First, what does dexterity mean?
Dexterity, as defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, refers to the readiness and grace in physical activity; particularly skill and ease in using the hands. Dexterity in safety gloves involves tactility, flexibility, fit, and total comfort, all of which are essential components. So, where safety gloves are involved, tactility, flexibility, fit, and total comfort are all components of the word dexterity!
Secondly, what make a glove high cut resistant?
Cut resistance is in the liner of the glove, so essentially, it is incorporated into the yarn. Gloves with high cut resistance use yarn that is made up of materials such as:
- Glass
- HPPE
- Steel
- Aramid
These materials are there to defend against sharp materials they encounter. For example, if you were wearing a high cut resistant glove, and were using a blade and it slipped, it would be expected that the damage experienced to your hand would either be minimal or non-existent.
So, does higher cut resistance mean less dexterity in Hand Protection? No. Why? Because these key components are determined by three reasons.
- The quality of the yarn used in the liner.
- The coating the glove liner is paired with.
- The gauge of the glove
Yarn Quality
The quality of the engineered yarn significantly influences dexterity. For example, our TG7360 has a very high cut protection (cut level F) but it is a highly dexterous glove. This is in part due to it belonging to our LXT range, where the yarn is of the highest quality. All our LXT gloves are treated with our LXT technology, which provides the extra durability and wear life whilst maximising comfort. LXT technology also adds protection to the engineered yarn, stops debris and contaminants entering the yarn fibres preventing the breakdown of the spun components within the yarn from the inside.
Coating
The type of coating combined with the liner can make or break the dexterity of a glove. A more unyielding coating paired with a liner made with high quality yarn and knitted with a high gauge will still give the glove less tactility and flexibility.
The coating needs to meet the needs of the wearer. For example:
- Nitriles are best for oil resistance.
- Crinkle latex is best for dry grip and digging hand tools.
- PU coating is best for electrical/component fabrication in dry conditions/indoors.
Yarn Gauge
A lower gauge in a glove indicates that the glove is thicker, and thereby it could be assumed that it has reduced dexterity. The same goes for gloves with a higher gauge, which are thinner by nature, but they are not necessarily more dexterous.
Fine gauge gloves can be thin but stiff and non-stretch, thus not very tactile or comfortable. Thicker gauge can be soft, stretchy, and thereby still dextrous and comfortable. Higher gauge safety gloves generally offer better tactility, but this may differ depending on the liner's coating.
In summary, higher cut resistance does not mean that the glove has less dexterity, as dexterity is defined by several factors, as outlined above.
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