Alright, so you got yourself a brand new baseball glove, huh? Stiff as a board, ain’t it? Like tryin’ to catch a greased pig with a pancake. Don’t you worry none, I’m gonna tell ya how to get that thing soft and ready to go, just like my old man showed me, but with a little somethin’ extra – shaving cream! Sounds crazy, I know, but trust me on this one.
First off, don’t go grabbin’ just any shaving cream. You need that foamy stuff, the kind your grandpa used. That Barbasol stuff works real good. Don’t you go gettin’ no fancy gel or nothin’, it’ll just make a mess and won’t do nothin’ for the glove. Now, take that glove and that can of shaving cream and let’s get to work.
Now, some folks say you gotta go slatherin’ that shaving cream all over the glove, but I don’t hold with that. You gotta be a bit more careful, ya know? Start small. Squirt a little bit on a rag, like a golf ball size, that’s plenty. Then rub it in real good, all over the glove, inside and out. Get it in them fingers and that pocket where you catch the ball. Don’t be stingy now, but don’t go wastin’ it all neither.
Important stuff here, pay attention! After you rub that cream in real good, you gotta work that glove. Don’t just let it sit there! Put it on your hand and start bending it, folding it, smackin’ it with your other hand. You gotta imagine you’re catchin’ that fastball, over and over. And don’t be gentle with it! This ain’t no china doll, it’s a baseball glove! You gotta treat it rough, show it who’s boss. My old man used to say, “Treat it like you’re wrasslin’ a stubborn calf.” That’s how you get it soft.
- Bend the fingers back and forth, real good.
- Pound the pocket with your fist, make a nice little nest for the ball.
- Fold the glove closed and tie it up with a rubber band or somethin’, keep it that way for a while.
Now, some folks, they like to speed things up a bit. They’ll stick that glove in the oven, low heat mind you, just for a few minutes. But I ain’t too keen on that. Seems to me like it could dry out the leather and make it crack. But if you’re in a hurry, I guess you could try it. Just be careful, don’t go burnin’ your house down tryin’ to break in a baseball glove! And for goodness sake, don’t put it in the microwave! That’s just plain dumb.
Another thing you can do is beat on it a bit. Get yourself a hammer or a mallet, or even just a good ol’ rock, and pound that pocket. Not too hard now, you don’t wanna break it! Just enough to soften it up and make it more flexible. And you can use a baseball too, smack it into the pocket over and over again. That helps shape it and make it just right.
And don’t forget to oil that glove up! You can use any kind of leather conditioner, or even just some mink oil or baby oil. That’ll keep it from dryin’ out and crackin’, and it’ll make it even softer. Just rub it in real good, inside and out, and let it soak in. Do this after the shaving cream part though. Don’t want to make a greasy mess!
The best way to break in a glove, though, is to just play catch. Nothin’ beats good old-fashioned use. Get yourself a buddy and toss that ball around. The more you use it, the softer it’ll get. And don’t worry if it takes a while. A good glove is like a good pair of boots, it takes time to break ‘em in just right. But once you do, it’ll last you for years.
So there ya have it. That’s how you break in a baseball glove with shaving cream. It ain’t rocket science, just a little bit of elbow grease and patience. Now get out there and play some ball!
And remember, keep that glove clean and oiled, and it’ll treat you right. And don’t go blamin’ the glove if you drop a fly ball. That’s your fault, not the glove’s!
Tags: [baseball glove, break in, shaving cream, leather, sports equipment, soften, condition, baseball, glove care, how to]
