How to Care for Leather Work Gloves || Black Gumbo

Рет қаралды 55,220

Күн бұрын

Here's a topic that is often overlooked by casual backyard gardeners. I'll tell you why I like leather work gloves for gardening, and how to care for them. Here I will show you my method, why I chose the products I chose, and how to apply it. I prefer a glove that conforms, is pliable and soft, is mostly water-proof, and, well, "fits like a glove." I'd enjoy hearing how you take care of leather too.
I will also talk briefly about oilcloth and using boiled linseed oil to add a layer of water resistance to hats and cloth the way they used to in more simple times.
I currently receive no benefit from providing product links or reviews, but for the love of good things, here's the stuff:
You can find the gloves here:
smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B...
Leather Dressing here:
www.amazon.com/Pecard-Leather...
Support my channel and get 10% off of your order at ivorganics.com/ , use my promo code: GUMBO10
Support my channel by shopping at Seeds for Generations:
seedsforgenerations.com/?ref=171
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Black Gumbo shares our suburban, backyard, sustainable gardening efforts. We work a small-scale, typical Zone 9a garden and raised beds, the kind of gardening accessible to all. We tend to take the slice of life approach and hope you will enjoy our family, our dog, our cooking, our adventures, and occasionally some commentary and advice. We love family, joy and friendship, and we invite you to enjoy these things with us!
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Пікірлер: 119

@falcon19x 5 жыл бұрын

I'm 75 years old. Have used neatsfoot oil all my life and never had a problem with it. Saddles, bridles, holsters, boots, you name it.

@barrybrum Жыл бұрын

Great video, thanks for creating and posting it. Keep in mind that clean gloves last longer by far than gloves with dirt and chemicals left in them. Especially any work gloves that have been exposed to petroleum products. I suggest that you clean them first, then oil them. I use saddle soap paste and a clean rag for spot cleaning of my gloves and I use glycerin bar soap and warm tap water for a more thorough cleaning. Just put the gloves on and wash and rinse your gloved hands a few times. Blot them with a dry towel to remove excess water, but don't twist or stretch them, which can distort their shapes. Lay the well rinsed gloves out flat on a dry towel and reshape them periodically. But, my REALLY dirty leather gloves get tossed in the washing machine along with my work clothes. They of course won't last as long as hand-washed gloves, but by the time they get relegated to the washer, they are nearing the end of their functional life anyway. I use Snow Seal for moisturizing and waterproofing my leather gloves. I'm 71, own a farm in Missouri, and I've been caring for my leather work and dress gloves for more than 50 of those years..

@lauraschwager1665 5 жыл бұрын

I like that you show the gloves that you like in action! That adds a nice touch to your video!

@rachelcarson7019 5 жыл бұрын

I thought I was the only one who geeked out on proper gloves. I’ve tried all those clever options too. I guess I’ll have to bite the bullet and get a couple good pairs of leather. Nuttin beats the real deal! Reminds me of conditioning my son’s first baseball glove 😊

@ScottHead 5 жыл бұрын

Yeah this stuff works great on old baseball mits. I reconditioned mine from the 1980s that had baked in our attic for 20+ years and it was nice and pliable and a wonderful old glove. A little small now but worked fine to play catch with my son. :-)

@ardentarrosa8442 4 жыл бұрын

I've used neetsfoot for my leather gloves, and so far so good. It's not degrading the thread or anything like that. I'm very happy with it. Thanks for your awesome video!

@paulf2529 3 жыл бұрын

I agree with all you say about leather work gloves. I use huberds shoe grease and shoe oil. It contains nothing but beeswax and pine tar, it works superbly on boots and leather gloves.

@ryanhell8389 7 ай бұрын

At home here in the Pacific Northwest the guys who taught me to take care of nice work boots and outdoor leather boots; they swore by Hubbards. I’ve used it half my life. Hard to find lately. Seems all these other players are in the game of leather treatment and every store carries some different brand and variety of stuff than all the others mS just like that proven tradition was turned into brand name know it all BS like everything else. +1 for Hubbards though: I’d do my work boots once a year or maybe more latter years as leather seemed to be drying out faster.

