Welding hoods live a hard life. Sparks, heat, drops, and a few thousand hours of grinding dust will beat the leather on any hood — but a worn-out cover doesn't mean the hood is done. If the shell is solid, you can re-leather it and get years more out of gear you already trust. That's exactly what our DIY leather refurb kits are for.
What comes in a DIY leather kit
Each kit includes the leather and rivets to put together one whole hood. Our standard kits fit sugar scoops, proliners, pipeliners, and tiger hoods — and we make kits for just about every other welding hood out there, including versions in genuine Pirarucu exotic leather. Kits don't come with holes punched (by popular demand), so you can fit the leather exactly to your hood instead of hoping the factory holes line up.
The basic process
- Strip the old leather. Drill out or pry the old rivets and pull the worn leather off the shell. Keep the old pieces — they're a handy reference for where your holes and hardware landed.
- Clean up the shell. Knock down any rough spots and wipe the shell clean so the new leather sits flat.
- Fit the new leather. Position the new leather on the shell and mark your hole locations using the shell (and your old leather) as the guide.
- Punch and rivet. Punch your holes, then set the rivets from the kit to lock everything down.
- Get back to work. That's it — same trusted hood, brand new look.
Not sure your hood is a candidate?
If the shell is cracked or the fit is shot, it might be time for a new hood — but if it's just the leather that's tired, a kit is the cheaper play. Not sure which kit fits your hood? Message us before you order and we'll point you to the right one. Want a custom design laser engraved on your kit leather? We do that too — just ask.
Quit throwin' away good hoods
A good shell deserves better than the trash can. Grab a DIY leather kit, give that old busted rig the makeover it deserves, and keep the hood that's already broken in exactly how you like it.