Best way to recondition my favorite old gloves???

[F6CTrider]

My favorite summer riding gloves are getting a little dried out and weathered.  Not really worn but definitely broken in.  They are just a single thickness of light leather.  I know they might not do much against pavement.....but they are gauntlet style and with my very long arms that is important.

I have thought about rubbing in some pure lonolin but I was curious if there might be a better solution from the collective mind / experience of the VRCC.

Please advise.

[Jess from VA]

Buff them off dry to clean.  Wet some cotton (and squeeze out water) and rub the thinnest amount of black Kiwi shoe polish in you can. (if you use too much, it may bleed out in the rain)  Brush buff when dry.  Then with finger tips only, rub in a light amount of mink oil.  Set/hang them close to (not on) the furnace to soak in. Should be better than new.  (I always wear one glove, and work with the other hand)

Use the same process on my boots, with more product, and tooth brush to fill seams.

I have a couple bottles of shoe/leather lanolin, and it don't do zip.



Silicone is a good waterproofer, but not good for fine leather.

[Hotrodwing]

 +1 on the mink oil

[tank_post142]

what if they are not black to start with? 

[NITRO]

Check out Obenauf's heavy duty LP. It's the best leather conditioner, water proofer, and protectant I've seen.

https://www.obenaufs.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=20&product_id=30

Can also be ordered from Amazon, etc.

[Gary]

I've always used the Meltonian products. Available at many shoe repair places or online.

Have used them on my leather Boss Bags, boots, gloves, roll bag, travel pack, etc for many years now and they still seem to be holding up well with periodic treatment. If nothing else their demise has been prolonged, greatly.  

I think it was originally included with my Boss Bags when purchased.
For color update or touch up


For leather care, conditioning and water repellancy




May not be the Best Way but has served me well to-date.

[musclehead]

the thickness of them might do better then expected depending on which critter they came off of. deer has great friction resistence, much MUCH better then cow.

wife sez try saddle soap, the other suggestions look good too.

[dreamchaser]

Do not use mink oil on any leather that has fhread holding it together!.  According to Langlitz Leathers here in Portland Or, While Mink oil is great for leather, it will cause just about any kind of thread to deteriate faster by far than ir would otherwise.

[dreamchaser]

Saddlesoap is fine for a saddle seat or skirts of a saddle, but tends to stiffem thin , soft leather like lambskin.  Try cleaning by wearing the gloves while "washing"  your hands with a barely damp washcloth, then dry them using the same motion on a soft dry towel.  After that, while still wearing your favorite gloves, using the same motiom, massage in a small amount of Langlitz Leather Dressing or "Obenauf's", then back to the soft dry towel.  I do this at the beginning of every season with my faverite riding gloves.