Have you ever wondered if any mobile phone or device will work with a pair of leather gloves?
Well we have, and decided to investigate and this is what we found out.
Here’s How Leather Gloves And Touch Screens Work:
Only certain pairs (or brands) of Leather Gloves work with touch screens.
This are usually motorcycle gloves. As normal gloves won’t work with your touch screen, but there are a few hacks you can use to help.
Lets look at some of the other things you can do if you don’t own a pair of motorcycle gloves to get them working with your mobile phone.
Do Leather Gloves Work On Touch Screen?
Most standard leather gloves will not work on your touch screen.
The leather is curated and has lost its water content making it a poor conductor and will hardly work on your touch screen.
Most smartphones have a capacitive touchscreen which means they only sense electrically conductive items.
Thus when you touch the screen of your phone with a finger, it will sense the input.
Your phone will also sense the input when it comes in contact with other conductive materials.
When you wear the leather gloves, your skin will not contact the screen as the material of the gloves is not electrically conductive.
The sensors of your phone will not sense any input.
How Can l Make My Leather Gloves Touch Screen Compatible?
Remember that your touch screen makes use of capacitive technology.
Thus if you want your leather gloves to work on the touch screen, they must have a complete circuit with your fingers.
There are various ways to modify or your gloves so that you can create a circuit.
Use a Conductive Thread
By using a conductive thread, you will be able to create a complete circuit with your fingers.
The best approach is to sew some stitches around the gloves.
A conductive thread will carry current and is the best for creating a circuit.
However, remember that the conductive thread is engineered with a wiry substance and can be hard to use in some circumstances.
Also, it might not be so readily available in local stores.
Thermal Paste
Applying a thermal compound to your gloves will help make your gloves compatible with your touch screen.
The thermal compound is sold as a silver compound, and you can smear it on your gloves and leave it to dry.
The compound has conductive properties and will allow a complete circuit between your fingers and the smartphone.
The thermal paste is a thick substance and quite sticky and might be daunting to work with on your smart devices.
You need to be cautious when using this substance as it can stick to your clothes.
Make use of Any Glove Liquid
Another practical method to ensure your gloves are compatible with your touch screen devices is to use the Any Glove liquid.
Apply a few drops of the liquid solution on your glove and allow it to dry.
It is a practical method and will increase the conductive properties of your gloves.
This liquid is helpful for your gloves as it does not easily wash off and will last for a prolonged time.
Also, it does not cause any damage to your gloves or scratch your phone.
The only drawback of this liquid is that it tends to discolor most fabrics, and you can expect discoloration of your gloves.
What Type Of Touch Screen Work With Leather Gloves?
There are two primary touch screens available in the market, including resistive and capacitive touch screens.
A resistive type is a pressure-sensitive model as it relies on the external pressure you use on the screen to sense an input.
The capacitive model, on the other hand, senses electrical properties.
Thus the capacitive models will not register input when your put on your standard gloves.
On the other hand, the resistive touch screen will work upon exertion of external pressure thus will work even when you wear your leather gloves.
Can You Make Motorcycle Gloves Touch Screen Compatible?
You can make your motorcycle gloves touch screen compatible by incorporating a conductive thread, Any Glove liquid, or thermal paste.
However, the modern motorcycle gloves are equipped with pads on each index finger and are quite compatible with all touch screens such as MP3 players, smartphones, and GPS units.
You can also purchase touch screen sensitive motorcycle gloves, which come equipped with an electrically conductive property on the fingertips.
Key Takeaway
Most standard gloves are not compatible with touch screen devices and will require slight modification.
Some of the most recommended ways to make them touch screen sensitive is using conductive thread, Any Glove liquid, and thermal paste.
Also, you can decide to purchase premium touch screen sensitive leather gloves, which are available in the market.
However, they can be pretty expensive, and modifying your standard gloves is the best option.