Oyster shucking gloves

[dougal]

A 'Request For Comments'

Has anyone any experience of these gloves?

http://www.zesco.com/products.cfm?subCatID...upID=ZP99192009

Neoprene over stainless steel mesh sounds grippy and (somewhat) protective.

And at $34 they are only 1/3 to 1/4 the price of 'naked' chain mail.

This thing looks interesting (OK, strange) - but would, I think, require holding the oyster in the upturned palm (because of the loose material between thumb and fingers obstructing 'pinned to the table' action).

Has anyone tried the product?

http://oystermitts.com/index.html

Or are there any better (and better value) gloves?

Personally, I'm perfectly happy just using a cloth, but someone's been asking me about getting a glove ...

Are there any proper 'stab-proof' (as opposed to 'cut resistant') gloves? (At a sane price.)

What protective kit would suit the amateur (or novice) budget?

Or to put it another way - if we had been advising a prospective 'occasional' shucker to get a glove, what glove would it be?

Does anyone know what the mitt is that the chap in the Legal Seafoods video uses? http://video.about.com/gourmetfood/How-to-Shuck-Oysters.htm. Is it a regular product or something custom-made?

Edited August 18, 2009 by heidih (log)

[djyee100]

Something like this, maybe?

http://www.amazon.com/Cut-Resistant-Gloves...50622456&sr=8-5

I was reading the Hog Island Oyster Lover's Cookbook by Jairemarie Pomo. There's a couple pages about good and bad knives and gloves. The author recommends a glove called Boss, which is supposed to retail for about $10. It's described as a knit body with a blue latex shell. My search for the Boss oyster glove on Google came up empty, though.

For shucking in hand, the author recommends pairing the Boss glove with a leather-palmed glove for maximum safety. But she does caution that these gloves will not prevent you from slicing your hand--accidents can still happen.

The author recommends Dexter Russell oyster knives.

http://www.thefind.com/kitchen/browse-dext...ll-oyster-knife

She also says those very expensive chain mail French oyster gloves are not stab-proof after all. Another good reason not to spend $150 on an oyster glove. I knew there must have been a good reason why I never bought one.

[dougal]

Something like this, maybe?

http://www.amazon.com/Cut-Resistant-Gloves...50622456&sr=8-5

...

←

Latex over Kevlar and washable?

And the latex is textured for a more secure grip?

Under $10 ?

That's exactly the sort of thing I was hoping to hear about!

And the same thing exists on this side of the Atlantic too http://www.securitydirect.co.uk/acatalog/K...rip_Gloves.html

The author recommends a glove called Boss, which is supposed to retail for about $10. It's described as a knit body with a blue latex shell. My search for the Boss oyster glove on Google came up empty, though.

Aaah, but its not a glove sold for oysters!

http://63.84.120.4/ParkStreet/Bossweb/WebR...=7216&NavId=539

from http://www.bossgloves.com/

I think it looks like Amazon (and many others) have the unbranded version of the Flexi Pro.

Anyone got more suggestions?

As I've written in other threads, personally, I think that a knife like this

http://www.buymilspec.com/44691.html {victorinox oyster with finger guard}

with a short, broad blade and a 'finger guard' is much safer (particularly for the occasional shucker) than the long thin New England styles (which I learn really are called "stabbers" ).

The finger guard protects the fingers from the sharp edge of the shell and serves to limit how far the knife can skid. That limitation combined with the short, broad and comparatively blunt-tipped blade makes it very hard to stab yourself. And reducing the risk from the blade makes things less critical for the glove.

I'm sure other knives could be faster, especially in professional hands, but that's not the point for the less experienced user!

[Busboy]

After you drive that shucker into the meat of your palm a couple of times your technique improves dramatically and you can just use a kitchen towel.

All these mits look as though they're made to protect your hand from the oyster itself, whereas in my experience it's the knife that's the real danger, unless you're opening a couple hundred at a a time.

[budrichard]

The best glove is made from Spectra fiber or other some such, while not moisture proof, it is stab proof. I have an Ansell Edmont which is not listed in the current catalog but it looks like its been replaced by equivalent gloves. http://www.ansellpro.com/food/index.asp

After stabbing my self once many years ago, I never open a clam or oyster without a cut-resistant glove. Note: up until I had stabbed myself i had been opening clams/oyster for many years, but sooner or later it happens. Price is not a concern for safety.-Dick

[dougal]

Its not exactly a glove, but it is about holding the oyster safely ...

Its a rubbery block with a cunningly shaped indentation to stabilise the oyster on your work surface.

And the front hooks down over the edge of your counter/table to restrain the block.

From France, and called "Le Clic Huitre", I wish it was sold on its own rather than bundled with a rather iffy-looking knife...

http://shop.lochfyne.com/Products/Oyster_Knife

... There is one simple reason why all of the above are superfluous. The irksome business of cleaving oysters - splintered shells, bloody fingers and all - has been licked once and for all by a simple French device known as Le Clic Huitre ... It consists of a basic, long-bladed knife and a plastic oyster-holder which resembles a soapdish. Put the oyster in the holder and hold down, insert the knife at the hinge end of the shellfish and Robert est votre oncle.

1998 'design' article http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertai...se-1189053.html

ADDED: Its under €10 in France http://www.valsedesprix.com/clic-huitres.htm (with video)

And as an incidental, I discovered that Wusthof offer an oyster knife of the style I believe safest

http://www.mulberryhall.co.uk/Item/View/Wu...ysterKnife.html

but at that price, I'll stick with my old faithful, thanks.

Edited August 28, 2009 by dougal (log)