How to Condition a Baseball Glove with Simple Means
Baseball glove is important for every baseball player, either the amateur player or the professional player. The new baseball glove may be not as good as the old one. The feeling may be different. People may feel clumsy and stiff with their new glove. It will be harder to play. People only need to wait for the glove to break naturally. It may take a long time. Some quicker solutions on how to condition a baseball glove have been proposed.
How to Condition a Baseball Glove?
Use Baseball Glove Conditioning Oil
First, you can buy conditioning oil for a baseball glove. This kind of oil has been widely manufactured. You only need to apply this oil to the glove in a small amount. The oil will make the glove soft and rich. The leather will be preserved in your pocket glove. If the conditioning oil cannot be afforded, you can mix lanolin with some shaving cream. It is an alternative way of how to break in a baseball glove. You need to pay attention when you are applying the oil on your glove. Too much oil cans deteriorate the leather.
Use a Ball and Bands
You can use a ball as one of how to condition a baseball glove. Manage a ball in the glove, right in the sweet spot where you catch the ball ideally. It is located in the webbing’s lower part. It is between the forefinger and the thumb. After managing the ball in the appropriate spot, use to complete the next step on conditioning a baseball steps. Use some large rubber bands to wrap the glove. Wrap the bands tightly. Make sure that the ball can rest snugly inside the pocket. Don’t let the ball move around.
After wrapping the glove with the band, let the glove get the direct sunlight. Leave the glove for a few hours. The leather will be flexible and warm because of the sunlight. After a few hours, take it out of the sun. The bands should be removed, so should the ball. Punch the fist into the pocket to shape the glove. Open and close the glove. You need to throw a ball hard into the glove pocket hard. Close it as the ball hits the webbing. This step will bring a better catching and retaining feel. Wrap the glove once more with the bands. Place it in a dark and dry spot where your kids and pets cannot reach it. As the previous step on conditioning a baseball glove tip is done, remove the ball and bands.
Microwaving the Gloves
Aaron Rowand of San Fransisco suggests soaking the glove under the faucet as his way of how to condition a baseball glove. Make sure that the leather is wet as you soak it with the water. You can put the wet glove in the microwave for one minute. The leather will be softened up. Soon, you can use the glove to catch the ball. Put the glove inside a microwave may seem irrational, but it really works. Torii Hunter, an outfielder of Angels has proven it himself. He says that the glove is better after he puts it in a microwave for 30 seconds.
You should be really careful in microwaves the glove as how to condition a baseball glove. Pay more attention and count the time precisely. You can avoid a fire. You should never put it in the microwave if your glove has some metal parts. It can be dangerous if you keep microwaving your glove as you’ve found the presence of metal part in your glove.
Manhandling Method
Manhandling a glove is one method that you can do. You can take some aggression out with this method. You only pound the glove pocket to make the leather soft. This method can make the pocket formed. A glove mallet is very required in this method. If you cannot afford any glove mallet, you can use an old baseball.
The first step of how to condition a baseball glove is putting the glove as usual. Take the mallet with your throwing hand. Strike the glove pocket continually. For more broken in glove, take your glove off. Lay the palm side of the glove down on the floor. You need to strike the other side.
