewalk with them. More than once they have saved me from cut fingers. Plus they don't make your hands look like prunes from the sweat like the latex and nitrile gloves will! (Also available at your local Wal-Mart)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...ding=UTF8&n=3396161&s=sporting-goods&v=glance


For you guys looking for needle and razor blade protection check out Turtle Skin gloves.

https://www.turtleskin.com/store/ca... skin gloves&gclid=CM3A2unuuoMCFRwbGAodbBHreg

Hope this helps everyone!

 

[jglunt]

Sometimes I wear my old golf gloves (left hand only) depending on the area I'm hunting. They're thin leather and fit nice & snug and I can pick up a dime off a glass table wearing them. Could get a little pricey though if you're not a golfer.

jg

 

[jeremiah212]

i preferr bare hands..
but i have 2 sites that i wear glove at due to the unusual amout of broken glass

 

[ringding]

I wear the leather work gloves because of the broken glass. You guys keep in mind that lately, especially here in Georgia, there is a strain of Staph bacteria that is resistant to common antibiotics. It is found in the soil. The people that get infected with it are athletes like football players and soccer players. They get tackled or whatever and get a skin scrape and the bacteria in the soil infect the wound. Be careful out there.

 

[LadyDigger]

I wear surgical gloves, got me a big box of them....mostly due to the fact, when gardening, protects my hands from poison ivy...we have alot in our yard. I needed something that I could get the poison ivy out without getting infected, I am very allergic to it!!!

But yesterday, rather, day before that, when I was digging in the vacant house lot (two houses down from me)...I found what I believe to be from an old metal shed (that ripple looking siding)...I did not see and stuck my hand in and WHAM...cut my finger. But, I did not draw blood. I went home and washed it with peroxide anyways...it cut my surgical glove also...so will go get me some fitting gloves to use and keep my surgical ones for my "attack of the poison ivy reviews" LOL.

 

[cheezinoot]

I wear a type of mechanic/carpenter glove that are palm padded and have only the pointer and index finger revealed. They work very well,very dexterous and can be found at your local home improvement shop for around $20.00

 

[ringding]

I am not trying to scare anybody just inform, but keep in mind that the bacteria that causes lock jaw or tetanus is common in soil. It poses a risk in puncture type wounds.

 

[EDDE]

I am not trying to scare anybody just inform, but keep in mind that the bacteria that causes lock jaw or tetanus is common in soil. It poses a risk in puncture type wounds.

i meet a lady who was raised around horses and manure her whole life she never got tetnis(and never got a shot)..does ne one know y ill tell you if ne one cares to guess... oh by the way i have the same one cheezsnot has also just bought them to try out see ho w they work/last also the type my mona has see if these are ne good to..... gone threw 3 pairs in 1 1/2 years