What shade number is light cutting, up to 1 inch?

• A. 2
• B. 3 or 4
• C. 5
• D. 6

Answer: (B)

Shade numbers indicate how dark the protective lens must be to shield your eyes from the bright light produced during cutting or welding. For cutting with an oxy-fuel flame, the brightness isn't as extreme as arc welding, so lighter protection is enough when the material is thin.

For light cutting up to about 1 inch, a lens shade of 3 or 4 provides adequate protection while still letting you see the cut line clearly. Using a shade lighter than that (like 2) may not offer enough protection, and using a much darker shade (like 5 or 6) would hinder visibility more than necessary for this range of thickness. So the best fit for light cutting up to 1 inch is shade 3 or 4.