Vintage Baseball Glove Forum

I have a glove that needs some laces tightened. I really need the heel tightened and I just do not know nor have the tools to do it. If you know of someone in Brooklyn that can do it please let me know.

You should try it yourself - it's not half as hard as it might seem. You really don't need any specialized tools - but I use an awl (you can use a small screwdriver) to get under the stitches. Think of it as tightening the slack of your shoelaces - pull the slack out, then continue down the pattern, then tie off the end.

Musashi:

I managed to tighten most everything without a problem. However, The H web is difficult to figure out. Can you or anyone else help me out here. The middle bar running horizontal (wider) I can figure out. I am afraid to start pulling laces for fear of ripping or otherwise damaging this very valuable glove. Any help would be great.

This is my opinion- If you don’t have any already; you need to get some good needle nose pliers that have a bent nose and a flat, smooth inside working surface. I highly recommend Craftsman-Sears item #00945665000, Mfr. model #45665. They’re about $10 bucks. I love mine- couldn’t do gloves without ‘em!

Unfortunately, you may just have to do some strategic, light tugging to figure out the mystery of the pattern. Sometimes, you just have to get in there and gently tug on a lace with pliers, and with your opposite thumb and forefinger, gently hold what you think is the lace you want, to see if it’s moving, to see if you’ve got what you need.

If you are careful you will be okay, and not damage the lace. I cannot stress enough “strategic, light, and gently” when tugging at your mystery lace.

Having said all that-sometimes though, if the laces are old and brittle, they will probably break anyway, no matter how careful you are.

I am not, by any means, a pro. There are guys on this forum who are much better. That’s just my thoughts, though, on figuring out patterns I’m not familiar with. Just have to get in there and try it.

rmiller: Thanks for you suggestions. I am going to have to get some needle nose pliers. However, I figured it out last night and now the glove is nice and tight, the way I like it. I couldn't believe that the laces actually go through the web and hold the thing together! I thought the bars were sewn together. I have a really good feeling about this glove now, feel bonded!

[img][img]http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk190/docglov1/hweb.jpg[/img][/img]

Doc: There are not words in this language to describe how cool you are!

Yeah, that is a really cool illustration! I was going to scratch something out, either by hand or with a computer graphics program, and post it here but that definitely beats what I would have come up with.

Great diagram! You mentioned in the subject there may be more on the way. I can't wait!

I presented myself with a project I never tried b4. And that's relacing the spiral/rolled lace running across the upper webbing of a Rawlings catchers mitt. I wonder if docglov has a diagram of that?