Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Aldeer General Forum Baseball Dads.... Help

So its been a few years since Ive had to break in a new glove. I was out today playing catch with my 8yo son and he was having trouble hanging on to the ball. I realize his glove may not be fully broke in so other than putting a ball in it and tying it up then putting it under his mattress... what else can I try? I know there are some "Magic" oils that claim they will work over night but I dont trust them. what methods have you used to speed up this process.

I use to oil mine up real good and bend it into shape with your hand. Foamy shaving cream will also work. Putting a baseball in it over night is good, too.

I use shaving cream to soften the leather, play some catch, repeat with shaving cream and put a ball in it and tie it up. I keep repeating for a few days. There are all kinds of crazy ways to break them in, like baking them, but I don't get to fancy. The way my kids are growing they each got through a glove and bat every year.

Try not to put a lot of oil on it. It will make it heavy. Shaving cream is good try to find some shaving cream with lanalin oil in it. Put in a plastic bag and cover outside and inside of finger. let set for 20 min or so. play catch with it while it still damp with shaving cream.

Oil lightly.. too much oil will make it floppy and therefore make it harder to catch than a new glove. Light oil and break it in naturally.

Little mans hands arent strong yet...stick with lower end gloves they break in much easier, also he doesn't need a big glove...11-12 inch max...
Avoid a bunch of oil, makes them heavy as it soaks into padding...An oil is available at Autozone (or most places that sell car care stuff) called Lexol...its a leather conditioner...it does well, use it in the seams where it flexes and put a ball in it to make a pocket. I sometimes use 2 balls and cinch it closed properly.
I sometimes put it in the oven for about 20 mins at 200 degrees. Be careful not to get it to hot, use a rag and your finger to massage the oil in well, but don't use a lot.
Make a RULE, glove gets put in bag it HAS to have a ball in it...flat as an envelope gloves suck

My daughter is a Fast Pitch catcher...shes older so we buy higher end mitts...Nokonas last a long time but they're hell to break in...takes almost a year to get them truly game ready.

If your down Birmingham way there's a store called Romeo's in Irondale. They have a machine from Mizuno that they put the glove in for a few minutes (not sure what it does) and then they take it out and beat the heck out of it with a solid wood mallet for about 10 minutes. Bought my 8 year old a Mizuno catchers mitt last year at Romeo's and when we left the store he could use it.

What he said but Dick's in Huntsville has the Mizuno steamer. they rub some type of secret snake oil on it then steam it and beat it with the hammer repeat snake oil and steam and beat. It cost $15 to have one done but you will spend close to that on the other conditioners.

When I played I never did anything but use it to break it in. That's why it's called "breaking" it in. Normally you would want to get the glove about a month before the season and just play catch with it. This forms a good pocket where he tends to catch the ball. You don't want a floppy glove. I like it rigid on the outside and soft in the middle. Do a lot of bending and flexing of the glove to get the form you like. As mentioned above you may have to help with this cause of hand strength.

X2. I really like the Shoeless Joe gloves. They come in ready to roll.

I used hot oil and baked my daughters glove for a few minutes on low heat in the oven.Put a softball in it and a big rubber band around it and it went under the mattress a few days.That was last year and she's still using the same glove this year.It is almost impossible to miss with it cause its so broke in.

Shoeless Joe is awful proud of his gloves too! I agree those are the nicest gloves you can buy but there's no selection for kids. If there were my son would have one right now.

The Nokona gloves are soft and well made as well and don't require alot of break in time or oil to help soften it......

I call BS on that...They are well made, real leather, but the catchers mitts are hell to break in...Fielders gloves are easier to break in and last a long time

Depending on the size of the glove, take a baseball or a softball and put in the palm of the glove and tie it up with a rope or a belt forming a pocket around ball. Submerge in water until completely soaked(about 3 minutes) then remove it leaving ball tied up in it, and hang it up by rope or belt until dry. About 2 or 3 days depending on how warm it is outside. Then untie, remove ball and oil entire glove lightly using Vaseline and use a little extra in the palm area. Wear glove and get a baseball and throw ball into glove for about 5 minutes, Repeat for a couple of days.

I wasn't a catcher... I played third base in college.... My daughter plays short now... Best and easiest glove I have ever used...... you may be right about the catchers mitt.... When I was playing.... our catcher always used Rawlings or a Mizuno mitt...... whoever we were sponsored by at the time.... but then again.... that's been almost 20 years ago....

I always used the shaving cream trick. Put in 5 gallon bucket, cover with shaving cream (lanolin oil) and leave over night. Wipe good the next day and catch, catch, catch with it

nokona mitts or fielders gloves are a BIOTTTCH to break in....im sure their batting gloves would be as well. LOL. But best leather on the market in my opinion. A glove I have grown fond of pretty well is the Akadema Gloves...made in USA.

My boy gets used equipment. Broken in, cheap, and it reminds him that daddy is cheap.

Best idea yet! I loved the Play-it-again Sports store when I coached Little League, always had a spare glove in the bag for the kid that forgot his, a good place to pick up a loaner for the kid that shows up with some plastic thing that nobody can squeeze a ball in.