GEAR Q&A
QLast month Simon talked about cleaning leather gloves. What is the best way to do it?
AIt’s simple, really. Just like washing your hands — with gloves on, in a lukewarm solution of non-biological washing powder. You can gently scrub any areas of stubborn dirt with a soft brush if it isn’t shifting easily. Make sure there’s plenty of water inside the glove too: you want to get the insides properly clean as well to stop them getting smelly. When the exterior is looking clean, pat all of the gloves dry with a cloth then let them air dry slowly, away from heat — on a washing line or a clothes airer is ideal. Then the leather needs to be fed (with something like Chelsea Leather Food, £7.99, www.mandp.co.uk) – and remember to rub the feed properly into the inside as well as the outside of the gloves.
QMy hand length is XXL but width is only small. If I go for gloves based on width, they end up a good inch or two short on the palms, which doesn’t work. If I go for length, they end up like wearing oven gloves. What’s the solution?
AYou need a set of Held gloves: they can be ordered with long or short finger lengths. Most UK retailers don’t carry them as standard but can order them. You might have to go into a shop rather than online, though, so you can try them on. If you don’t like them, the shop can send them back to Held without paying for them. So you’d probably want a size 11 glove with size 12 fingers. They also do a madeto-measure service on some gloves; yes, only the top-end ones and, yes, it is expensive. But if you have really odd-sized paws, it may be the only way to get gloves that fit perfectly.