Need custom leather gloves

October 14, 2007 10:49 AM

I'm looking for a custom leather tailor in Seattle. I'd like to get a custom set of driving gloves, because all the off-the-rack gloves don't fit correctly.

Either there is extra leather at the fingertips, or the little holes don't line up to my knuckles, too much or too little padding, etc.

I tried to find one using the phone book, but none of the leather cleaners and repair places did any work. They did have one suggestion: Contact my local S&M parlor, as they do lots of leather work! I phoned one in Cap Hill, but they never called back (I assume a pair driving gloves was too pedestrian for them).

posted by skybolt to clothing, beauty, & fashion (4 comments total)

Just out of interest, what do you want leather driving gloves for? Normal street driving? Have you considered a set of racing gloves?

They may look a bit bright and colourful, but the need for driving gloves in a modern car is questionable anyway (in terms of benefits), so I am intrigued as to why you want them.
posted by Brockles at 11:42 AM on October 14, 2007

I drive a convertible that lets me heat either my feet and midsection, or my feet and hands. If I wear gloves, my hands are nice and warm. Driving gloves, specifically, are necessary as I need to be able to operate all the controls, some of which use fine finger motions.

Does that mean you know of one and are holding out on me?
posted by skybolt at 3:47 PM on October 14, 2007

Ok. Interesting answer. Allow me a little uncharitable thought about you owning a convertible (it sounds like a classic from the description of the heating system).

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Ok, I've finished being jealous. :)

The question remains as to why you want Leather in particular. My profession is motor racing, and so my experience of driving gloves is for professional drivers such as these.

These are, however, significantly more gaudy than a leather glove, but (I would wager) are significantly more comfortable, and possibly warmer, than any leather gloves you will find. A black/black and grey pair may be more your style, but there is no doubting the suitability of these from a driving point of view. There are many, many different manufacturers, so if the idea of a non-classic looking pair of gloves may be acceptable to you, toasty, driving-proof gloves are available if you move away from Leather.

It may give you another avenue to investigate to see if you like them, anyway.
posted by Brockles at 4:26 PM on October 14, 2007

You may need what some call "cadet" patterned gloves, meaning gloves with a shorter finger-to-palm pattern ratio. I do, too. I wear a size 13.5 ring, but my palms are nearly 25 mm longer than my middle finger. The unlined lambskin gloves I've linked are used by many people as driving gloves, but they're not ideal for all, because the inset thumb pattern of the glove puts a stitched seam near the base "knuckle" of your thumb, which can be a pressure point for handling a steering wheel constantly, over many hours. You may find it acceptable, however, if the gloves fit you well, otherwise. And the lambskin is a good compromise between durability and a material which has enough "give" to be comfortable for curved finger gripping, hour after hour.

The classic, unlined, full gusseted finger, inside stitched, decorative handsewn, deerskin Italian driving glove, has a lot going for it, but it isn't cheap. The most comfortable palm pattern for a glove, which some people demand in a good driving glove, requires either hand sewing, a special type of sewing machine, or an open back design, to avoid having a seam across the palm at the base of the thumb. Gloves with the inset thumb style of these gloves aren't of that "seamless" palm pattern, which may or may not trouble you. Oil tanned deerskin or goatskin are good choices of leather for an unlined driving glove, since these materials will "give" in wear a bit for comfort, and will absorb sweat, although in lighter colors, they will soil quickly.

For cooler weather, you may want a set of silk lined gloves, with full backs. The style which has a closed back, with full side gussetted and curved fingers, is quite comfortable and warm, but is harder to find these days than hen's teeth.
posted by paulsc at 5:48 PM on October 14, 2007