What Happens During a Baseball Glove Restoration?

People ask us this regularly, and it is a fair question. Sending a glove across the country to someone you found online requires some trust. Here is exactly what happens when a glove comes into our shop.

Evaluation

Every glove starts with a careful look. We check the exterior leather for cracking, dryness, and structural integrity. We check the interior lining for holes, rot, and wear. We check every lace in the glove, not just the broken ones. We check the web, the binding, the stitching, and the pocket.

This evaluation determines what the glove actually needs versus what it might appear to need. Sometimes a glove that looks rough on the outside has a solid interior and only needs relacing. Sometimes a glove that looks presentable has a completely deteriorated lining. We assess the whole thing before we quote the work.

Disassembly

Restoration begins with taking the glove apart. All the lacing comes out. If we are doing interior work, we open the glove and remove the old lining carefully. 

Interior reconstruction

When the interior needs replacement, we cut new leather to match the original pattern. We use different weights of leather for different parts of the glove. The palm takes more impact and gets heavier leather. The back of the hand gets a lighter weight. The leather we use is full-grain, which is a better material than the split leather used in the interiors of many imported gloves.

Once the pieces are cut, we punch the holes, stitch the pattern on a heavy-duty sewing machine, and fit the new lining into the original shell. The binding is then stitched and secured.

Cleaning and conditioning

Once the structural work is done, we clean the exterior leather and condition it. Leather that has dried out needs moisture restored carefully and gradually. Conditioning protects the leather and helps it remain pliable through regular use.

Relacing

After the interior work is complete, the glove gets fully relaced. We use premium American leather laces in the customer's choice of color. The lacing goes through every part of the glove, the web, the fingers, the heel, the binding. Proper lacing tension is what gives the glove its shape and responsiveness. 

Final inspection

Before a glove leaves the shop, we go through it again. Every lace, every stitch, every seam. We are sending this glove back to someone who cares about it. The standard for what leaves here is the same regardless of the age or value of the glove.

What you get back

A glove that plays like itself again. The pocket is tight, the web holds its shape, the leather is conditioned, and the lacing is new throughout. Customers regularly tell us it feels better than it did when they first broke it in.

That is the goal every time.

Good equipment deserves great care.