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What are some suggestions for keeping the Tefiliin Retzuos black? How can I prevent the Retzuos from needing to be painted and/or replaced?

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Buy the two sided black retzous – SimchasTorah May 8 '11 at 22:10
@SimchasTorah Believe it or not, I have the two-sided ones and they also have begun to lose their blackness... – yydl May 8 '11 at 22:17
But yes, that is a nice suggestion. You should put it as an answer – yydl May 8 '11 at 22:17
I was under the impression they are black all the way through – SimchasTorah May 9 '11 at 12:05

3 Answers

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buy the ones that are dipped in paint, this way they have the sides and back black, but most of all if some part get a little worn off the inside is black and not brown, since it was dipped the inside get colored too

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up vote 5 down vote

Always keep one of those handy tefillin paint pens in your outer tefillin bag. Check them once a month for need of paint on erev Shabbos and repaint accordingly.

The only way to prevent retzu'os from ever needing to be repainted or replaced is to not wear your tefillin. Even then, due to lack of contact with your natural skin lipids they would become hard and brittle.

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The only downside is that the pens dry flat and not shiny. But it is the easiest way. – YDK May 9 '11 at 12:28
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There are pens, but there are also little jars of paint, much like white-out. – Moshe May 10 '11 at 20:39
Moshe, try getting those jars through security at an airport. Keeping it in your tefillim bag runs the risk of forgetting it in there when getting ready to travel. – Yahu May 11 '11 at 6:49
up vote 1 down vote

I find that the specific leather used in the Retzuos seems to matter. The retzous that my dad got me with my tefillin at my bar mitzvah were very soft and supple, but the paint cracked and it was difficult to maintain.

The replacement pair I got have been pretty much maintenence free for the last 15 years or so.

I wish I knew how to describe the differences in real terms, but clearly there is a major difference.

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