Master-gloves.com

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A glove is agarment covering the whole hand. Gloves usually have separate sheaths oropenings for each finger and the thumb. If there isan opening but no (or a short) covering sheath for each finger they are calledfingerless gloves. Fingerless gloves having one small opening rather thanindividual openings for each finger are sometimes called gauntlets, thoughgauntlets are not necessarily fingerless. Gloves whichcover the entire hand or fist but do not have separate finger openings orsheaths are called mittens. Mittens are warmer than other styles of gloves madeof the same material because fingers maintain their warmth better when they arein contact with each other; reduced surface area reduces heat loss. A hybrid ofglove and mitten contains open-ended sheaths for the four fingers (as in afingerless glove, but not the thumb) and an additional compartmentencapsulating the four fingers. This compartment can be lifted off the fingers andfolded back to allow the individual fingers ease of movement and access whilethe hand remains covered. The usual design is for the mitten cavity to bestitched onto the back of the fingerless glove only, allowing it to be flippedover (normally held back by Velcro or a button) to transform the garment from amitten to a glove. These hybrids are called convertible mittens or glittens, acombination of "glove" and "mittens". Glovesprotect and comfort hands against cold or heat, damage by friction, abrasion orchemicals, and disease; or in turn to provide a guard for what a bare handshould not touch. Latex, nitrile rubber or vinyl disposable gloves are oftenworn by health care professionals as hygiene and contamination protectionmeasures. Police officers often wear them to work in crime scenes to preventdestroying evidence in the scene. Many criminals wear gloves to avoid leavingfingerprints, which makes the crime investigation more difficult. However, thegloves themselves can leave prints that are just as unique as humanfingerprints. After collecting glove prints, law enforcement can then matchthem to gloves that they have collected as evidence. In many jurisdictions theact of wearing gloves itself while committing a crime can be prosecuted as aninchoate offense. Fingerlessgloves are useful where dexterity is required that gloves would restrict.Cigarette smokers and church organists often use fingerless gloves. Some glovesinclude a gauntlet that extends partway up the arm. Cycling gloves for roadracing or touring are usually fingerless. Guitar players often use fingerlessgloves in circumstances where it is too cold to play with an uncovered hand. Gloves aremade of materials including cloth, knitted or felted wool, leather, rubber,latex, neoprene, silk, and metal (as in mail). Gloves of kevlar protect thewearer from cuts. Gloves and gauntlets are integral components of pressuresuits and spacesuits such as the Apollo/Skylab A7L which went to the Moon.Spacesuit gloves combine toughness and environmental protection with a degreeof sensitivity and flexibility. www.mastergloves.nl