@grafxgrl8030 Жыл бұрын

I love the international replies - so cool to learn what others use/do!

@rigopinedagarcia 4 жыл бұрын

Hi Scott. Thanks for sharing your knowledge about how to take care of your working gloves. For me, it is very important to use gloves that fit and conform my hands pretty well, due that I have pain problems in both hands. At night, I even sleep with wooly gloves on, which in a tropical country is hard to get use to. But you do what you have to do. For me, in Nicaragua, linseed oil would be an expensive option to choose for this purpose; thus, I usually use simple baseline for my work gloves, is cheap and works pretty good. As I said, this is a cheap option you can try if you live abroad the USA. It may not be as good as linseed oil, buy it'll do the job. Greetings from Nicaragua.

@CBsGreenhouseandGarden 5 жыл бұрын

Yes Sir those are some really good gloves. All those others just don't cut it for gardening. I have found a new pair of Kobalt gloves that Lowes sells that I fell in love with. Not as good as my old leather ones but they are very close. Thanks for the info on how to take care of them. Hope you have a great rest of the week!

@kyjukalamity104 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you I just got myself a pair work gloves and needed some info on how to make last a good while and this helped out 🤠

@SprocketWalker 2 жыл бұрын

Please be careful with linseed oil. Saturated, discarded rags can and will spontaneity combust if left wadded up. Hang wet rags up to dry outside before disposing of. Thanks for the video!

@manaudlongboards5128 4 жыл бұрын

Great video! In Spain we use horse grease for leather. Literally the fat from a dead horse is used and it works amazing. It isn't as liquid as oil but it works a lot better. Hope I helped in some way.

@markharrisson372 Жыл бұрын

Neats foot oil specifies "will not degrade stitching! I have used it for years and stitching does not degrade!

@grafxgrl8030 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for this well-researched message!

@butchporter5424 Жыл бұрын

If I care about the color, I use Bick 4. It's the only thing I've found that absolutely will not darken the leather. But it provides little water resistance. If I don't care about the color, like with work boots or gloves, I go with Huberd's Shoe Grease. It's mainly pine tar and beeswax, and smells like a campfire. It will darken the leather, but lasts a long time and provides pretty good waterproofing.

@therusticranchgarden 5 жыл бұрын

great info. i will do that to my leather gloves for sure. thanks.

@reaganl.5113 5 жыл бұрын

I have used Boiled Linseed Oil on my yard tools and their handles as well as a some WWII era rifle stocks that were in dyer need of some help. I read somewhere that there was an old saying, 'Apply once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year...then once a year for life.' I have some of my fathers shovels and rakes that he would coat using fine steel wool in the summertime, they still repel water and have a deep walnut color to them. I know these yard tools are at least as old as me. You can also apply it to the metal parts to inhibit rust on tools, I don't know about using it on firearm metals personally.

@ScottHead 5 жыл бұрын

Yeah that saying about the linseed oil on gunstocks is something I've heard too. Its great on gun stocks and can give that deep gem-like luster to the wood when worked in over time. Nothing quite beats it. For the metal on firearms, I prefer CLP Breakfree, it actually dries and leafs a prtective and lubricating teflon coat behind. I had a barreled action from an old Mosin in my garage for nearly a decade in our humid weather, absolutely no rust because I slathered it with CLP before leaning it in a corner. Finally came back to it and assembled it to a surplus stock, and its as good as it ever was. I love that stuff.

@joechapman1415 2 жыл бұрын

thank you I appreciate your help, very informative

@thebeezneez1000 2 жыл бұрын

GREAT video, thank you!

@CrispyFrenFry 3 жыл бұрын

Great video and suggestions: however, I'd recommend using saddle soap to thoroughly clean the leather and unclog the pores of dirt and unnecessary oils and then follow it with a leather conditioner of your choice.

@tomokoyamamoto1701 3 жыл бұрын

Could you able to suggest how to restore ladies dress glove which had fur around the wrist? It’s got completely immersed in puddle water and now very stiff. Pls let me know how to restore it if you can help me.

