Finger/Hand Protection while Gutting/skinning

Fall Guy

Fall Guy

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After getting my fingers 'nicked' a few times over the years, I decided to try my luck with some sort of protection this fall. I bought a Rapala stainless mesh glove ($20 CT) and was impressed with it. Fit my (left) hand OK and didn't give me that false sense of security - I was still careful. Obviously protects from slicing and not from stabs.

However, there were a few drawbacks. The evening that I gutted the deer, the glove became soaked with blood and had to be cleaned. It hadn't dried by the next morning and the ambient temp, -6C, made for a finger numbing skinning session.

I guess I'm looking for a second glove - possibly kevlar - any suggestions?
 
hello,

when it s really cold you can use a very thin cotton glove then a rubber/vinyle glove then your protection layer.

some can find funny the rubber/vinyle glove thing but with a wound and no protection and then .... i v e seen guides unable to use their hands for one week because they didnt want to use protection gloves.

i dont know about the rappala one but i ve seen butcher or preparator for the meat using that kind of gloves so there is certainly a reason.

all the best.
 
best thing is knife control know where your knife is i have my fare share of nicks and cuts that have almost taken fingers off

reason a modern butcher will use this type of glove is so he does not cut himself and get blood on your food but any good butcher has gotton good knife control over time and almost never cuts him self
 
I've used the Rapala glove for years while cleaning deer and moose, and I thought it worked well...at least, I didn't get cut!

This year for the first time I tried wearing a cut-resistant kevlar glove, the type which is issued on some construction sites. They are great! Much more flexible and sensitive than the Rapala chain-mail thing, and cheap enough that you can pitch'em after the season is over. They wash well with regular laundry, and the rubber palm and finger areas give you much better grip than the Rapalas.

I'm sure there are several makers, but the ones I have are labeled HyFlex Ansell 11-624 4342 EN388.
 
Odd, I did mine bare handed and would maybe consider wearing latex gloves next time, only so I can have clean hands quicker. Granted I am a cook has been using knives 8-15 hours a day for close to 11 years, so I know where my blade is at all times... now (lots of bandages were used along the way).
 
Get a box of the veterinary gloves that come up to your shoulder, and some ordinary latex gloves. Put on the long ones and then put on the latex over the long ones. You get a really good "feel" for what is going on (and knife control is important) and when you are done just strip the whole mess inside out from your shoulder down, put them all in a plastic bag to take home (don't leave all that plastic in my hunting area) and you are clean. You can reach way up into the chest without getting stuff on your clothes, and it's surprisingly warm too, although the inside of a deer is nice and warm.
 
droid1963 said:
Blade control is key.
Click to expand...
A number of years ago, I got 'nicked' real good, (across a knuckle), while skinning a moose with a buddy. I was reaching for a handful of hide and his knife was headed in the same direction as my hand.....that one hurt for about a month.

I know it is all about blade control but after using a glove this year and watching where my free hand was, I was quite surprised at how frequently it came so close to the blade. I won't take the chance anymore.

And I like the longer glove idea. I'm tired of getting blood all over my hunting shirts.

And jjohnwm, any idea where I can try on some Ansell gloves? They look like what I'm looking for.
 
Still bare-handing it here. Worked with knives for years occupationally, and although my hands are covered in scars, none are from knives. I'm not concerned with cutting or nicking myself.
 
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