Finger Cots

One of the most intriguing developments in protecting your hands from the hazards of working with dangerous or irritating substances is the device known as finger cots or finger caps. These devices are like individual finger gloves that are rolled onto each digit individually. Usually these finger cots are constructed from either latex or nylon and are thicker than your full hand covering latex gloves. For ease of manipulating small items these finger cots are generally molded with a textured nub on the fingertip. If a smooth surface is required in a particular application, the finger cot can be rolled on inside out.

The finger cot is useful in applications where you are working with small items that may cause irritation to the skin or to protect cuts and scratches on fingers from exposure to potentially harmful agents. They are used often in medical laboratories as protection when moving vials of chemical or biological agents around in test tubes while working with samples. In the home, you may prefer to use finger cots instead of gloves while working with foods like hot peppers. They are handy in many manufacturing jobs where the sweat and oils on human skin could have a corrosive effect on the materials being worked with.

Finger cots have advantages over the traditional latex or nylon gloves. They do not trap excess moisture from sweat and pool it up around the extremities where prolonged water soaking of the skin can damage it. They allow for a greater range of manipulation since you do not have excess folds of material crossing the palm or falling of the cuff. With the standard raised nubs at the fingertips, it is mush easier to manipulate small objects.

For the finger cot buyer, there are many places to acquire them. You can get large wholesale quantities from online suppliers like ESD Finger Cots or bulk quantity discount finger cots from Wal-Mart. Since most finger cots are disposable they are usually rather inexpensive, although some companies product "washable" and "reusable" finger cots. They are available in smaller packs that have five "standard" sizes for individual use in first aid applications like putting ointment on open cuts before bandaging or for inserting suppositories. Since the finger cots do fit snuggly onto each finger, you will have to determine the specific sizes you need to buy for the proper fit and herein is one of the few real disadvantages of finger cots over the usual full hand covering glove.