@matildaadventurer41 2 жыл бұрын

Here in Australia we swear by Dubbin. We use it on gloves, boots, belts, saddles, everything leather.

@briandawkins984 2 жыл бұрын

I agree absolutely. I used dubbin to revive my stiff leather gloves.

@factorybear5264 2 жыл бұрын

I use udder balm or straight up coconut oil in a pinch. Wells LaMont baby!

@craftfarms901 5 жыл бұрын

I agree. Leather gloves are the best. They do conform to your hands to make things easier. I bought a couple of good pairs from Harbor Freight. I have tried my leather cleaning from Saddleback Leather that I use on my work bags. It's called Chamberlain's Leather Milk. It seems to work okay. Thanks for the information!

@guyonDmoon 2 жыл бұрын

Should I wash my leather glove or do I just brush it off and rub oil on it?

@alexwest2573 3 жыл бұрын

“I don’t have a fine steed, I have a corgi” 😂😂

@guyonDmoon 2 жыл бұрын

Should I wash my leather glove or do I just brush it off and rub oil on it?

@BDE2 3 жыл бұрын

Nice video. Thanks for the info

@soggy_toast_69 2 жыл бұрын

he says pardon, yk you can trust his word

@francoisbelangerboisclair 4 жыл бұрын

If you want to really take care of your gloves. You can go in a saddlery shop. They usually sell professional products for leather and know their stuff if you find a good one. It's also way cheaper compared to a shoe shop.

@kingsoutdoors4379 3 жыл бұрын

Saddlesoap😁

@holyeti3553 2 жыл бұрын

Thought about wearing the other glove also and thoroughly rubbing your hands together with a few dabs of the oil ? Nice vid btw .

@krisyallowega5487 Жыл бұрын

Yeah, I am afraid that the best product that works for me is good old saddle soap. A $10 tin will last me a few years. I have learnt that a little goes a long way with leather products. It all depends how much time we take in applying it. My pigskin gloves have yet to let me down for over 10years now. Once a year, I lather up some saddle soap and scrub the palm side of my gloves with a soft nylon brush. I leave the suds alone for no more than one minute, then wipe off with a damp cloth. Air dry overnight(or longer), then store until Spring. I have a collection of garden gloves that were gifted to me over the years that still have their tags on them. I will never give up my garden gloves. After so many years of work, pinched by tools, scraped on raised beds and pots, there is barely a scuff on them. They are by no means pristine, you can tell they've been worn but they are not worn out, which is what a garden glove should be.

@nicholasromano1422 3 жыл бұрын

You might look into fixin' wax as well. Josh Enyart over at Grey Bearded Green Beret has a video on how to make it. Great video!

@joecolyer3913 2 жыл бұрын

Smith’s Leather Balm works pretty well.

@GrammaRosesHomestead 5 жыл бұрын

I've been making my own beeswax-based hand conditioner bars for several years and also use the same recipe as lip balm and furniture polish. The only ingredients in it are beeswax, coco butter (or shea butter) olive oil, and a light liquid oil such as almond oil. +/- essential oil for fragrance. No Petrochemicals. Think Burts Bees. After watching your video I looked online and found an excellent article on Instructables.com for making leather conditioner. You can tweak the ratios of the waxes / butters/ oils to get exactly the consistency you want. If you want more information on this, your best bet would bee to look into skin care lotion bars. You'll find a long lists comparing different oils and how they should be used and which ones are interchangeable in a recipe. Good look with this.

@ScottHead 5 жыл бұрын

I wish I had bees, but the only bulk source of beeswax close to me is the art supply store, and I suspect that's premium priced wax because artists can be easily duped (I am a creative professional, I know how they over-sell us, lol). What's a good source for beeswax for we without bees?

