Stretching leather

[darthdav]

Does anyone know if there is a good way to STRETCH leather? I have a pair of navy blue gloves that are quite small, but would be PERFECT for Jangos. Any ideas or methods or products for stretching leather would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Star Wars Chick]

Hmm, I wonder if soaking them and then wearing them would be helpful. Or maybe having someone with hands bigger than yours wear them for a bit might help.

 

[gwizah_fett]

hahah, I'll do it. Then I can put "Glove stretcher, Oct 02, 2002 - Oct. 31st 2002" on my resume.

Seriously though, I think Mirax is right about soaking them.

 

[bigkidbiggertoys]

Wetting them will definitely stretch them but they will shrink slightly when drying out. Different kinds of leathers also have different amounts of stretch so you won't know until you try it. Also you'll have to figure out a way to keep them streched as it dries out. You could try stuffing them full of tissue paper. That will help draw out the extra moisture in the leather & keep the shape. Just change the tissue as it becomes wet.

 

[Star Wars Chick]

Or maybe using wash cloths or some sort of rags that wouldn't get all wet and icky like paper- easier to get out of the gloves.

 

[Jodo Kast 3]

Yup...


I reccommend the towels to do it. That method worked wonders with my Han Solo ANH boots.


Jodo

 

[malcfett]

I might try clamping small weights to each of the fingers and the
base of the glove anchored in a vice and let them hang for like two
weeks (perhaps constantly soaking them in the process).

 

[Ego]

Just be careful . . if you soak the leather while clamped or having the fingers weighted down, you will also alter the shape. You'll have clamp marks in the base of the glove and very pointy fingers.

Jer

 

[LisaFett]

You can take them to a shoe/glove/leather repair place and have them stretch them. They can do about one size. I would not recommend stretching them yourself unless you know what you're doing. Gloves are made of thin leather, and usually don't all do that well when you get them wet. I tried it before on a pair, wearing them until they were dry, and they just sort of had this hard feeling forever, and the surface did not look as smooth and nice as before. Leather reconditioner didn't fix them.