My glove's gone mushy!!!

[nitejrny282]

I kept my softball glove wrapped with a ball for the year I wasn't playing. But breaking it out again, it was very mushy yet dry. I used mink oil with lanolin to treat it, wrapped it back up with a softball and towel and tried again a week later. Still too mushy. Not enough body to hold the impact of the ball. Someone plese tell me what I can do to bring what was once a magic glove just a few years ago, back to life. Thanks.

[BretMan]

Not really a rules question, but never the less...

I collect and restore antique and vintage gloves as a hobby, so I've dealt with just about every kind of mashed and mangled floppy glove you can imagine. From what you describe, my best guess would be that a glove relacing is in order. Replacing the laces of an old glove will almost always restore the form to near-new condition. In fact, many old gloves that I relace will require some additional break-in work, as they will be quite inflexible.

Possibly, you may have used too much mink oil, which can make a glove too floppy- and make the laces floppy, too. I only use small amounts of mink oil on brand new gloves if they are very stiff or on older ones that are dry and rock hard. An overapplication of mink oil can make the leather turn to mush. If you use it, go lightly!

Lanolin is one of the best- if not the best- leather treatments out there. I doubt that the "floppiness" is cause by lanolin use.

Replacing- or even retightening- the laces will most likely solve your problem. If you can't find someone to do this in your area, drop me a line as I often do mail order repair jobs.



[Edited by BretMan on Apr 5th, 2005 at 01:13 PM]

[nitejrny282]

You wouldn't happen to live in the Los Angeles area, would you? I have a game next Sunday and would need my glove relaced by then. And yes, it was floppy before I applied the mink oil/lanolin, hoping it would stiffen it up.

[BretMan]

Nope, sorry. I'm stuck in the wilds of Ohio- Columbus, to be exact.

If you can't find someone in your area, and can find the time, contact me through the e-mail address in my profile. Gloves can be sent through the post office or UPS next day air. It could get pricey to send it there and back that way. The post office also offers Priority Mail which is a 2-3 day delivery for around $5- $7.

Besides the two-way shipping charge, I would charge only the cost for the new laces, which would be about $10.

Here's the link to a glove repair shop in California, but I think that it is pretty far north of you.

http://www.sandalady.com/

Good luck!

[nitejrny282]

I can send my glove to you today. If you get it tomorrow, what's the soonest you think you could have it back for me?

[BretMan]

At most, it would take me a couple of hours to relace your glove. I could have it in the mail the next day after receiving it.

Here's my personal e-mail address:

[email protected]