You should pick up a pair of leather gloves that fit comfortably so you won’t have to stretch much to wear them. The new leather gloves should fit snugly and tightly (like a second skin layer covering your hands). However, the straps should not be too tight to inhibit blood circulation or limit normal ranges of motion.
Please refer to our guide on softening gloves if you want to break them in rather than stretch them. A regular wearing and using process will usually be sufficient if your gloves are well-fitted.
Unfortunately, leather gloves will need to be stretched even to fit. Exposure to water in storage and heat is a common cause of shrinkage. When gardening gloves are moist and left in the sun, they might need additional stretching measures before being used again.
Although leather is dead flesh, like living flesh, it does have some give to it, so you can stretch an item of leather that is tight. Leathers used for gloves (such as kidskin) are softer and more accessible to extending than cowhide shoe leathers. Tight gloves and ivory finger stretchers characterized the Victorian era. Water and isopropyl alcohol will likely suffice, but such tools are hard to come by today. Start with the most straightforward methods and work up to more aggressive techniques.
How to Stretch Tight Winter Gloves
It is common for new riders to ask themselves how to stretch out their new winter gloves. Here are some methods to stretch them out. Firstly, let me clarify something.
As leather gloves age, they become wider! Feel tight when you wear them? Those gloves shouldn’t be stretched. If they feel tight, wear them for ten hours first.
They’re also comfortable enough to wear off your bike, and you’ll find that they will fit your hands well. They’ll feel more natural when you wear them for a few hours.
Methods Apply to Winter Leather Gloves
I will only tell you how to clean leather gloves with these methods. Make sure the gloves are genuine leather if you try these methods. Since artificial leather gloves are made of synthetic material, they are nearly impossible to stretch. A label on a leather glove will read “Genuine leather” or something similar.
Using Rubbing Alcohol to Stretch Winter Gloves
Perhaps you’ve heard of this one before. A solution to stretch leather can be found in rubbing alcohol. Use rubbing alcohol and water in a spray bottle to spray the inside of your glove. You don’t want the glove to drip.
Wear your gloves when you are moving around. Try to work with your hands as much as possible to allow the rubbing alcohol to do its job. You can apply the spray again after twenty minutes if needed.
Stretching Winter Gloves
Spray Your Gloves Down with a Hose
- Hold your gloves in one hand after removing your gloves.
- Put the free hand inside the hose and thoroughly wet both gloves until they dripped.
- Consider that the water coming from the hose will likely be cold or below 85 °F (29 °C).
Remove Any Excess Water From the Gloves
- If you have trouble, try making a fist with both hands over the finger portion of the gloves.
- Keep doing this until the glove material is damp but not wet.
Put the Gloves on Your Hands While They are Damp
Wear gloves if you’re riding your bike or sitting around the house. Even if your hands feel damp and dirty after washing them, you should wait several hours for the leather to dry completely. Try your fingers and hands on the leather at this point to see how it fits. Wear the gloves again after soaking if they are still too tight. Consider putting a leather conditioner on the gloves to prolong their life after washing them.
Tips for Stretch Winter Gloves
Wear
Wearing leather causes it to stretch naturally. Wear the gloves constantly for a couple of days. Due to your body heat and regular use, the gloves will likely try naturally to fit your hands.
Stretch the fingers by tying their fingers together and squeezing tightly. It is essential to maintain leather’s direction. The grain of handmade gloves runs with the order of the fingers, so they stretch as they are worn.
Moisture
A leather’s main enemy is not water; it helps it stretch and plays a crucial role in tanning. Spray the solution in a spray bottle by mixing three parts water and one isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol). It helps the water dry more quickly with the alcohol. Wet the gloves well inside and out with water, and wear them until they are dry, which can take up to three hours. If needed, repeat the process.
Chemical Treatment
If none of the above steps works, apply a shoe stretching spray. Using this spray, you soften and break down the collagen in leather, the fibrous structure that provides firmness to flesh and toughness to leather.
Apply the spray inside and out of the gloves, then wear them until the spray has dried. Ingesting the chemicals is dangerous, but touching them on your hands or feet is not difficult.
Conditioning
Conditioner based on lanolin should be applied to the gloves. If leather is conditioned correctly, it will not shrink as it dries. Your gloves will feel tacky and stain your clothes if you use conditioners containing oils, such as neatsfoot oil or mink oil.
Fit
It is also stated that if you cannot fit into a glove, to begin with, you will not get the desired results.
You can stretch the gloves to fit if they’re a bit tight. It is possible to gain perhaps 5 percent in height or width, but you cannot go from small to medium or from large to extra large.
Follow the three simple steps below to stretch out your leather gloves.
- Apply moisture to your gloves to get them ready for stretching
- Stretch your gloves with your hands or glove stretcher through the drying process
- Condition your leather gloves
Apply Moisture on Leather Gloves
In this step, it’s recommended to find a company specializing in leather stretching off the shelf. You should consider a leather shoe stretcher spray if you want a product to extend your leather shoes. During the following steps, the leather fabric will be softened by the composition of the mist, making it easier to stretch.
Since gloves lack a lining, turn them inside out and spray them from a distance of 15-20 cm. Use a microfiber cloth to evenly distribute the spray on the glove’s surface. Spray the inside-out gloves. Your gloves may have a lining.
To stretch the leather, turn the gloves right and apply the solution described for the interiors.
Stretch Your Leather Gloves
By wearing your leather gloves, you can stretch and conform them to fit your hand the easiest and most reliably. Glove testing tools are another option. Try soaking the gloves in lukewarm water for another cycle if you can still wear your gloves.
Check Also: How To Wear Winter Gloves Tips
If you dry your gloves after soaking them in water, ensure they stretch during the process. If you don’t pull the gloves during drying, you will need additional tools. The tools for extending gloves are usually designed specifically for finger stretching.
Leather gloves that are left to dry on their own might not maintain the stretched shape or – if stored incorrectly while drying – may shrink further.
Condition Your Leather Gloves
Using a microfibre cloth, evenly apply a leather conditioner to your glove. Brush the entire glove’s surface area in gentle, circular motions.
This step is crucial when you have previously soaked your gloves in water. To prevent your leather gloves from becoming brittle or complex, we want to ensure that your gloves retain as many natural oils and moisture as possible. With leather conditioner, your gloves will remain comfortable and maintain their shelf life for longer.
FAQ
Conclusion
The five methods above will help you stretch your gloves. Taking them to a cobbler would be my preferred method two. Some cobblers, however, may not be able to work with gloves. The two of us help each other when we encounter the same problem. It is a great fashion accessory and a must-have accessory for bikers to wear winter leather gloves.
The right fit makes these gloves stylish and comfortable, but they can be uncomfortable and impractical if they are too tight. Here are your three options for stretching leather gloves. The gloves can first be soaked with water while worn and allowed to dry. You can also leave the gloves dry for a few days after stuffing them with wet newspaper.