The following information is the intellectual property of Banom, Inc.

At Banom^®, we believe that there are two types of metal cut hazards:

1) Abrasive sharp edges – these include rough edge sheet metal that is punched, stamped, or sheared

2) Clean sharp edges – such as knife or razor blades

Our industry currently measures cut resistance for clean sharp edges with the Cut Protection Performance Test on ASTM Standard F1790-97. This test measures the weight ( in grams ) required for a razor sharp blade to cut through a glove on a 25 millimeter pass.

At present, there is no test to measure the hazard presented by abrasive sharp edges. These edges do not cut – they tear – and consequently they require a different type of cut protection. Therefore, ASTM F1790 can only be used as a guideline.

When selecting a glove or sleeve for use in sheet metal, the following factors should be considered:

Edge roughness

Thin gauge sheet metal has a smaller burr when stamped or punched as compared to thicker gauge sheet metal. Bigger burrs or rougher edges require thicker or heavier weight gloves. The thickness will prevent the burr from penetrating the glove and cutting the hand, and heavier weight gloves will wear longer when exposed to rougher edges. Yarns with higher tensile strength combined with coatings for abrasion resistance should be considered in these applications.

Length of the edge exposed

When handling longer edges, there is a potential for more of the edge to move through the palm of the hand. Since abrasive sharp edges tear as they move, longer edges require more protection.

Weight

How much an object weighs has a direct impact on the glove chosen. Heavier objects put more stress on cut resistant fibers as they add force to an abrasive cutting edge. The greater the force, the higher the tensile strength required. In addition, heavier objects require thicker cut resistant gloves in order to provide greater wear as well as additional comfort for the working hand.

Edge Hardness

Stainless steel and glass present higher cut hazards as they are the hardest surfaces and can pose enormous stress to cut resistant fibers thus requiring more protection.

Surface texture

Dry surfaces require gloves with grip. Oily surfaces require gloves with absorption in order to get a good grip.

Puncture

Punctures are often categorized as cut hazards because they cause lacerations. When dealing with this type of hazard it is important to remember that the initial protection needed is not cut resistance, it is puncture resistance. The hand is getting cut because the barb or shard is penetrating the surface of the glove.

Moving edges versus stationary edges

No glove can protect against a continuously moving or rotating edge or blade.

Protection Against Abrasive Sharp Edges:

Since 1949 our family has sold cut resistant gloves to the sheet metal industry. Our 59 years in this industry have taught us that only HTF(high tenacity filament)™ yarns can provide protection from abrasive sharp edges.

HTF™ yarns utilize a bundle of continuous fibers that together provide such high tensile strength that they do not break when exposed to the burrs which are part of metal edges that have been punched, stamped, extruded, or sheared.

In contrast, spun yarns, which comprise individual fibers twisted into a yarn, can be abraded as metal burrs pull the individual fibers out of the yarn. This is why spun yarns “ fuzz “ when exposed to sheet metal for even short periods of time. As these fibers are pulled out, the base fabric is reduced and the cut resistance of the glove diminishes in direct proportion to the wear of the glove surface.

HTF™ Yarns and similar products

Abratex^® – is made specifically for Banom. It is an HTF^™ yarn that works on a principle of high tensile strength, slippage, rolling, and abrasion resistance to provide a cost effective product for sleeves and gloves. The combined strength of the fibers resist breaking when encountering a metal burr, while the individual fibers slip and roll as they pass along the rough metal edge.

Duratex™ – is a lighter version of Abratex^® used for dexterity purposes.

MaxPly^® Dyneema^® – Though filament Dyneema^® is categorized as a HPPE ( High Performance Polyethylene ) fiber by the manufacturer Royal DSM N.V., it still fits our category of having high tensile strength and a continuous fiber construction. The yarn is made elastic utilizing Banom’s patented MaxPly^® process which keeps the individual fibers parallel in order to increase cut resistance and wear.

Stainless Steel – provides the highest level of tensile strength. When used in Banom gloves it is always spiral wrapped in order to prevent the steel from breaking. Spiral wrapping also increases the cut resistance of the yarn by allowing the cutting edge to encounter the stainless steel wrap in more than one area of the yarn. However, it should be noted that stainless steel gloves can be conductive when exposed to electricity.

How to test – Carefully

We never want the actual glove user to be a guinea pig for any new product. Whenever evaluating a new glove for an application, we suggest that the proposed glove be exposed to the potential hazard. For sheet metal, move the glove along the edge with a force that replicates the hazard. This should be done with proper protective equipment and WITHOUT anyone’s hand in the glove. Sheet metal edges should be changed with each new item tested.

When selecting a glove to handle knives or razor blades, the following should be considered:

Edge Sharpness

The ASTM F1790-97 Standard ( or F1790-04 ) provides an excellent guideline for gauging the type of gloves needed for clean edge hazards. Cut resistant gloves in this category combine high tensile strength yarns with a fiber that actually dulls the blade edge before it can cut through the glove. The following combinations are used by Banom:

TriMax^® Dyneema^® – This yarn combines high tensile strength filament Dyneema^® spiral wrapped around glass. This patented construction allows the glass to dull the blade while the filament Dyneema^® helps prevent the force of the blade from coming through the glove.

Stainless steel – This fiber combines both high tensile strength with a dulling action since it is the hardest and strongest metal. In Banom products, the stainless steel is always spiral wrapped in order to prevent the steel from breaking. Spiral wrapping also increases the cut resistance of the yarn by allowing the cutting edge to encounter the stainless steel wrap in more than one area of the yarn.

DuraSteel™ – This yarn is a combination of HTF™ Duratex™ and stainless steel.

Moving edges versus stationary edges ( worth mentioning again )

No glove can protect against a continuously moving or rotating edge or blade.

Glove Testing

For clean sharp edges, the knife or razor blade can be pulled across the glove while positioned on a flat surface. When testing different gloves remember to change test edges as their surface will be dulled by the glove being tested.

About our website:

The menu is designed to allow a search in the following manner:

By Application – left hand side menu
By Trademark – right hand side menu
Application and cut levels – bottom left hand side
By keyword or style number – top right ( go search tool)

Each glove photo can be enlarged with a click ( some will have both palm and backside views ), and each glove has cut test data attached where appropriate ( click on “Cut Test Data” in red ).

The intention of this website is not to sell gloves. It is our intent at Banom to solve hand protection problems. If you have a question – ask. We are here to help. Click here for information requests.