Woodstove Glove recommendations?

Now that we are among the ranks of the sideloaders who must nervously stick there hands within the firebox instead of just dropping the wood in from above, I thought I might get my wife some good stove gloves for Christmas.

I'd like something that would be absolutely fireproof and allow her to juggle red hot glowing chunks of oak rather than some glorified pot holders made of cotton which have had some indifferent fireproofing treatment . Oh, and last forever.

Any recommendations? I know Jotul actually gives them out with the Rangely (but not with the Oslo, must be a moral in that) which I assume must be very good but very expensive.

You can get them anywhere. Lowes, Home Depot, online.

http://www.petedge.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=43722&cm
http://www.plowhearth.com/product.a...pcode=420150&gclid=CIzp6P7jjbQCFUid4AodVmQA-w
http://www.northlineexpress.com/woo...ID=974933118&gclid=CJCE3oDkjbQCFcuZ4AoduBIAjA

There is little difference between brands.

Additionally, no gloves will "last forever" and all gloves will get quite uncomfortable to use if you plan on holding "red hot glowing chunks of oak."

I have a pair similar to the first link. They work fine. I like that they are really long. We will probably replace them next year. They just wear out over time. I'm sure you're wife will be happy with any of those options. And as BB said, these things aren't bullet proof, but they are a solid form of protection.

Any leather based gauntlet style, that way you don't loose any arm hair either.

I got a pair of gloves, similar to the above links, from our local Canadian Tire store when I got my F3CB 6 years ago. I must admit, it was without doubt, one of the best $20 purchases I have ever made. More than once, I have had my hands deep inside the stove, hovering over red-hot coals, desperately trying to get an 19 inch stick inside and turned in an 18 inch space. The only time it got uncomfortably hot, was when I absentmindedly tried to pick up the "log fence" to get a fat stick in. I let go pretty quickly, as well as scared the blazes out of the dog with my colourful choice of adjectives. The wife gave me a rather stern look, but no long lasting damage to my hands.

+1 I stronlgy recommend gloves that are 20" long. Makes loading the stove so much easier because your whole forarm is protected.

I'm cheap! I just use Fire Dept issue.

That doesn't sound cheap!

Welder's gloves work great also. You don't have to restrict your search to hearth gloves.

For most stuff I just use the welding gloves I picked up at the True Value hardware store . . . the really good hearth gloves with the insulation come out if I am dumping an ash pan and it's still quite hot -- I end up using these maybe two to four times a year.

I've been using gauntlet-style welding gloves for years, they work fantastic and most are relatively inexpensive. As others have said, they may not last forever but they do the job and do it well.....I have a pair in the ash bucket right beside the hearth.

If that's what you're doing, try these...
http://www.galls.com/cgi/CGBCSTYL?PMSTYL=GL278

Nomex is wonderful stuff.

"Juggling" not "holding". And I was perhaps being a tad hyperbolic. But I would like to get some gloves that are a bit better than average.

And I was curious if leather is still the standard, or if there are any better materials now (once upon a time there was a great one, asbestos, that that's yet another story). Leather gloves welding gloves of cheap stove gloves are often just one layer so, while they resist a brief contact, if you keep them in touch too long with a hot surface they suddenly get very hot right through the leather. It would be nice to have some with some high-tech insulation in addition to the leather that would delay this.

+4 With welders gloves.
Use them most of the time, when loading a hot stove or emptying ashes.
The time I don't put them on, I touch the stove somewhere to help remind me, "wear gloves"

Being an Ironworker I had no choice but to use welding gloves.

For a bit better than the average leather-only gloves you can get some of the insulated leather gloves at most hearth stores . . . a little less flexibility and more pricey, but the better insulation inside will give you more time handling anything hot. I picked up a pair at the local hearth store in Brewer . . . well actually they gave me a set after coming to a Fire Safety Open House we set up several years back.

Who handles burning chunks of wood with gloves? I use tongs for that rather than gloves.

I used to load Dad's VC Defiant bare-handed. Side loading was no big deal and I did not have to reach into the firebox. My Rangeley however, I will front-load with/without gloves depending on how much manipulating will be involved but If I get the itch to top load, it's always with gloves.

I've handled glowing coals the size of baseballs and flaming splits on many occasions with my gauntlet-style welder's gloves. I move these around quickly, not holding them for any length of time. Much faster and more control than using tongs or a rake. I've never tried hearth gloves.

As I recall there is an old saying that it is harder to drive a camel throught the eye of a needle than topload a log into a Rangeley.

My wife bought me a pair of LLBean Gauntlet style gloves last year. Great quality and very helpful.

These are the ones I bought. They are the best insulated hearth gloves I have tried including the 2 pairs of welding gloves I used. They are long so there is no worry when reaching all the way to the back if you need to, and they are nice and soft.

http://www.northlineexpress.com/fir...arm-fireplace-gloves-20-long-black-a-13b.html

I have a pair of long leather gloves that work okay, but have felt some heat a few times. So the next time I buy a set I am going to get something that can handle a lot of heat. I am still looking around, but noticed these.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GLOVES-HIGH-TEMPERATURE-KEVLAR-HEAT-RESISTANT-FURNACE-MELTING-GLOVE-18-HI-TEMP-/200822758968?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ec1f81e38

I worked in the melting department at a steel foundry and I used one's like that. The only drawback is that they are kind of bulky but you're not going to get burnt. Also leather gets stiff if it gets too hot these won't.