@vickijacksonmcgaugh6629 5 жыл бұрын

I buy in bulk for my soap company, this is an excellent smaller source. www.bulkapothecary.com/product/raw-ingredients/waxes-and-butters/beeswax-white-and-yellow/?sku=h-009-butwax-23&gclid=CjwKCAjw27jnBRBuEiwAdjQXDDxbLYL7CZZKT2BrvQB9RZDr1y5y1182Q61YuPw0OUKOhvFYzkwdQxoCdlYQAvD_BwE

@ubuntunewb 5 жыл бұрын

@scott You can also find beeswax on Amazon or find a local bee keeper. I know a beekeeper that sales the wax in 1oz or 1lb @ Big Creek Farms in Shepherd ~1.5hr from you.

@johnmichaelkramer399 4 жыл бұрын

@@ScottHead Amazon

@butchporter5424 Жыл бұрын

I had a guy who's been in the shoe repair business longer than I've been alive tell me don't use any animal oil or most plant oils on leather. No mink oil, olive oil, etc. Of course, he also told me he cleans every leather shoe that comes through the door with Fantastik, so... who knows what's right?

@revan_247am6 Жыл бұрын

I used a good moisturizer lotion and fixed very dry and stiff leather work gloves now their more comfortable but not perfect

@benmorris7276 4 жыл бұрын

I use lanolin on my boots and gloves and it works very well at conditioning and softening the leather with out degrading the stichting

@ScottHead 4 жыл бұрын

Great tip! Thanks.

@craiglee1707 10 ай бұрын

Regular hand lotion is what is used on the railroad. It's made for skin so it makes sense. It also prevents the glove from robbing the moisture from your hands

@jojitsu5620 10 ай бұрын

Good to know. Thanks

@mikeharrington5593 5 жыл бұрын

Natural coconut oil effective for footwear, but not sure if its use on gloves will preserve the required suppleness & flexibility.

@markhamilton3215 2 жыл бұрын

The BEST Cowhide leather gloves i ever weared was the genuine TRUE GRIT ones...they dont make them anymore (since years and its just so sad) I bought ULINE ones that i received today and man its not the same ...it dont stick and feel like a 2th skin anymore...

@saurabhsharma9737 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing!

@guyonDmoon 2 жыл бұрын

Should I wash my leather glove in the washer before or do I just brush it off and rub oil on it?

@tombeckett4340 3 жыл бұрын

I just heat my gloves up a little with a hair dryer and apply bees wax it works well. Thanks 🇨🇦👍

@OWsJuliet 9 ай бұрын

Thank you.

@bonniesethna4442 4 жыл бұрын

Loved your video. Any idea what I should use to soften the leather on 100+ year old sleigh bells?

@ScottHead 4 жыл бұрын

Yeah try that same stuff. Pecard's Leather Treatment. Good stuff for old, brittle leather.

@aewhite4219 4 жыл бұрын

Sno seal, Mink oil or neetsfoot oil.

@warrenanderson4550 5 жыл бұрын

Great video! Very informative! Appreciate you doing this video, and sharing your knowledge! I always seem to wear out the fingertips on most leather gloves that I purchase! I handle a lot of firewood as I’m a logger, so I go through several pairs a year. Wells Lamont to me is poor quality. I’m not a buyer of their product anymore. Do you have any tips on making the fingertips last longer? If so, would love to hear from you!

@ScottHead 5 жыл бұрын

You probably have much more hands-on experience (no pun intended) in your line of work. My gloves don't get that much wear so I've never had to reinforce them. Interesting question though, something I'll research just to satisfy my curiosity. If I find out anything I'll get back to you.

@warrenanderson4550 5 жыл бұрын

Scott, thank you so much! I just bought a new pair of cowhide gloves yesterday made by Noble Outfitters! Gonna be these a whirl :-) hopefully they last longer than Wells Lamont! Thanks so much for the feedback!

@TheRealAestuo Жыл бұрын

@@warrenanderson4550 how'd the Noble Outfitters hold up? Three years later have you found a better glove? Curious what you may have learned in the time.

@kingsoutdoors4379 3 жыл бұрын

Always used Saddlesoap...

@pegpeg3939 5 жыл бұрын

I'm picky about gloves too.. I cut off the velcro wrist cuff off of junk gloves and slip them over the wrist of my leather gloves. Keeps the dirt out

@ScottHead 5 жыл бұрын

Great idea!

