Toughest Glove Material

[Dewin Dwl]

I have developed an unwelcome reaction to bee stings. Not the full anaphalxys and not every time stung. I have developed a sting-proof clothing arrangement but the weakness is the gloves. The last reaction seemed due to stings getting through the stitching along the back of the hand, maybe through the leather near the stitching (thinned??) and through the cotton of the gauntlet/cuff into my wrist.

I know it sounds like my bees are a rough bunch but they aren't usually. Two unknown factors caught me out. The hive had gone queenless and I was in there on a day where I didn't realise rain was on its way in half an hour so the hive was packed tight with tetchy bees.

Anyway, the question I have is this:

Is there a glove material out there that is recognised to be super tough yet giving reasonable dexterity?

I'm wondering about the latex gauntlets I've seen advertised (by svienty??) as to date I've relied on leather complete with cotton-twill gauntlet

All advice welcome! (& no I won't give up)

 

[madasafish]

Marigolds with a latex glove on top are pretty well impenetrable - and cheap and easy to clean...

 

[Erichalfbee]

Is there anything in kevlar?

 

[greatbritishhoney]

A couple of layers of nitrile gloves usually work for me - but nowhere near 100% of the time.
IMO there is definitely a gap in the market for a really good, tough, breathable, well-fitting, flexible glove.

 

[victor meldrew]

I don't think you can practically avoid stings and keep bees

I reacted badly to stings for the first few years of my beekeepings
Thankfully I am over that now but getting stung is a possibility each time I visit the bees !
Short of handling bees in the manner of a nuclear scientist ,stinging must be inured to. IMHO.
Many's the time I have seriously considered giving up but now I can look back and am thankful that I didn't .
I remember feeling well outside of my comfort zone , tension building as more and more bees took to the air on inspections , all because I was trying to handle bees whilst not being there so to speak .
Being wrapped up didn't ,in the end help . It didn't stop stingings and it certainly didn't relieve the anxiety felt !
I hope you soon get over these (To you abnormal ) reactions and are able to relax and enjoy the pursuit without the use of extreme measures .
Only then will you really get the full benefit from the hobby and be comfortable enough to appreciate the contents of a hive , really ,carefully observe and mentally record all you see!
There nothing makes one overlook a whole host of things than to be ill at ease with the situation you're in
VM

 

[Nose Ma]

Would wearing nitrile gloves over the leather ones help? Would it force the stings to be too far from your skin to pierce it?
You could go all 1980s and put sweat bands around your wrists.

 

[greatbritishhoney]

You could go all 1980s and put sweat bands around your wrists.

You may joke, but I am seriously thinking about trying that! I've had a fair few stings where my gloves meet my suit and I have been trying to think of something to provide more protection. I must dig out those vintage McEnroe stylee bands!

 

[mark s]

I wear nitriles over my leather gloves,its good but they still get through.you could always try some sort of duck tape at the wrists ive seen some beeks use this method very succesfully

 

[Hivemaker.]

Toughest Glove Material

Spring steel i would imagine would be the toughest material,perhaps backed with kevlar.

 

[Storm™]

Trago mills - here in Cornwall but whenever I go its toppers with the Welsh so I guess its part of the tour lol. They sell (though you can get them online), welding gloves. I have gripped and wrapped around my hands to yank them up literally miles of brambles. And nothing - [ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eurotechnique-WELDING-GLOVES-Size-Large/dp/B0041RZ2LK[/ame] back to front protection. Fully dexterous in my experience as they are used for welding which isnt blacksmithing. At that price its worth a try anyhow.

 

[Storm™]

You may joke, but I am seriously thinking about trying that! I've had a fair few stings where my gloves meet my suit and I have been trying to think of something to provide more protection. I must dig out those vintage McEnroe stylee bands!

Or these - [ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Metal-Shirt-Sleeve-Arm-Bands/dp/B004WCUTOO[/ame]

 

[Poly Hive]

Sorry Storm but what possible use are they?

PH

 

[wondervet]

For guaranteed mass attack situations I've found marigolds under leather gauntlets keep them out and still just about enough feel to function.

 

[Erichalfbee]

OR
http://www.turtleskin.com/Insider-Gloves.aspx
under some long cuff nitriles

 

[Storm™]

Sorry Storm but what possible use are they?

PH

If you mean the metal elasticated straps thingy's they come in different sizes. Wear them round the wrists to keep the sleeves tight. Prevent rummaging bees. If you get the small ones. I have big wrists though. But its probably better to use those tennis sweat bands because they are fluffy and we don't wear fluffy do we because a trapped bee gets agitated. And they are better than rubber bands because they wear out too quickly.

 

[Storm™]

Damn double post due to poor signal

 

[Mike a]

You could go all 1980s and put sweat bands around your wrists.

Ask Rosti to tell you his story about sweat bands.

 

[Nose Ma]

Ask Rosti to tell you his story about sweat bands.

Sounds exciting! Rosti...?

 

[TBRNoTB]

Sounds exciting! Rosti...?

Where is Rosti? its been awhile....

 

[susbees]

OR
http://www.turtleskin.com/Insider-Gloves.aspx
under some long cuff nitriles

They are really "crunchy" and the reinforcement is only on the palm side (pretty useless).

As for welding gloves they are great for working with barbed wire but give about the manual dexterity of boxing gloves.