Okay, folks, let’s dive into my little experiment with breaking in a new baseball glove. I’m no pro, but I’ve broken in a few gloves in my time, and I wanted to try a few different oils this time around.
My Glove-Breaking Journey
First things first, I grabbed my brand-spanking-new glove. It was stiff as a board, obviously. Couldn’t even close it properly. That’s where the fun begins!
I had heard a lot about using different oils, some people swear only to use special glove oil products, and others say all kinds of different oils are basically the same, so I picked some all up to test them out.
The Oil Testing
I started to apply, and started to rub, and rub, and rub, my hands were getting a workout! Here’s what happened with some different oils I tried:
- Glove Oil:I put the on my new glove. I started to message the oil in, working it into every part of the glove, the oil really help soften the leather up.
- Mink Oil: I then applied the mink oil, it was really thick, and made a big difference to making it more playable.
- Neatsfoot Oil:I used a little more of the glove oil, just to make sure it was all evenly coated.
The Process
After applying the oil, it was time for some good old-fashioned elbow grease. I spent a good amount of time just working the glove:
- Opening and closing it repeatedly. Like, a LOT.
- Bending the fingers back and forth. Gotta get that flexibility!
- Pounding the pocket with a baseball. Simulating catching a ball.
- Repeated all these steps. For good meassure!
I did this whole process a few times over a couple of days. Each time, I’d apply a little more oil if needed, focusing on the stiffest areas.
The Result
Honestly, it worked great, my glove that was as stiff as wood before is nice and playable now! It’s not super floppy, but it’s definitely broken in enough to comfortably use in a game. It closes nicely, and the pocket is forming really well.
So, there you have it – my glove-breaking adventure. It takes some time and effort, but it’s definitely worth it to get that perfect feel. It was a good workout!