@livitcallentine4339 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Scott for your informstive video. I just washed my leather work gloves and I know that once they dry, they will be so stiff I can't get my hand inside. That's when I buy a new pair! Not anymore! Should I wait till they dry or condition them damp? Folks are sharing their experience with different products and I wonder if you've synthesized it all, and have the "final answer?"

@ScottHead 2 жыл бұрын

I'd wait until they dry. Water and oil don't mix so a dry glove will become pliable again with oil. I still like the Pecard's product. By the time any stitching starts to give way, the leather is shot so its a win.

@wellslamont 4 жыл бұрын

Very insightful video!

@TheAndyTejeda 3 жыл бұрын

Hey, Wells Lamont! My cowhide gloves always fall apart at the same seam and always on the left glove for 5 pairs in a row.. Replaced every 4 months each. Can you guys tell me why or how to fix it? Maybe I can be a live test dummy for you so you can see how they tear all the time at the same part and same hand! I don't make much money where i work and I rely on your gloves to make money. Your gloves aren't exactly cheap for a guy like me that doesn't make much so I have to save up to buy a new pair all the time. Not fair for them to break at the seams every time

@lenocman2 4 жыл бұрын

Just got home from work here in the Uk at 6am and found your video. I wonder if this will work for dress gloves with a wool lining? The leather is very dry. Subscribed

@ScottHead 4 жыл бұрын

Should be fine, it will help the outside become supple again. I use it on old leather and it helps even cracked, dry relics become soft.

@timbodemi 3 жыл бұрын

Do you know if mink oil deteriorates stitching at all? Nice picture of Luther on the wall!

@ScottHead 3 жыл бұрын

No, I'm not sure about mink oil. Sorry.Yeah Luther is one of my heroes.

@paulf2529 3 жыл бұрын

I don't find mink oil lasts long enough if your wearing boots or gloves daily, no idea what it does to stiching but its not the greatest waterproofer out there. I use huberds shoe oil and shoe grease. Some of my leather boots are ten years old and have been ree soled multiple times but the stiching is still good, the huberds really soaks in.

@johnsjames4877 4 жыл бұрын

Hey man cheers. What are those gloves in the thumbnail? Looks really cool.

@ScottHead 4 жыл бұрын

Just some cheap cowhide work gloves, there is a link in the video description. :-)

@johnsjames4877 4 жыл бұрын

@@ScottHead thanks alot👍

@alexwest2573 3 жыл бұрын

How does mink oil do? I’ve put it on my old leather sword frog before from 1915 to try and keep it from drying out and it worked but now I’m wondering about the stitching

@ScottHead 3 жыл бұрын

Not sure about mink oil, wish I knew.

@ammonchase9283 4 жыл бұрын

I grew up using bees wax and refined pine resin as water proofing on boots. I'm curious if you are familiar with those, and if so I would like to know you'r opinion on the them and any disadvantages that I may not know about.

@ScottHead 4 жыл бұрын

I don't know about those on leather, though I have used them on wood with great success. Both are natural water repellents and the wax remains supple, should be perfect.

@mattlesiecki5449 4 жыл бұрын

Have you heard of products from a brand called Obenauf's, specifically the Heavy Duty LP and/or Leather Oil. It's a brand well known in the wildland firefighting community as probably the best treatment for their expensive, handmade leather firefighting boots. It's made in the great state of Idaho and was developed in the garage of a firefighter that was looking for a better leather treatment product. It does an amazing job of hydrating and protecting leather from harsh wear and tear. I use it on everything from my fire boots to my nice dress belts. Because it's an all natural product, I've even heard of guys on the fireline melting some down into an old Altoids tin and using it as lip-balm! Check out Wranglerstar's overview of the products and how to use them: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/m7l1atOK0bzUk6M.html

@ScottHead 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll go check it out. Looks like a good product.

@ashton35 4 жыл бұрын

That stuff works for my ariats.. Get them wet almost every day.

