Polyco cut level F gloves are the highest cut-protection class under EN 388:2016. First, the headline. Both Polyco Bladeshades and Polyco Bladerunner reach Level F — the top of the scale — but they suit different jobs. Bladeshades favours fine handling and tactile feedback. Bladerunner favours abrasion endurance and grip on oily metal. As a result, picking the wrong one can leave your operators either over-protected and clumsy, or under-gripped and dropping parts.
What Cut Level F actually means
Under EN ISO 13997 (the test method behind EN 388 cut levels A–F), Level F means the glove withstands at least 30 newtons of cutting force before the blade penetrates. By comparison, Level A withstands only 2 newtons. Therefore, Cut Level F gloves protect against deep, slipping cuts from sheet metal, glass, and broken castings. However, no glove is “cut-proof” against direct stab or saw blades.
Polyco Bladeshades: the precision Cut F glove
- Liner: 13-gauge HPPE/steel composite for tight-fitting tactility.
- Coating: nitrile foam palm with finger-pad reinforcement.
- Best at: glass handling, sheet-metal sorting, lock-out parts assembly — jobs that need both Cut F and finger feel.
- Limitation: abrasion holds up well, but the thin liner shows wear faster on rough castings.
Polyco Bladerunner: the heavy-duty Cut F glove
- Liner: 10-gauge composite with steel and HPPE for maximum durability.
- Coating: textured nitrile or PU palm depending on variant, optimised for oily grip.
- Best at: stamping presses, foundries, automotive press shops, glass plate handling.
- Limitation: bulkier liner reduces fine-finger control on small parts.
Side-by-side: which to specify
If your team handles parts smaller than 30 mm or fasteners under M6, Bladeshades wins on dexterity. However, if your line involves wet metal, oil, or hot castings above 60 °C surface temperature, Bladerunner's thicker liner and oil-grip coating earn their keep. In addition, Bladerunner usually lasts 1.5x longer per operator, so total cost per shift is roughly equal despite a higher unit price.
Sizing and rotation strategy
First, fit-test both gloves on a representative sample of operators before bulk ordering. Next, rotate two pairs per operator per shift — Cut F gloves wear out faster when used continuously without cool-down. Furthermore, never wash and reuse a Cut F glove that shows liner wires — the steel filament protects the cut rating, and a damaged liner drops the glove to Level B or worse. Above all, train your supervisors to spot end-of-life wear.
Reference standards for your audit pack
The cut performance of every Polyco glove is tested per ISO 13997 in addition to EN 388:2016. Therefore, your auditor can trace the rating to a recognised international method, not just a marketing letter.
Phil Industries: Polyco specialist for Singapore
Phil Industries supplies the full Polyco Healthline glove range with Singapore stock for Bladeshades and Bladerunner. For a free fit-test kit and trial pairs, message our engineer on WhatsApp at +65 8127 1274 or use our contact page. In short, Polyco cut level F gloves protect — pick Bladeshades for finesse, Bladerunner for force.
