You have choosen a youth baseball
glove, after you have found the right glove for your child. The next step is
to break in that glove so that it is easier to handle and use.
There are several ways to break in a
new baseball glove. In fact, if you ask a dozen different Major League players
how they do it, you will probably get a dozen different approaches. There are
some common practices that you can follow to achieve your ultimate goal.
The first phase is to condition the
leather, and this is the step that is in conflict the most among players, but
the objective is to soften up the leather so that it is not stiff and hard to
squeeze. To start with, you will need a conditioner. Many
glove manufacturers will recommend their own brand of oils, but you can use a
variety of products and the cheapest
product is a can of plain old Barbasol shaving cream.
Only use this method with steer hide
leather gloves, NOT Suede or Vinyl, or Synthetic gloves.
You will need 2 cans of Barbasol, a
5 gallon bucket, and some paper towels. Shake one of the cans of Barbasol
shaving cream for a ten seconds then empty its contents into the 5 gallon
bucket. Place your new glove into the shaving cream and then take the second
can of Barbasol and empty it on top of the glove. Let it sit for a day and all
the shaving cream will melt. When the glove is pulled out it will look messy
use the paper towels to pat down any excess shaving cream.
You will notice that the shaving
cream absorbed into the glove and the laces and this will soften the leather.
The next step is to shape the glove. You do this by placing a ball inside the
pocket and then wrapping the glove with a couple of rubber bands or shoelaces.
Once this is done you can place it out of the way and let it sit in room
temperature over night.
The next day, take the rubber bands
off the glove and you want to work the
pocket by hitting it with a baseball mallet. I have found that the best product
for this is called the Ergo Glove Mallet which sells for about $27 on Amazon.
There are some cheaper ones out there but the way they are designed you will be
busting up your knuckles on the glove laces because the handle is just not long
enough. The Ergo Glove mallet lets your hand be above the glove and avoid the
beating on your knuckles. With your baseball mallet, just hit the pocket for about
5 or 10 minutes.
Alternatively, you can just play catch for 5 or 10 minutes
but this is assuming your child can catch well and already knows how to control
a glove. It’s the best method for older children, but the kids that are 4 – 8
are still learning the mechanics and it will be harder and take longer to break
in that pocket. I would recommend using the above mallet, and if not that then
a rubber mallet may do the trick as well.
Parents, the point is to work that pocket in the way that a ball will hit it so
it is easier for your child to catch. Please DO NOT let
your adult hands stretch out the glove and misalign the pocket. Let your child
do the pounding with the mallet and they will get a feel for how the ball will
hit the glove.
