It is important to take good care of your baseball glove, but even with the best of care, the laces will eventually wear out, break or stretch. Fortunately, it is relatively inexpensive and easy to relace that nicely broken-in old mitt.
Step 1
Baseball gloves are typically laced with 3/16-inch leather strips about 2 feet in length. When repairing a broken lace, it is usually best to replace the entire length of a single lace. Trace the lacing pattern back from the broken portion to find the knot at either end. It is easiest if you do not remove the entire length of old lace before starting the new lace because sometimes it can be difficult to remember the path the lace took.
Step 2
Untie the knot from one end of the original lace. Pull the original lace out of its first two to three holes. Tie an overhand knot about 2 inches from the end of your new lace, being careful to avoid twisting the lace in the knot. Pull the knot tight using needlenose pliers.
Step 3
Insert the lacing needle through the first two holes that the original lace came from. The slotted end should be sticking out of the hole where the original knot was. Thread about 1 inch of the untied end of the new lace through the slotted end of the needle and pull through the first two holes, being careful to keep the lace from twisting. Pull the new lace all the way through until the knot is tight against the glove.
Step 4
Re-insert the needle through the next two holes to be laced with the slotted end of the needle coming out of the hole where the new lace is to enter next. Thread the lace through the needle and pull through the holes. Pull the lace until it is tight, making sure there are no twists in the lace and that it lies flat against the glove. Sometimes it is necessary to pull the lace back a couple of inches to remove any twists.
Step 5
You will come to a place where the lacing bridges a gap between the glove and the pocket. You don't always want the lace pulled tight across these gaps, nor do you want it to be too loose. Pull the lace only tight enough to maintain a proper gap and pocket shape. You can adjust the size of the gaps later by tightening or loosening the lacing as appropriate.
Step 6
Continue lacing by pulling out a few lengths of the original lace and replacing with the new lace. When you get to the end of the lacing pattern tie another overhand knot in the new lace making sure that it is tight against the glove. Cut off additional lace, leaving about 2 inches beyond the knot for additional adjustments. Over time, your new lacing may stretch a bit and start to loosen. Simply pull the laces tight and re-tie the knots on the ends.
Tips and Warnings
- It's a good idea to apply glove oil underneath the laces that have been removed as you are replacing the lace because you typically can't reach these areas of the gloves any other time.
Things You'll Need
- Glove lacing needle
- 3/16-inch leather lace
- Needlenose pliers
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