Every welder needs to dress for safety. No matter what the job, protection is still a top priority. This is the reason why we have welding clothing and protective equipment that are readily available in retail stores and in online shops. While there are several materials that make good welding clothing, leather is proven to be one of the best when it comes to giving maximum protection. Here we give you a list of leather gear or leather welding clothing every welder should have.
Leather Welding Clothing and accessories, Must-Haves
Leather is the best fabric for most welding clothing. It is known for its properties like thermal and fire resistance, flexibility, and durability. With welders exposed to heat most of the time, this material is perfect to protect them from any kind of mechanical aggression or thermal contact they may encounter while on the job.
While leather can be very heavy giving lower breathability which can be a bit uncomfortable, the advantages totally outweigh these points. The advantages include long use life, cutting resistance, as mentioned earlier, heat and fire resistance, and it being economic. Here we share a list of leather welding clothing you should start getting for yourself to get that maximum protection while at work.
Leather Welding Jacket
Leather welding jackets are designed to give full protection from the neck down to the waist and the shoulders down to the arms from sparks, heat, and weld spatter. It also provides protection from the intense UV and IR radiation from a welding arc which increases the risk of cancer.
Leather welding jackets are best to use in cooler climates and heavy-weight weldings like MIG and TIG welding. Read our blog on how to choose the best welding jacket so you can be guided.
Leather Welding Sleeves
Leather welding sleeves are the ideal alternative for arm protection most especially when welding jackets become too heavy for the job. It’s also perfect for those who need more arm movement and functionality. These are also much cooler than welding jackets.
Choose leather sleeves for welding that are made of cowhide split leather that is reinforced with protective Kevlar. Choosing the best welding sleeves can be quite tricky but a welding sleeves buying guide would definitely help.
Leather Welding Apron
Leather Welding aprons are especially useful for front body protection. They’re not only used for welding, they’re great for grinding, woodworking, grilling, and even cleaning. There are different types of welding aprons. Here are a few of them.
Leather waist Welding Apron
This type of apron gives protection for the waist and the upper legs. This is best used for works done on a table or platform.
Long Welding Apron
The long welding apron goes from the upper torso until the knees. This is most convenient for most metalworking and other activities that need full frontal protection.
Leather Welding Split Leg Apron
Whenever you need to walk and kneel a lot while on the job, a long welding apron will always be in the way. This is when leather split leg aprons become convenient. It basically straps around each leg for more movement.
Leather Welding Apron with Sleeves and Pockets
The leather welding apron with sleeves is basically a full-length welding apron that provides protection from the upper chest to below the knees. It already has welding sleeves to give arm protection. Basically, this rare welding clothing gives full coverage for a high degree of safety.
Leather Welding Cape bolero
The leather welding cape or split leather welding cape with sleeves offers the ultimate protection for the neck, arms, shoulders, and chest. and flexibility. Some leather welding capes come with a detachable apron. This is very efficient if you need sleeves and an apron to make a full-on welding jacket.
Leather Welding Gloves
Leather welding gloves are one of the most important welding accessories a welder should have. These are protective gear that allows digit articulation while protecting the hands of welders from extreme heat, electrical shocks, or ultraviolet and infrared radiation.
Whether it’s for MIG, TIG, or stick welding, gloves made out of leather are the best choice. Those made out of Cowhide, for example, is a top choice with the outside layer made of leather goatskin which is proven to have the highest tensile strength for any welding material. If you’re having trouble choosing which gloves are best for what you do, our buying guide will be helpful.
Leather Welding Spats
Leather welding spats are buttoned around the ankle to protect the feet, legs, and, shoes from splatter, cuts, spark, and hear while on the job. Very useful in avoiding burns when performing welding tasks where there are flying sparks and debris.
Leather Welding Hood
Another must-have would be a leather welding hood. This is designed to protect the head, eyes, and neck while giving welders the needed movement and flexibility they need as compared to other welding hoods. It’s ergonomic and can allow for welding in close quarters and prevent welding slag to burn the neck and face.
