Beef up your gloves: polyurethane how to

[michael.a]

This write up is for those who have not yet heard about applying a flexible polyurethane (PU) finish to your gloves to promote durability. Credit where credit is due, I think the first person to do this hails from Russia (check it: http://snegorez.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=423), while I got my info from Abrax, Gienmo, Borek, and Zbyszek here in Poland. This method is gaining over the other alternatives here in Europe, namely duct tape, Sikaflex (which I have used numerous times), Plasti Dip, Bison, Shoegoo, and other coatings. 

 

The benefits of PU are numerous: during application it is quite viscous (compared with Sikaflex) and you have up to 30 min working time, it allows for very precise application if you correctly mask the surrounding surface, it self-levels to form a nice even coating that is very smooth and quite slick (limiting drag), it looks far better than the other alternatives (especially if you dye it to match the surface color), and finally and most important, it is extremely resistant to wear. Currently there are extremecarvers who have applied PU on their gloves, jackets, and coats three years ago and have NO visible wear. The negatives are: finding the right PU, cost, and (relative) application difficulty.

 

I have no idea what suitable PU you can buy in the states. Our group decided on Biresin U1303A resin from Sika mixed with their U1402B hardner. Without any pigment, this will leave a milky white finish. Honestly, it looks like a white goo was spilled over you. Another alternative is Biresin U1406A + U1406B as it is more clear with an amber tint. I recommend just buying a few grams of paint pigment that match whatever you want to protect. If you are buying PU the seller should be able to recommend what pigment would work the best. Issue #1 with PU is with the minimum order. We had to buy a couple of kilos and split it up between us.

 

Before you start, make sure you have a drying rack already set up for whatever your doing. I used some bookshelf arms for the gloves that were going to be done on all sides, but some newspaper set out next to the radiator was good enough for another pair. Some other thoughts from others who have done this that you may want to keep it mind. Allow the PU to dry for 2 days minimum at a temp between 18-25 C before you hit the snow. You can use acetone to thin out the mixture and so far there have been no ill effects on durability. Placing the finished product in an oven (80 C for 2-3 hours) was also found to significantly improve durability. 

 

Tools:

1. scale or mixing cups (I got my resin/hardner already pre-weighed, but you need to make sure you use a 10:3.5 resin/hardner ratio)

2. jar

3. small brush (retrospectively, I should have cut down the hairs to allow for more precise appliation)

4. masking tape (prep is key, good quality tape that is burnished firmly on the surface will prevent the mixture from bleeding, and it WILL)

5. work area surrounded with newspaper

 

Procedure:

This is a pair of Level gloves I did, but its the same for pants, jackets, you just need to work faster.

 

1. First thing I did was permanently remove the wrist strap as it always got filled with snow and annoyed me. If you want to keep stuff like this on than do a very good job of taping it away so it does not get loose.

 

 

2. Up next is taping time, spend the time (and money on better tape than what I used) to create nice crisp lines, it WILL pay off.

 

 

 

3. Alright here we go, as you can see the resin and hardner are already weighed out to the correct proportions with pigment added (dark grey pigment, did not have any black), a chop stick for mixing and the brush. I should have cut the hairs in half as even this brush was a bit too big for all the nooks and crannies a glove has, for pants it would be perfect.

 

 

4. Hell yea time. I applied a big thick coating. Technically you can reapply PU at a later date but I'd imagine the first coating to be the most durable. Be extra generous on the fingers, I wasn't and now have some uncovered patches. You have about 20-30 minutes to apply this stuff, but after 15 min it starts to become really thick and difficult to spread around. Keep that in mind if doing multiple articles.

 

 

5. Drying time. After 40-45 minutes I would remove the masking tape. I was inpatient and removed it earlier and got a number of runs. Dont be like me. I would also rig a horizontal drying rack and not a vertical one like here.

 

 

6. Finished product, they look sci-fi cool. I extended the PU on the left glove as my wrist frequently makes contact with the snow. I tried to keep as much material "free" since these gloves do have gore-tex.

