What is the best way to break in a new catcher glove? Back in "the day" I would have oiled it and used it, but times & knowledge change.
Thanks in advance.
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With todays price of quality gloves I would go to the munufacturers web site as they usually have a recommended "break-in" policy that would not void any warranty issues. Besides, they made it, they should be best at directing how to maintain it.
Most gloves today come pre-oiled and ready to
GO PLAY CATCH !!!!!
GO PLAY CATCH !!!!!
Even the pre-oiled catcher's mitts are still pretty stiff. The best method is to use it. My son broke in his new Wilson mitt in 3 days by catching several buckets of balls per day off of the pitching machine, cranked up to about 95 MPH.
Just use it...oil makes it heavy
I have had great success over the years using the advise of several ML players I have talked too. I would go throw my new glove into the ocean, fetch it out and every so often while it's drying, put it on and work the pocket with a ball. When it's dried, your pocket is formed and your leather is still soft. Future maintenance only requires the occasional loogie. WARNING - dont be fooled by imitation loogie products that claim the same results as the real thing - THERE IS NO REPLACEMENT!
zg
zg
I wouldn't try this, but I bought my son a Wilson glove a couple of seasons ago and he left it at his Aunt's house. Some kids that live next door came in and took the glove outside to play catch. They left it outside and it rained that night. Yea, it was soaked. Oil and water was dripping from it.
I gave him the speech about taking care of his equipment and bought him another. I told him to just let the wet glove set outside in the sun and bring it in at night until it drys and use it for practice. Well, in November he was looking for an extra glove for a friend to use and found the old Wilson. The glove felt good to him and he used it. He said that it was broken in almost perfect. He even took it to a showcase in December and he said that he would probably use it during the season.
Go figure.
I gave him the speech about taking care of his equipment and bought him another. I told him to just let the wet glove set outside in the sun and bring it in at night until it drys and use it for practice. Well, in November he was looking for an extra glove for a friend to use and found the old Wilson. The glove felt good to him and he used it. He said that it was broken in almost perfect. He even took it to a showcase in December and he said that he would probably use it during the season.
Go figure.
Zengrifter,
ML players can get a new glove every 6 months, or even every week if they want to. That's why they can do this and have instant results. Us common folk can't really afford to buy a new mitt every six months or so, unless you're very rich.
Have a leather couch that needs to be comfortable before the Superbowl? Take out the hose and drech it in water. But plan on buying a new one in a few months.
Just us it, it'll break in naturally and last a lot longer than one soaked.
ML players can get a new glove every 6 months, or even every week if they want to. That's why they can do this and have instant results. Us common folk can't really afford to buy a new mitt every six months or so, unless you're very rich.
Have a leather couch that needs to be comfortable before the Superbowl? Take out the hose and drech it in water. But plan on buying a new one in a few months.
Just us it, it'll break in naturally and last a lot longer than one soaked.
The college gives my son 2 new gloves per year..a catcher's mitt and an infielders glove..plus this year he got an additional glove , a first baseman's mitt. You can almost take a fielder's glove out of the box and begin playing games without any problems. The catcher's mitt takes a while. It may take months to properly break in a good catcher's mitt and as Gloveman states, using it is the best way. I suggest high school catchers buy their catcher's mitt during the off-season and use it to long toss and just play around with. By the start of season the mitt should be in fair shape. By the start of games the mitt should be good. Pre-oiled mitts are heavier and although they do last longer my son won't use one because of the additional weight. Keeping the mitt clean is important because the abrasiveness of the dirt acts like sandpaper and shortens the life of the leather. Actually wears holes in the mitt.
Fungo
Fungo
z'grifter's got something there - - - ocean water has worked great for us as well, tho it might shorten glove life later (complete results are not in at this time)
anyway, my son just plays catch & bullpen with his new gloves - - and he breaks in gloves for others as well in his bullpens
In hs and summer, gloves were broken in far advance of the season by catching - at practice/long toss/bullpens (but, the wetted gloves semed best)
they now seem to "break in" pretty quick recieving the 101+ mph b'pens
anyway, my son just plays catch & bullpen with his new gloves - - and he breaks in gloves for others as well in his bullpens
In hs and summer, gloves were broken in far advance of the season by catching - at practice/long toss/bullpens (but, the wetted gloves semed best)
they now seem to "break in" pretty quick recieving the 101+ mph b'pens
I have sold several thousand gloves in the
past 5 years and I give each purchaser the
following:
--------------------------
TAKING CARE OF YOUR NEW………………………
Thanks and congratulations on your purchase of our Z-TX baseball glove.
Manuel P. Diaz and his sons take a lot of pride in handcrafting these gloves and with proper care you should get a lot of use out of it.
