How to Break in a Baseball Glove With Conditioner
Purchasing a new baseball glove is a big step for a ballplayer. A glove is one of the most important tools of the sport---you need to trust it to serve not only as the key to your defensive game, but as an extension of your hand. Once you've picked out a glove, it's important to break it in fully. Conditioning oil can help break in your glove. With a few applications and some handiwork, that new glove can feel as if it was made for your hand.
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Things You'll Need
- Baseball glove
- Conditioning oil
- Dry cloth
- Belt or large rubber bands
- Baseball
Instructions
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1
Rub conditioning oil into the glove by using your fingers. Apply it everywhere---the seams, the laces, the pocket, the webbing. Rub it on all sides of the glove, and make sure to rub it in deeply so that it is absorbed by the leather. Pay careful attention to the palm and pocket.
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2
Wipe off any excess conditioner with a dry cloth. Gently wipe the cloth along the glove, making sure not to dig into the glove or rub it rapidly. The goal is simply to remove oil that could not be absorbed by the glove.
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3
Allow the glove to dry for several hours. It is ready for the next step when the surface does not feel wet or slippery.
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4
Put a baseball in the pocket of the glove. Squeeze the glove closed several times to ensure that the ball is aligned in the pocket. With the ball still in the pocket, close the glove and wrap it tightly with a belt or several large rubber bands. Leave the glove this way at least overnight; 12 hours is the ideal timeframe.
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5
Remove the belt or rubber bands from the glove and play catch with it for 30 minutes or so. Be aware that the glove is likely to be stiff at this point. Focus on catching the ball in the glove's pocket as much as possible, and close the glove tightly on each catch to increase the flexibility of the hinge.
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6
Repeat steps 1 to 5 two to three times a week for two to three weeks. The glove should become more supple and comfortable with each use. In just a few weeks, it will be broken in and ready for game use.
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Tips & Warnings
While waiting for the glove to dry, or after wrapping it in a belt or rubber bands, consider leaving the glove in the sun. This will help soften the glove's hide and make it more supple.
Some may recommend placing the glove under a mattress or other heavy object for hours at a time. However, this may lead to unnatural creasing and cause the glove's fibers to break down unusually quickly.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit baseball in a glove image by Richard Kane from Fotolia.com
