Woodturners' Smocks

For years now, British turners have been the envy of the world with their superbly made and cleverly-designed smocks from Lovell.  There's hardly a turner on the demonstration circuit that doesn't swear by them and we have supplied large numbers of these excellent garments to turners and woodworkers all around the globe.

OK, I hear you say; lots of words, lots of superlatives, but what sets these garments apart?  Look at these design points and see what our clients say about them.

Made from heavyweight, natural, unbleached, close-weave, pre-shrunk cotton drill which will wear and wash, wear and wash, year in, year out.  Keeps out the dust, yet lets moisture evaporate for natural comfort.  Eliminates the sweaty, clingy, clammy feel of nylon or other artificial fibres!

A full length metal zip from hem to neck making for easy putting on and taking off.  No more struggling with pulling overalls over your head!  NB: It seems that in some countries, zips are gender-specific.  Not in Europe!  All our zips have the tag on the left "rack".

Velcro closures on the wrist to allow them to be cinched closed to keep shavings out, or released for ventilation and freedom of movement.  Forget itchy elasticated or knitted cuffs, picking up chips and shavings!

Two large patch pockets on the rear mean you can keep all your dusters and polishing cloths to hand, yet be free of the tyranny of pockets full of shavings.  No chance to get these pockets caught up in machinery, knobs, levers etc. either.  Safety is the workshop watchword.

A stand-up collar with wrap-over front secured by a Velcro closure to keep flying shavings out of your shirt-front.  Isn't it amazing where the shavings end up otherwise?

Although the fabric is pre-shrunk, we would recommend a cool wash cycle as this is real cotton and will shrink further if washed at a high temerature.

And appreciate the sort of attention to detail that adds a Velcro tab on the left shoulder so that the collar wrap-over, when open, can be safely and comfortably turned back clear of the chin and neck.

As to quality, these smocks were tested with a wide range of other protective clothing produced for the woodturner's use.  Whilst the full results of the final 'test to destruction' had to be suppressed for 'political' reasons, we can report that the only garment which survived the rigours of the test was this smock.  Yes, that's quality.

Hands are of great importance to us as woodworkers and as such should be well looked after. Whether the work is cutting down the tree from which to get the wood, or carrying the wood to the car, gloves are always a must. As a natural material, wood presents hazards with its sharp edges and splinters which can be the source of cuts, grazes and infections - including hepatitis, which is frequently spread through hand injuries. Put on a pair of gloves and the problem is reduced. We supply two types of work gloves suitable for different applications. Those shown here on the left, are soft, pliable, thin but extremely hard-wearing goatskin leather, comfortable to wear and afford a responsive grip.  Those shown pictured to the right are rough, tough material handling gloves. These gloves are made of a tougher leather and as such are very hard wearing indeed.  They are resistant to sharp splinters and feature a rubberised cuff with vein protection patch.  Unlike many such gloves offered for sale, these are genuinely 'man-size' and whilst not haute couture are comfortable to wear.  At this price you can afford to treat them as disposable!  They're great in the garden too!

The ultimate protection against cutting hazards is provided by cut-resistant gloves.  (That is not to say that they are un-cuttable or un-puncturable, please note!).  We have found the Silverline cut resistant gloves to be effective and economical.  These are latex-coated  cut resistant gloves, using Kevlar as the key protection material, which afford an excellent grip thanks to the rubberised coating.  The gloves are knitted too, so afford adequate ventilation in warmer seasons and are flexible, so do not inhibit hand movement or impair manual dexterity.See images, below, for examples of use of these gloves.