In breaking in your new glove; I have a few suggestions:
· DO NOT SOAK IT IN WATER
· DO NOT PUT IT IN A MICROWAVE OVEN
Breaking in a new glove is not the easiest thing in the world, but here’s a
way to start:
· As soon as you get it- take a little petroleum jelly (vaseline) and rub it into the leather, laces first, and then a small amount all over the glove; rub it in well.
This will cause the normal dirt you get on your glove to come to the surface and you can wipe it off with a dry rag.
· Play some catch for a couple of days. Work it. Pound it with your fist. Catch some more.
· After a couple of days, pour a good glob of olive oil into the
palm and start working it all over the glove; Front, Back, Web and Laces.
This will soften it up greatly and it will be “game ready” in a couple of weeks. The more you play catch; the quicker it will be ready.
If you will re-apply the olive oil at the end of the season and at the start of next season, you’ll get a lot of use out of it. Remember- when you put the glove away, put a ball in it. Don’t let it lose it’s shape or it will look like a pancake. TAKE CARE OF YOUR GLOVE AND IT WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU!
See you at the ballyard…………………..D.A. Cooper
past 5 years and I give each purchaser the
following:
--------------------------
TAKING CARE OF YOUR NEW………………………
Thanks and congratulations on your purchase of our Z-TX baseball glove.
Manuel P. Diaz and his sons take a lot of pride in handcrafting these gloves and with proper care you should get a lot of use out of it.
In breaking in your new glove; I have a few suggestions:
· DO NOT SOAK IT IN WATER
· DO NOT PUT IT IN A MICROWAVE OVEN
Breaking in a new glove is not the easiest thing in the world, but here’s a
way to start:
· As soon as you get it- take a little petroleum jelly (vaseline) and rub it into the leather, laces first, and then a small amount all over the glove; rub it in well.
This will cause the normal dirt you get on your glove to come to the surface and you can wipe it off with a dry rag.
· Play some catch for a couple of days. Work it. Pound it with your fist. Catch some more.
· After a couple of days, pour a good glob of olive oil into the
palm and start working it all over the glove; Front, Back, Web and Laces.
This will soften it up greatly and it will be “game ready” in a couple of weeks. The more you play catch; the quicker it will be ready.
If you will re-apply the olive oil at the end of the season and at the start of next season, you’ll get a lot of use out of it. Remember- when you put the glove away, put a ball in it. Don’t let it lose it’s shape or it will look like a pancake. TAKE CARE OF YOUR GLOVE AND IT WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU!
See you at the ballyard…………………..D.A. Cooper
1. Soak in water
2. Place a BB in pocket and wrap with thick rubber bands.
3. Place glove in the freezer compartment of your refrigerator until dry to your touch, usually two days.
4. Remove glove and let thaw, glove will be moist. Pull the glove out of shape in every possible direction to loosen it up.
5. Use petroleum jelly and rub into the glove using just your fingers.
6. Wipe the glove from any excess oily sustance.
7. Place ball in the glove then wrap the glove with rubber band s again and place back into the freezer for another day.
8. Remove glove and unwrap. Let thaw then rub Petroleum Jelly into glove again using fingers until glove is soft.
9. Remove any excess oiliness.
10. Place the BB in the pocket and wrap with rubber bands until you are ready to use it.
You will have one of the softest gloves that fits your hand and has a pocket that grips the ball.
2. Place a BB in pocket and wrap with thick rubber bands.
3. Place glove in the freezer compartment of your refrigerator until dry to your touch, usually two days.
4. Remove glove and let thaw, glove will be moist. Pull the glove out of shape in every possible direction to loosen it up.
5. Use petroleum jelly and rub into the glove using just your fingers.
6. Wipe the glove from any excess oily sustance.
7. Place ball in the glove then wrap the glove with rubber band s again and place back into the freezer for another day.
8. Remove glove and unwrap. Let thaw then rub Petroleum Jelly into glove again using fingers until glove is soft.
9. Remove any excess oiliness.
10. Place the BB in the pocket and wrap with rubber bands until you are ready to use it.
You will have one of the softest gloves that fits your hand and has a pocket that grips the ball.
PiC, are you trying to break in a turkey?
Coop, can you give me more info on your gloves?
Coop, can you give me more info on your gloves?
Here's my new mitt after it went through the PiC-a-Punishment.
The doctor said I would have to have the thumb amputated because of severe frostbite.
The doctor said I would have to have the thumb amputated because of severe frostbite.
Fungo,
I didn't think it got that cold in Tennessee.It looks like you got your new mitt broke in just the same.
Sorry about the loss of your finger.
I didn't think it got that cold in Tennessee.It looks like you got your new mitt broke in just the same.
Sorry about the loss of your finger.
Play catch! Buy a new glove 2 months before you need it for games, play catch during warmups and practices. Use glove loogie or lanolin.
