Breaking in a Baseball Glove

[oogabooga]

Baseball was not my sport growing up (GO HOCKEY!) but I recently bought a glove so I can play with some friends... and I'm wondering what the best way to break it in is.

And before you pull out a there is no best way... by best way I mean how do you do it? I have an idea how to do it and have been going through with it, but man a lot of people have a lot of ideas so I'm wondering if there is something I should be doing that I'm not.

I realize that generally speaking this is something a lot of people have opinions on... and ATOT has lots of opinions.

Oils? Jelly? Rope? Under the bed? What is it folks

 

[Howard]

I used to put mine under the mattress.

 

[Nik]

You can buy oils to do it. Otherwise, you could resort to regular usage. Also consider putting a ball in the pocket, wrapping the glove around the ball, and tie the glove closed for a long ass time.

 

[Whisper]

Haven't done it for a while, but from what I remember, I'd oil the pocket up a bit, stick a baseball in there, and rubber band the entire thing around the ball.

Rather than rubber banding, and as the previous poster has said, I've also heard of people leaving them underneath their mattresses while they sleep. I prefer the rubber band myself, but that's just me.

 

[RaistlinZ]

Play some baseball with it?

 

[Brackis]

I've used some crazy foams and stuff including ones where you lather it up and throw in the oven.

 

[Cuhulainn]

If you can play, play. The glove needs to not only shape to the ball, but also to your hand. Actual use is the best way to get that fit. It can be tough at first, though, so a couple nights under the mattress or rubber band or whatever can help at first, but playin' ball gets the job done.

 

[Conky]

Originally posted by: Whisper
Haven't done it for a while, but from what I remember, I'd oil the pocket up a bit, stick a baseball in there, and rubber band the entire thing around the ball.

Rather than rubber banding, and as the previous poster has said, I've also heard of people leaving them underneath their mattresses while they sleep. I prefer the rubber band myself, but that's just me.

Yep, I used to do the oil, baseball, rubberband thing too back in the day too. :thumbsup:

 

[James3shin]

ball in glove, rubberband it for a few nights and go play

 

[PhoenixOrion]

Originally posted by: Howard
I used to put mine under the mattress.

......after conditioning with oils.

This is why I never buy baseball/softball gloves new.

 

[oogabooga]

anyone have an opinion for Vaseline? I've heard it works as well.

And of course I'm going to be playing with the glove to break it in Just wondering what steps I should take in addition to playing that could expedite the process

 

[JEDIYoda]

well crisco also works

 

[PhoenixOrion]

Originally posted by: oogabooga
anyone have an opinion for Vaseline? I've heard it works as well.

And of course I'm going to be playing with the glove to break it in Just wondering what steps I should take in addition to playing that could expedite the process

vaseline works great as I used it on new gloves before,
rub copious amounts on new glove,
wipe excess with old cloth,
put under mattress or out of sunlight,
use for the first time in a game,
keep using vaseline and away from sunlight until its really soft.

 

[illusion88]

I used to oil mine nd then sit there watching a movie, tossing a ball from my throwing hand into the glove the whole time. Then oil it once more and rubber band it for the rest of the day. Rinse and repeat until the glove is properly worn in.

 

[chowmein]

baby oil: bend the web towards the palm ... looser than a prom date