Painting Your Leather Cleats
Prep your leather cleats with acetone. If you are customizing leather cleats, you will want to remove the factory finish from the shoes so that your paint bonds properly with the leather on your cleats and doesn’t flake or crack. Put on a pair of rubber gloves and soak some cotton balls in acetone, which is available at most hardware stores. Rub the finish off your cleats with the acetone-soaked cotton balls until the finish comes off. This takes 30-40 minutes. The finish will look a bit pasty as it’s coming off, and the leather will start to turn a greyish color.
Brainstorm design ideas. You may already have ideas based on NFL cleats you have seen on your favorite players, such as written messages or pictures showing a certain cause. Or, you could simply plan to use a few assorted colors in a geometric design.
Use masking tape and an X-ACTO knife to block out areas. Once you have a design in mind for your cleats, draw the design on some masking tape. Carefully cut out the design and place the masking tape onto the shoes. Save the pieces of tape you remove to use for later colors in the design. Using masking tape is an option to get the cleanest lines between colors. Another option is to not use masking tape and simply free-hand paint on your shoes, but the lines may not be as crisp.
Mix your paint colors. Use your leather paint, such as Angelus, and a small container to mix your colors until you get the exact color you want for the first part of your design. Brush a small stroke of the color onto a piece of paper to see if it’s the color you want.
Paint your cleats using thin layers. Using your brush and the first mixed color, paint your design within the masking tape on your cleats using a light, thin layer. You may need to do multiple layers to get the color how you want it, but that’s okay. Don’t rush and allow the paint to completely dry between layers. Use small craft paintbrushes for most of your painting, and tiny paintbrushes for small details. It’s important to allow each layer to dry so that the paint doesn’t flake and crack when you’re wearing your cleats later.
Dry your cleats with a hairdryer between coats of paint. Each time you complete a layer of paint, use a hairdryer to get the paint to dry faster. Hold the hairdryer couple of inches away from the cleat, and allow the air to dry the layer you just painted before starting a new layer.
Use new masking tape to switch colors. If you are using masking tape for clean lines, cut new pieces of masking tape to add new colors to your cleat. If you’re not using masking tape or are done with the layers that need it and want to simply write or draw over the base colors, be sure the shoes are completely dry before adding new colors.
Spray your dry cleats with a matte finisher. Once your cleats are completely done and dry, with no wet paint anywhere, spray them lightly with a matte finisher such as Krylon Matte Finisher. This will seal in the paint and make your shoes look less shiny and more like they came from a factory. Use the matte finisher spray in a well-ventilated area, as there will be fumes. Allow your cleats to dry for a few hours before wearing them and congratulate yourself on a job well done!
Customizing Other Details of Your Cleats
Replace the individual spikes for a subtle custom look. If you are able to remove the spikes from your cleats, try switching them out with different colors of spikes. If your cleats have removable spikes, chances are they came with a cleat wrench. Use the cleat wrench your shoes came with or a pair of needle nose pliers to remove the spikes. Look for spikes of different colors to fit your cleats at sporting goods stores and online. You can also spray paint your spikes instead of buying new ones. Choose different colors of bright spray paint at a craft store, place your removed spikes away from your shoes, and paint your spikes a variety of colors.
Change your laces for a simple customization. Try switching out your laces to match your team’s colors, or look for a unique pattern of laces that will make them stand out. Cleat laces can be found at sporting goods stores and online.
Add designs with cleat tape for a custom look that you can change. Many players tape their cleats for added support and protection, but you can create unique patterns or even “spats” by using colorful cleat tape. Look for cleat tape at your local sporting goods store or online.
Cut out part of the insole if you have wide feet. Many players customize their cleats to make them more comfortable. Remove the insoles from your cleat. Begin by cutting a small amount at the inside middle section with an X-ACTO knife. Replace the insole to see if you need to cut more. Continue this process until the cleats are more comfortable on your feet.
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