THE GLOVE DOCTOR · NEW YORK

Baseball glove repair & restoration.

John Golomb, the Glove Doctor, is a leading conservator of baseball gloves, with more than 70,000 gloves restored since 1987. Today, he restores gloves by hand in our New York studio alongside his daughter Joie.

Football, striking bag, or boxing glove?
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John Golomb working on a glove in the GOLOMB studioJohn Golomb · The Glove Doctor
40+ years in sporting goods
Relacing to full restoration
No work without your approval

REPAIR OPTIONS

Find the right repair for your glove.

JOHN'S RESTORATION WORK

Full leather restoration

John repairs worn linings, torn leather, webs, binding, and padding by hand. Every glove is assessed individually. The standard queue can be 2–4 months before work begins; we confirm current timing with your quote.

Explore restoration work ↗
RELACING AND CARE

Relacing, cleaning & conditioning

For a glove that needs fresh lace and care without extensive leather reconstruction. We also replace individual broken laces. Relacing and care typically takes 1–2 weeks once we have your glove; we confirm timing before you send it.

See common prices ↗
RESERVED CALENDAR WINDOW

Priority appointment slot

Reserve a specific window for your glove’s repair. You hold onto it until the agreed date, then send or drop it off for that slot. This scheduling option costs extra and requires a deposit; we confirm availability and the return plan with you.

Ask about priority ↗

WHAT WE REPAIR

Refurbish, restore, repair.

Relacing is only part of what comes through the studio. John also repairs holes in linings, leather tears, broken webs, worn binding, wrist straps, missing loops, and padding. If you are not sure what your glove needs, send us photos.

Tell us about your glove ↗
Baseball glove repair detail

Relacing

Broken, stretched, or brittle lace. Full relaces and individual repairs.

LACES AND STRUCTURE
Baseball glove repair detail

Linings and leather

Worn interiors, holes in the palm, and leather that has given way.

LEATHER RECONSTRUCTION
Baseball glove repair detail

Webs and binding

Torn web leather, loose web structure, and frayed glove edges.

EDGES AND WEBS
Baseball glove repair detail

Padding and support

Compressed felt, failed finger supports, and palm shock pads.

FEEL AND PROTECTION
Baseball glove repair detail

Fit details

Thumb and little-finger loops, wrist straps, finger pads, and hooks.

SMALL PARTS, BIG DIFFERENCE
Baseball glove repair detail

Full restoration

Several repairs in one glove, assessed together to preserve its feel.

COMPLEX WORK

Beyond baseball gloves.

We also repair leather footballs, vintage lace-style basketballs, striking bags, and boxing gloves. From bladder replacement and relacing to leather, lining, and padding repairs, John assesses each piece individually.

Vintage leather football with lace-up closure
Football repair
Vintage leather striking bag
Striking bag repair

THE WORK, IN DETAIL

Preserve its look and feel.

John replaces what has failed and preserves original elements wherever possible. The goal is to give your glove a second life without losing the look and feel you know.

Leather and lining assessed by handOriginal elements preserved when possibleOnly the repairs you approve
Close view of a baseball glove interior
Glove interior
Leather and lining detail in a baseball glove
Leather and lining detail
John Golomb and Joie in the family studio

JOHN GOLOMB · THE GLOVE DOCTOR

The Original Glove Doctor.

John joined his family’s sporting-goods business in the late 1970s as a product designer. He began his own baseball glove restoration work in 1987 and has spent decades learning what can be repaired, what needs replacing, and how to preserve the glove’s original fit and feel.

Today, his daughter Joie works alongside him as his apprentice. Together, they carry the family business forward, with John still at the repair table.

Professional relacers: explore supplies, referrals, and leather-work collaboration ↗

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FROM QUOTE TO RETURN

How glove repair works.

John evaluates each glove individually. We confirm his recommended repair, cost, and timing with you before work begins.

Start with photos ↗

Tell us about your glove

Send photos and describe the wear through the repair form.

Review your quote

You receive John’s recommendation, pricing, current timing, and the option of a priority slot if you need one.

Send your glove

Ship it to us, use a prepaid packing kit, or arrange local drop-off. For a priority slot, keep your glove until the agreed window.

Repair and return

The approved repair is done in our studio, then we return your glove.

Mail-in from anywhere

We provide instructions once the repair and timing are agreed. The prepaid packing kit is optional.

Local drop-off

Customers in Northern Westchester can drop off at Croton Running Company in Croton-on-Hudson.

CLEAR PRICING

Repair pricing.

Every glove is quoted based on its condition and the work required. These prices show common repairs; we confirm your quote before any work begins.

Individual lace

$40 per lace

For a broken or worn section when the rest of the glove remains sound.

Full relace

$100 fielder · $115 catcher/1B

New laces throughout the glove. Color choices are discussed with your quote.

Leather and restoration

Quoted individually

Linings, binding, web, palm, and structural work vary by glove and condition.

Requesting a quote is free. A priority appointment has an additional fee and requires a deposit when booked. We do only the work you approve.

A FEW PRACTICAL ANSWERS

Before you send it.

Will the glove still feel like mine?

We preserve original elements wherever possible to maintain the look and feel you know. We explain what needs replacing before you approve the work.

How long will my repair take?

Relacing and care typically takes 1–2 weeks once we have your glove. Full restoration may have a 2–4 month queue before work begins. We confirm the current estimate with your quote. If you need a defined work window, ask about a paid priority appointment before sending your glove.

Do I need to know exactly what is wrong?

No. Photos and a description of what you notice are enough to start. We’ll recommend the right repair after reviewing the glove.

Do you repair other leather sporting goods?

Yes. We also evaluate leather footballs, vintage lace-style basketballs, striking bags, and some boxing gloves. See other repair services ↗

READY WHEN YOU ARE

Ready to find out what your glove needs?

Send us photos and a description of the problem. We’ll recommend the right repair and give you a quote.

Request a repair quote