@vincentgonzalez8363 2 жыл бұрын

Was looking for this recommendation. I believe its some blend of natural oils, propolis and beeswax. I regularly get grease and road grime on my work gloves, and occasionally diesel fuel. It works really good at preserving gloves. It will minimize the leather from absorbing the fuel, compared to not being conditioned. Conditioned vs non conditioned, my gloves are almost destroyed after a month. However I can extend the life to a few years. Usually the stitching will be the first to fail. I'm sure that's primarily due to the diesel.

@jameslovesboba 4 жыл бұрын

If you did have a noble steed, how would you wash the gloves? Which soap?

@ScottHead 4 жыл бұрын

Not sure really, different set of challenges that I'm not familiar with.

@TheRiffraff1963 2 жыл бұрын

How often should I be applying oil to brand new leather work gloves to break them in?

@ScottHead 2 жыл бұрын

I do every month.

@Imissthefuhrer 4 жыл бұрын

What’s your opinion on saddle soap?

@ScottHead 4 жыл бұрын

Its OK for its purposes but t will, long term, degrade stitching. But I mean really long term, like 100 to 200 years. Having worked with antiquities makes me sensitive ;-)

@thomaslindsey7685 2 жыл бұрын

Hello. I Work in a landfill. My expensive gloves get contaminated with nasty. Can I somehow wash my gloves and use your glove treatment to maintain them? Do you know? Thank you.

@ScottHead 2 жыл бұрын

Thomas, I'm not sure if there is some sort of leather wash. If you get them deeply oiled they should be able to resist at least water-based nastiness. In a harsh environment like a landfill, I'd expect to go through gloves quicker than in a garden. Thank you for your important work.

@TechnologyRescue Жыл бұрын

I don't wash my often, but when I do I wash my hands normally but wearing my gloves. Help a little with a brush and let dry. Do condition the leather after they are dry. Wear the gloves to warm them and work the conditioner in like you saw on the video.

@guyonDmoon 2 жыл бұрын

Should I wash my leather glove in the washer before or do I just brush it off and rub oil on it?

@ScottHead 2 жыл бұрын

No just brush it off.

@juliusgodinez1987 4 жыл бұрын

Can you do this with welding gloves?

@ScottHead 4 жыл бұрын

If the smooth side is out, sure. My welding gloves (and any I've seen, albeit I'm old school) have the shaggy side out.

@CRIS.V1891 Жыл бұрын

Does linseed oil provides good protection for leather sheets, in a medium to high humidity place ?

@ScottHead Жыл бұрын

Its good for wood, I have no experience using it on leather.

@CRIS.V1891 Жыл бұрын

@@ScottHead Thanks for your answer ! I was asking because som people are saying that non boiled linseed oil, does wonders for leather in protecting it against the elements. And others say that on the long run linseed oil, can do more harm to leather products. What I did not manage to find out is if the people that say, that it can do more harm on long run used boiled Linseed oil. Because it is a difference at a christaline chimical level in boiling it, and the only thing that I know for certain is that old timers used the oil to protect leather and canvas products against weather. Oh well I'm gonna keep asking until I find out more details about this, I wish you a wonderful day !

@TheAndyTejeda 3 жыл бұрын

What brand are those favorites of yours?

@ScottHead 3 жыл бұрын

Link is in the video description. :-)

@JJ_Gu 2 жыл бұрын

Loved your informative video! On Pecard’s website they said they have petroleum products in the dressing, and I have heard even their petrolatum(USP grade petroleum product) can degrade leather over time like other petroleum products, and some claim pecard is just glorified Vaseline. The petroleum products is a controversial topic in leather care and the result of ruin or preserve might not show until much later. Do you have any leather goods that used pecard years ago or decades ago?

@ScottHead 2 жыл бұрын

I have some bayonet frogs that were treated with Pecard's about 10 years ago, they don't get any wear and tear though as collectibles. No degradation yet.

@JJ_Gu 2 жыл бұрын

@@ScottHead That is a great testimony right there! I used Pecard on my gloves and hope they will hold up for a long time as well. Thank you for taking the time replying, cheers!