 

 

Hope this was relatively clear. Good luck finding suitable PU. BTW, to give you an idea of how detailed you can get, check this out. , 

 

Edited January 27, 2016 by michael.a

[Corey]

Awesome! I've been looking for an alternative to Shoe Goo and Sika flex.

[OhD]

Here's a pair of Level Flys I've been keeping alive since 2011.  The Kevlar palm fabric was way too sticky on hard snow and wearing my shoulders almost as fast as it was eroding, so I covered first the right palm,then the left with 2" webbing glued on with a polyurethane window sealant (10 oz. gun tube - the brand is no longer available locally but there are similar ones.  I clamped the pads on with spring clamps and boards with polyethylene bags for release and some masking tape to keep it tidy - more or less.  Later I smeared the same goo on the fingers where wear was showing up.  They are still warm and fairly water resistant, fast-drying with the removable liners, and offer great wrist protection.  I have sprained fingers in them with lateral impacts, but never badly.  I'll likely buy a new pair at Whistler next month for dress occasions or in case Level ever (perish the thought) goes under.  They make one of the best products in the industry, IMHO.  It would be nice to have a little flap shingled under my palm pad and over the wrist strap to deflect snow and prevent it building up under the strap.  Of course, it would be nice if I could just be satisfied to hover my hand an inch off the snow instead of spraining fingers, wearing out gloves and slowing myself down.

 

Note that the gloves with all this goop on them and the wrist braces in are not conducive to skiing or impressive dexterity, including carrying more than one or two boards or fiddling with cameras, zippers, etc.  I often stick a light pair of screen-compatible gloves in my pocket for that stuff.

 

Do give the PU goop plenty of time to cure, preferably in a warm and moist environment, or you'll wind up with sticky black smears everywhere!

[michael.a]

No doubt about it, the easiest solution to all of this is just not touch the snow :) And I confirm that they stiffen up the glove and make almost any task impossible to perform.

 

BTW, a couple of guys have started using "sliders", basically plastic cut outs tied with straps over the wrist and forearms.  First, no need to smear goop on our gloves, second they offer additional protection especially since you now "slide" on the forearm and keep the wrist and fingers up and above the snow, and third since they are so smooth they pretty much just slide and not drag over the snow. You can also use ski arm guards if you want something more "pro" but they do not go over the wrist.

[billyt.]

I have a pair of Da Kine Mike Jacoby lobster claw gloves made of Kevlar. 25 plus years, warmest gloves ever! They should make more gloves like that.

[Québec man]

have done sewing and paste 2 rubber bands that I thinned in the strategic location. This makes 3 seasons and it like always. In addition to that........it slips " en malade!!!"

[michael.a]

That's awesome, did you do the sewing yourself? That takes a great deal of more skill than just slopping on some PU like me :) Respect!

 

BTW, good news for those looking for a suitable PU easily available in the states, its from Smooth On, resin PMC 780. Some of the fellas from Velvet have used it with success.

 

http://www.smooth-on.com/Urethane-Rubber-an/c6_1117_1148/index.html

Edited January 29, 2016 by michael.a

[queequeg]

How hard does this stuff get?? I take a similar approach with the masking etc ... but use gobs and gobs of tool-dip. The resut is that my gloves are not nearly as flexible as I would like ... I wonder if this stuff is more flexible??

[michael.a]

It def does stiffen up the glove but Im at a loss on how to describe it. With the PU I used I can normally articulate my fingers to close buckles, but its now impossible to open zippers.

[Hans]

Got these from Ben, a russian guy (flexible):

[Bobby Buggs]

How hard does this stuff get?? I take a similar approach with the masking etc ... but use gobs and gobs of tool-dip. The resut is that my gloves are not nearly as flexible as I would like ... I wonder if this stuff is more flexible??

 

Yeah all that goo and you loose the tactile feel of the glove. God forbid you need to hold something delicate with yer gloves on