How Do I Dye A Baseball Glove?

[bobby guns]

Hi.

First post.

This would probably be an easy project for most of you, but it's my first time working with leather.

I want to dye a baseball glove black and have a few questions.

The glove is used and in need of conditioning. (I wasn't going to use a lanolin-based glove conditioner).

- Should I condition the glove first, or wait until after the dye job is complete?

-Is Fiebing's dye the way to go? How many coats will likely be necessary to make tan leather black?

-Do I need to seal the dye afterwards? I don't want the glove to look like it's been shellacked, but would seal it if necessary.

Finally, is it possible to dye white stitching and embroidery? I take it the stitching is synthetic and doesn't respond to leather dye. Is there something else I can use?

Thanks a lot for your help.

[Dwight]

Two words, Bobby: Good Luck,...........

Actually, I said that with a smile, . . . because your project is not that hard, . . . and can be done.

You will want to clean the glove first, . . . get the dirt, trash, oil, grease, wax, . . . all that stuff off it.

Good old cheap rubbing alcohol will do that, . . . put it on a wash cloth, . . . rub the glove, . . . but since you are going black, . . . just get the dirt, . . . don't get all deeply involved in this part of the task.

Next, . . . let it dry, . . . at least one full 24 hour period, . . . maybe in front of a fan, . . . but no extra heat.

Buy Feibings pro oil dye, . . . and a package of their large wool daubers, . . . looks like a little wooly pom-pom.

Mix the dye with Feibings thinner, . . . 2 thinner to 1 dye should work, . . . and start daubing it all on.

Unlace your fingers, . . . and the pocket, . . . also the cuff, . . . dip the lace, pocket, etc. into a little pan full of the dye.

Just keep going over it, . . . first few times it will look like a muddy zebra, . . . but it will come around after several coats on each area.

Make sure you are wearing rubber or vinyl gloves, . . . this dye doesn't wash off, . . . but it will wear off in 6 or 8 days.

Again, . . . let the glove fully dry, . . . then put more vinyl gloves on, . . . grab a washcloth you never want to use on your face again, . . . and buff the glove, the pocket, the laces, . . . buff it like you are wanting it to shine, . . . which IS what you want it to do.

Apply a good coat of neetsfoot oil with another "never to be used" washcloth, . . . over the entire surface that was dyed. Let it dry another 24 hours.

Here, . . . you will need to make a decision, . . . is the leather still dry???? If it is, . . . add a second coat of oil.

When it dries, . . . give it a coat of Aussie wax or Atom wax, . . . I'm not into ball gloves, so I don't know for which of those would be best, . . . ask at the store.

Don't try to dye the inside, . . . and if there are stitches that did not like the dye, . . . finish the whole product with a Sharpie, . . . it'll blacken the stitches, . . . etc.

Again, . . . Good luck.

May God bless,

Dwight

[bobby guns]

Thank you for the detailed response, Dwight. It is much appreciated.

Two questions - is the neetsfoot oil important to the dyeing process, or is that for conditioning? I ask, because neetsfoot oil has fallen out of favor as a conditioner. If it's to condition, I'd rather use something else. (Players don't want their gloves to get to floppy, or too heavy with oil soaked leather.)

What does the Aussie or atom wax do?

Thanks again.

[Dwight]

No, . . . neetsfoot oil is not for the dying process.

It is basically a preservative / conditioner. You may use many other things, . . . nothing will beat it for preserving your glove.

After the dying process, . . . the glove WILL BE dried out of some of the natural oils that produced a natural suppleness before you dyed it. The neetsfoot oil restores that.

That is where I told you to make the decision, . . . is it too dry? Without it, . . . it will be.

The Aussie or Atom wax are more a finish than anything else, . . . kinda seals it up, . . . makes it ready to use.

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited December 16, 2014 by Dwight