Vintage Baseball Glove Forum

I have used many products, like most of you, over the years to clean and condition my vintage gloves. I have used lanolin, leather cleaners for leather seats in cars, vaseline, and Lexol Cleaner, and Lexol Conditioner, etc. And they all work pretty good. But have any of you ever heard of, or used Chelsea Leather Food? I have been using it for over four years and I really like how it cleans and softens the leather. I use cut up soft t-shirts and sometimes a soft toothbrush. As an experiment I cleaned an old vintage glove with Lexol cleaner and went back with the Chelsea, and the cloth was dark brown. I discovered this product at our local shoe and boot repair. It was $9.00 for 6 1/4 oz. Now it is around $11.00. It is made in England and says that it nourishes and protects all fine leatherware. ...will not damage stitching. You don't need a lot on the cloth and it will last quite a while. A good test for me was how easily it took the black grime off between the glove fingers. It comes in a round plastic container, like shoe polish and looks like yellowish vaseline. If anyone has used this product, please let me know.

I have used Chelsea Leather Food for many years and really like it. For me it seems to work better on the older mitts than the newer ones. I mainly use the yellow colored one you mentioned, but they also make a black one that works very well on dark colored gloves and mitts. It is rather pricey, but a little goes a long way. I found my last batch on line and it was about $7 a container.

Good to hear that. Do you remember where you found it on line? Sometimes, after paying for shipping, you come out about the same. I would like to find it in a larger container.

Sorry, I can't remember where I bought it. I think it was a sporting goods store that specialized in soccer equipment. As far as I know it only comes in one size.

I have never used it but Joe has been using it for years and has written about it on occasion. He really liked it if I remember right. I have never seen it in retail stores but would like to try it one day if I ever get around to cleaning gloves again.

JD

Just do a Google search for "Chelsea Leather Food" and you'll find dozens of places selling it on-line.

Thank you, Bretman. I will check on line.