"Cut Level 5" gets requested a lot when people are buying gloves for sharp materials — sheet metal, glass, blades. It's a real, meaningful rating, but the system behind it is worth understanding, especially since it's being phased out.
Where the 1-5 Scale Comes From
Under the older cut-resistance test (part of the AS/NZS 2161 series), a rotating circular blade is drawn across the glove material under a fixed load, and the number of rotations it takes to cut through determines the rating. More rotations withstood means a higher number — Cut Level 5 is the highest rating under this system.
Why the Rating Is Changing
The newer test method (ISO 13997, referenced in the updated EN 388:2016 standard) uses a straight sliding blade instead of a rotating one, and measures the force in Newtons needed to cut through the material. Gloves tested this way are rated on a letter scale, A through F, rather than the old 1-5 numbers — it's a more precise measurement, but it means a glove's rating can look different depending on which test method the manufacturer used.
What This Means When You're Buying
If you see "Cut Level 5" on one glove and "Cut F" on another, they're not directly comparable at a glance — they come from different test methods, even though both sit at the top end of cut protection. Check which test standard is quoted on the spec sheet, and if you're unsure, ask before assuming two gloves offer the same protection just because both claim "the highest rating."
Browse our Hand Protection range and check the cut-rating test method listed on each product.
1st Safety is based in Auburn, NSW, and supplies AS/NZS-compliant PPE to trades, construction, and industrial businesses across Australia.