Blacksmith's Gloves for a Museum?

 

this came to me recently :

"The Canadian Glove Museum in Point Leamington, Newfoundland recently contacted OABA requesting a set of bona-fide blacksmith gloves to add to their collection as they are expanding the collection to include more gloves connected to traditional

trades and skilled craftsmanship. They are requesting "a retired pair connected to a Canadian blacksmith, demonstration, major commission, long career, or teaching story.

A well-used pair with visible wear and a short explanation of how the gloves were used would be especially meaningful."

(This is my response to this request)

 

 I have a pair of gauntlet style gloves, retired due to left hand wear and shrinking, which might well fit your description - and although I am based in Ontario, these have a direct connection to Newfoundland.

 

I had added a few short sections, as direct responses to the details requested :

A Canadian Blacksmith...
Scope of Work...
As a Teacher...
As a Demonstrator...


A Commission - in Newfoundland...
From the mid 1990's I have had a direct association with Parks Canada at L'Anse aux Meadows NHSC. I would be commissioned by Parks to design, construct and implement the 'Norse Encampment' living history program now seen at the site. This would include both the initial staff training and many follow up visits over the years (the most recent in 2023). The original presentation required the creation of roughly 150 detailed objects, and dozens more have been made by myself since. 
In 2000 year I designed and delivered the college level program 'Interpreting the Viking Age' in association with the College of the North Atlantic and the Viking Trails Tourism Assn. at St Anthony. This six week course for adult students would provide the background training for the 'Norstead' attraction.

In 2008 I was commissioned by Parks Canada to create a set of working replica Viking Age ship building tools, This included axes, adzes, chisels, a saw and drills. As research, I would travel to Denmark to the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde and the Nation Museum in Copenhagen to view artifact prototypes. 
As part of that trip, I would be the only North American invited to participate in the 'Iron Making at Thy' symposium, a practical workshop in bloomery iron smelting. These specific gloves were purchased originally for the needed hand protection working with these furnaces.
Back in Canada, the creation of the axes for this commission would require repeated forge / hammer welding. This process, often seen in images for the dramatic sparks produced, again requires hand protection, particularly for the left, holding, hand. Again this pair of gloves was used. 

 In 2010, I would return again to L'Anse aux Meadows, this time to undertake a full re-creation iron smelt (meaning using all Norse equipment and clothing). Working with the local staff interpreters, it is worth noting that this was the first time iron had been successfully made at L'Anse aux Meadows in 1000 years! This pair of gloves was again employed, not being that much different from a potential Viking Age type.

Looking at the Wear...
Normal practice (for me at least) is to leave the right hand bare, to ensure proper control of the hammer. For that reason there is often more wear to the left, as it is more frequently used, and this is seen in this pair. A split seam on the left thumb was covered with a loop of common hockey tape while welding axes (and yes - I discovered this hole when I got a burn!). A second spit (not covered) is seen on the left index finger. 
As the left hand can be exposed to the extreme heat of the forge - especially during forge welding, this will both harden and shrink the leather. Eventually this will result in a lack of flexibility in the grip which becomes a problem while working. Comparing the two gloves, this shows as both discolouration and the condition of the leather on the left hand.
I would 'retire' this pair of gloves from normal working after the 2010 smelting event. I've kept them to have an additional pair available, even if not in perfect condition, for workshop events. As I have fairly small hands, getting gloves that fit correctly is sometimes a problem. Typically I replace my working gloves about every two / three years - normally due to damage to the left side. (Meaning a lot of mis-matched right hands kicking around the workshop!)
It might be of some interest that right glove has the original price sticker still in place = $33.99. That would have been in 2008 for comparison. I had considered these gloves, which had a good fit for me, well worth the price.
The cuff of each has my 'three lines & three dots' maker's mark inside. This primarily from wanting to keep them sorted at the Danish smelting event.

I appreciate that this pair of blacksmith's used gloves may not show the most extremes of wear. Honestly (and speaking from 45 years experience), a pair of gloves that are over worn may actually not perform the function they are intended for - protection of the hand. I normally only wear gloves when undertaking techniques using the most extremes of heat; forge welding, casting, smelting. Experience has shown that people are too quick to pick up a bar at 'black' heat, (still up too 600+ C) in a gloved hand. This effectively sets the glove on fire, they drop the bar but it is the hot leather than is burning them! Because you can feel the radiant heat with bare skin, merely slowing done before touching generally will keep the experienced smith safe. This combines with the fact that any work in gloves is more clumsy than manipulation with your bare hands.
The main exception here is when forge welding. Proper grip with tongs will leave the triangle between thumb and index finger sitting upwards - and flat. As correct forge welding modern steels requires use of a flux (those sparks seen), not only will extremely hot debris potentially land on that flat surface - it will (painfully!) stick there.

I'm hoping you will consider this pair of gloves, not as much for damage, but as the clear history of use that links directly back to Newfoundland.

(Message to the Canadian Glove Museum was sent on August 10, 2026 - too early yet to know what the response may be.)