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PostPosted: August 10th, 2007, 12:06 pm
by jackwhale
Does anyone have observations/opinions on which of the various leathers have proven to be better over years of usage. All leathers seem great when they're new but do any stand out? ease of breaking in versus durability.

I haven't handled that many gloves but older Wilsons seem dryer and more likely to crack than older Rawlings.

On the other hand the two Rawlings catchers mitts that my son used 15 years ago now seem like stone compared with his Wilsons that he used. They're still supple.

Rawlings vs Wilsons in Durability of Leather

PostPosted: August 11th, 2007, 8:20 am
by GloveGypsy
Jack,

I have to side with the Wilson leather (on the higher end gloves) but that is just my personal experience.

HOH has many die-hard fans for a good reason, I am sure.

PostPosted: August 14th, 2007, 10:18 pm
by DT
Great post Mr. Moose. Do you know if it's possible to get a special order Rawlings glove without the oil infused horween leather?

PostPosted: August 15th, 2007, 11:33 am
by BretMan
"I really think you'd need to approach Rawlings themselves since Horween does not actually make the gloves."

In a similar vein, Horween does not "make the NFL footballs". They supply the leather and the footballs are then manufactured at Wilson's Ada, Ohio plant.

PostPosted: August 15th, 2007, 12:43 pm
by BretMan
Yes, AVA is indeed in Missouri and was long associated with the Rawlings manufacturing plant.

ADA is a small city in northwestern Ohio and is the location of Wilson's football-making operations.

One small letter difference, two completely different cities.

The Ada, Ohio plant was once the headquaters for The Ohio-Kentucky (OK brand) company's glove making operations and later, following their buyout by Wilson, produced the Sonnett brand gloves. The plant evolved into the current Wilson operation that is still going strong today.

PostPosted: August 15th, 2007, 3:22 pm
by jackwhale
Bretman. Thanks for the additional info on OK. I realized that OK was renamed Sonnett but I hadn't realized that Wilson bought and renamed OK.

PostPosted: August 15th, 2007, 5:47 pm
by vintagebrett
I was told by Bill Sonnett III that the Ada plant in Ohio produces an extroadinary amount of footballs per week - I can't remember the exact number but it was a lot. They make all of the ones with the white panels for autographs as well.

When I drove from IL to CT this past June, I stopped by the plant because I wanted to see where my beloved Sonnett gloves had been made - it was neat to see it up close - wish I could have gone it but no one was around. Apparently there are plans to open a mini museum there sometime soon.

Re: Horween Leather....

PostPosted: February 27th, 2018, 4:40 pm
by mikesglove
Former OK/Sonnett factory in Ada.Image