Gloves

A few weeks ago I was at the NEB open forge and more than one of the guys was wearing gloves the entire day. Some wore the standard leather work gloves with the cotton backing and one fellow wore "fireplace" gloves made for high heat applications. I don't wear gloves and the one time I did I nearly burnt myself good because of a false sense of security. "I have gloves on, I can't get hurt". Well my hands got really sweaty in the gloves and I held on to a piece of hot steel longer than I should have and those nice wet gloves held that heat really well and really tight against my skin.

Now I know it was my fault for pushing the limit, or more likely just not using my head, but that made me feel like using gloves while forging was not a good idea. The folks wearing the gloves all felt safer. The gentleman with the fireplace gloves probably was. He used his hands to push coal into the fire and pick up some pretty hot materials. I would have used a shovel, rake or tongs to do some of the same things. So what is the right way? Should you wear gloves or not? I guess it all comes down to what your comfortable with and paying attention that if you do use gloves your using appropriate ones and that you do not get fooled into thinking that they will keep you from burning yourself.