Barbeque fork and toasty knuckles

[Sandpiper]

I did my first comb last night. Didn't have a broomstick, so I found an old stainless steel, wooden handle barbeque/grill fork and had a go of it. Either the fork wasn't strong enough, or the glass wasn't soft enough. It was hard work. Haven't opened the kiln yet, so....Anyhow, there was some burning of gloves. A little smoke, knuckles sore, Hid the whole mess from the hubby. Here's the problem. My hands are really small. I can't even find garden gloves to fit. I used a wool and cotton high temp barbeque glove on one hand and a leather gardening glove on the other. Guess which burned and guess which burned me These gloves were still too big and my hands are lost inside. I guess the question is. Which is more dangerous, using gloves that sort of fit, but the heat transfers to the skin really quickly, or gloves that are so big that you can't manipulate, you're clumsy and you feel like something bad might happen? Does anyone make tiny, high temp gloves that will fit the hand of the dainty, fair maiden ?
Sandpiper, Robin

[Mike Byers]

All of the high-temp gloves I've come across are pretty big. If you could come across some Nomex flying gloves, you might try wearing these inside your high-temp gloves to give you a better fit. While the Nomex gloves come in small sizes, I don't think they'd be sufficient by themselves. Another option is to make a longer tool: take a piece of steel rod, sharpen the end on a grinder, bend it to the shape you want and then take a scrap of wood and drill a hole in it about the size of the rod. Fit this to the rod and you've got a handle. You might also make a "heat shield" for your hand out of fiber board, etc. and slide this onto the rod for more protection.

[flashvent]

Try LSS, Lab Safety Supply at 1-800-356-0783 or labsafety.com
They'll send you a free catalogue with a variety of heat resistant gloves & sleeves. They also have a great gold heat reflective face shield that I use when I rake glass. It's one of the best safety purchases I've ever made. With the face shield I can make five or six rake marks, or mark until the glass gets stone cold.

happy raking
flashvent

[charlie]

Does anyone make tiny, high temp gloves that will fit the hand of the dainty, fair maiden ?
Sandpiper, Robin

nomex car racing gloves: http://store.yahoo.net/wescoperformance ... loves.html