Anyone wear gloves to handle vacuum tubes?

@vuch I use special hand stitched, exotic leather, custom made

Would that be fine Corinthian leather?

Make sure they're cool and use cotton gloves, finger cots or surgical gloves.  The acids from your skin on hot glass can over time etch the surface making it porous causing the tube to lose vacuum.  I'm sure someone is going to dispute this, live and learn!

Whoever first spread the rumor years ago that skin oil damages tubes was an absolute fool, but washing your hands before handling them is a good idea.

I’m sure someone is going to dispute this, live and learn!

@faustuss ,

You are correct!

I’m totally disputing this. Since the ideal material for storing acids is glass, and highly corrosive hydrofluoric acid is about the only acid that etches glass, this is pegging my Poppycock meter to the point I had to unplug it and take an aspirin. Some manufactures literally acid etched their date codes on their tubes without stressing the integrity of the glass after decades. 🤔

@thecarpathian I do not think this is the case with Vacuum Tubes. This is very much so true when handling Halogen Light Bulbs as they run very hot and would could burn the oils deposited on the bulb from your hands. KT88 not so much.

I still am cautious and do wear gloves when rolling tubes.