All the methods listed here will work, but any time you use a petroleum based product on your leather and laces, it will break them down chemically by reaction and shorten the life of the glove by half as well as add weight to the glove. So wouldn't it be smarter just to by one a couple of months early rather than shorten the life by half?
Just play catch.
All the methods listed here will work, but any time you use a petroleum based product on your leather and laces, it will break them down chemically by reaction and shorten the life of the glove by half as well as add weight to the glove. So wouldn't it be smarter just to by one a couple of months early rather than shorten the life by half?
Just play catch.
Big, I'll call you today, I got your message, but haven't had a chance to call. 
Talk to you later.
Mink Oil works really good!
Check out the advise of the Sandal Lady for breaking in leather.
I've come to the conclusion that there are 2 types of glove people out there.
One type likes a firm, formed gove that is shaped to accomodate a ball. For those types the "play catch with it" philosophy is sufficient.
Type 2 is one who likes a softer, very flexable glove. Even the "pre-oiled gloves" feel stiff to them. They like the glove to be an extension of their hand. Pic's technique is the fastest way to that end. Yes the glove will look like a pancake afteryou take it off but it will respond to your hands more easily.
Rollerman
I stopped in the sporting goods store where my son works the other day and there was a glove on the counter that was an all black Wilson. I picked it up and it must have weighed 4 pounds. It smelled like it had been thrown into a fire and dragged out. I asked my son what was up with the glove and he said that a guy brought it in to have it re-laced because he fried the laces when he put it in the oven. Turns out that he oiled it up, put it in the oven at 350 degrees and forgot it. The oil actually cooked the leather. Smelled worse than my wife's meatloaf (and probably would taste better too.) My hand smelled for two days (yes I washed it several times).
The "Sandal Lady" is a great read. Thanks cong.
Also thanks to all that have responded so far
Also thanks to all that have responded so far
I bought the glovestuff from Sandalady. very nice stuff. nice website - you guys should read it.
The Sandal Lady is the glove repair specialist of choice in the North Bay! She will ship if you pay for it.
The key to "breaking in" and longevity is to buy the right glove to beging with. Good suggestions for breaking in and maintaing a glove won't make much difference if you start with a low quality glove.
How you break in a glove depends upon how you want to use it. A catcher will generally want a small stiff glove with a small pocket to allow for quicker exchanges/releases. My son breaks his glove in by:
1. catching a lot of pitches in the MIDDLE of the glove.
2. He uses vasoline and will sometimes leave the pocket open to the sun to make it tacky before a game. Using too much vasoline will make the glove heavy.
In terms of maintaining the glove:
3. He is careful to tightened the strings often.
4. He is constantly making sure the glove is kept clean/clear of dirt
5. He teamates know NOT to use his glove
6. He never cleans the plate off with his glove
7. He never throws his glove on the ground
8. His practice glove is always the new glove
He's never tried tossing it into the ocean etc. or putting a ball in it to make a bigger or well defined pocket. He has had one Pudge glove for 7 years now and all it's needed is two string repairs. It seems to take him 2-3 months to break in a new pudge glove to his liking.
The key to "breaking in" and longevity is to buy the right glove to beging with. Good suggestions for breaking in and maintaing a glove won't make much difference if you start with a low quality glove.
How you break in a glove depends upon how you want to use it. A catcher will generally want a small stiff glove with a small pocket to allow for quicker exchanges/releases. My son breaks his glove in by:
1. catching a lot of pitches in the MIDDLE of the glove.
2. He uses vasoline and will sometimes leave the pocket open to the sun to make it tacky before a game. Using too much vasoline will make the glove heavy.
In terms of maintaining the glove:
3. He is careful to tightened the strings often.
4. He is constantly making sure the glove is kept clean/clear of dirt
5. He teamates know NOT to use his glove
6. He never cleans the plate off with his glove
7. He never throws his glove on the ground
8. His practice glove is always the new glove
He's never tried tossing it into the ocean etc. or putting a ball in it to make a bigger or well defined pocket. He has had one Pudge glove for 7 years now and all it's needed is two string repairs. It seems to take him 2-3 months to break in a new pudge glove to his liking.
Personally, I was always an "oil guy", but found that the gloves got a bit floppy. I have refined my technique to use a small amount of mineral oil [look at the ingredienst on a thing of glove oil: 99% mineral oil, 1% die]..I oil the palm and the web lightly, microwave it for 20 seconds, work in a little more oil and nuke again for 20 seconds, then push the palm out so the glove is kinda inside out - this stretches it a little..next day, go play catch. Last two we did this to were a TPX Omaha and now a Mizuno. [decent gloves put not top of the line by any means] I would think that the ocean [salt water] would be less desirable than regular water, if you are a "dunk it in water" kinda guy.