kasper13 Posted April 26, 2005 Share Posted April 26, 2005 Stick it in a bath tub full of hot water for 10 minutes. Let it dry for couple of hours, have your son wear the glove for 20 minutes while pounding his fist in the pocket, oil up the glove, stick a baseball in there, tie it up and leave it in the basement for 24 hours. Play catch, re-oil and then back in the basement for another 24 hours. Sticking it under the car tire overnight does not give you the pocket & feel that you want. All you get is a lopsided glove with a lousy pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidbuff Posted April 26, 2005 Share Posted April 26, 2005 I agree with all of the above. I do it old school style. Get a ball and grab a sneaker shoe lace from one of yuor old sneaker. Grab some cooking oil and just spread all around the front of the glove (not to much but just enough). Put the ball in the pocket and tie it real tigh all around with the sneaker lace. Put it under his bed overnight and the next day the glove is GOLDEN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlamnSam Posted April 26, 2005 Share Posted April 26, 2005 Okay fellow twobilldrive'ers... My son has a new baseball mit and it is on the stiff side. I need to know some tips/advice for breaking in a new mit. What is good? What is bad? As of right now he cannot use it. I heard that the methods of putting in the oven are not good. Of course the first can of oil I bought from Sports Authority say to do this, but since I've been told not to do that. Any experts out there? Any and all advice would be much appreciated. Tom tmk-nj 319212[/snapback] This might sound goofy, put shaving cream on it for 15 minutes. Clean it off and then put the ball in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous Guy Posted April 26, 2005 Share Posted April 26, 2005 Sticking it under the car tire overnight does not give you the pocket & feel that you want. All you get is a lopsided glove with a lousy pocket. 319721[/snapback] exactly...it's then called a taco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunBillsBacker Posted April 26, 2005 Share Posted April 26, 2005 I broke my glove in my oiling it down, and putting a baseball in the pocket, and placing it under my matress for a couple nights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campy Posted April 26, 2005 Share Posted April 26, 2005 Sticking it under the car tire overnight does not give you the pocket & feel that you want. All you get is a lopsided glove with a lousy pocket. 319721[/snapback] That's not entirely accurate. The weight of the tire pushing the ball back into the pocket is very effective at making the pocket form up. Obviously playing catch with it helps to work it in and adjust to the feel of your hand, but the tire trick - when done correctly - is the best method I've ever used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted April 26, 2005 Share Posted April 26, 2005 That's not entirely accurate. The weight of the tire pushing the ball back into the pocket is very effective at making the pocket form up. Obviously playing catch with it helps to work it in and adjust to the feel of your hand, but the tire trick - when done correctly - is the best method I've ever used. 319831[/snapback] Makes sense to me. BTW, you are NOT neglecting your studies, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campy Posted April 26, 2005 Share Posted April 26, 2005 BTW, you are NOT neglecting your studies, right? 319890[/snapback] That's not entirely accurate either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted April 26, 2005 Share Posted April 26, 2005 That's not entirely accurate either 319896[/snapback] I beat on no man's head...poke them in the ribs a bit, I suppose... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarthur31 Posted April 26, 2005 Share Posted April 26, 2005 Put a ball in the pocket of the mitt, then fold the mitt around it and rubber band it tightly for a few days. Instant pocket. The oil will soften it up also....so use it. 319221[/snapback] That's what me and my bros did to ours way back when. It works! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmac17 Posted April 27, 2005 Share Posted April 27, 2005 a little bit of glove oil, a lot of catch. My favorite is to take the glove to the batting cages and fire up some fastballs. This can be expensive, but you'd be amazed how fast a few 65mph balls will break in the pocket. If the high school has a machine this is perfect. a few key points: - with any type of oil, shaving cream etc, less is more. Don't over oil your glove. - don't buy any of the oven treatments. bad, bad, bad. - Although I don't like the bucket of water or (especially) putting your car on the glove, you'll find major leaguers who do it and it's sort of tough to argue with them...basically there is no right answer to this question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BackInDaDay Posted April 27, 2005 Share Posted April 27, 2005 I would apply the oil to the leather and rub it in to make it more pliable. I put two balls into the glove and then tied it down and let it sit for a few days with a bathrobe. This gave me enough of a start to play with it, but I truly broke it in by playing catch and games with it thousands of times. I never used an oven. 319247[/snapback] Pretty friggin' kinky FFS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puhonix Posted April 27, 2005 Share Posted April 27, 2005 Dont say this often, but Ramius is right, no better way to break it in than a lot of catch. Toss it for 30 minutes a day, and a week or so should do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stussy109 Posted April 27, 2005 Share Posted April 27, 2005 Put a ball in the pocket of the mitt, then fold the mitt around it and rubber band it tightly for a few days. Instant pocket. The oil will soften it up also....so use it. 319221[/snapback] Addition to this is put it under your mattress, although i guess the car tire does the trick as well. Make sure the ball is properly placed in the pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shebs Posted April 27, 2005 Share Posted April 27, 2005 Soak it in hot water 4 hours, clean it with saddle soap, then oil it (make sure you rub the oil into all the seams and laces, tie it up with a ball in the pocket using rags. leave it for a couple of days, play lots of catch and retie when not using it. I believe it was Don Kessinger use to dump a cup of coffee in his glove work and work it in. Worked fine for him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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