Breaking in a new baseball glove,I need some ideas?

Question

how long will it take to break in my glove, ive been using franklin glove oil,putting it under my mattress,and stretching it out. I want to use it this weekend, i need some input

Answer 1

The best way to break in a glove is to just use it. Don't get it wet or run over it with a car or such as that. Store it with a ball in the pocket and don't loan it out.

After a week or two, it will fit like a...................well.......Glove!

Answer 2

Using glove oil is probably the worst thing you can do to a glove. The oil soaks into the padding underneath the leather making the glove heavier than it should be. It also dries out the leather. I like to use a little bit of lotion or shaving cream, maybe once or twice, just to kind of loosen it up. Then I will pull it, twist it, throw it against walls, step on it and when I store it (depenpending on the type of glove) I will put a ball or two in the pocket and use a belt to keep pressure around the ball and help form the pocket. The more you use it the faster it will break in.

When not in use it is best to lay it on a bench (during a game) face down/up with it open. This preserves the pocket form and prevents the pancake syndrom. When the glove has no pocket and the fingers are real weak and flimsy.

Answer 3

Use BARBASOL shaving cream. Put SOME in your hand and make sure you cover the glove with all of whats IN your hands. Wrap a ball in the palm and put a strong rubber band around it to form a pocket. use an older gove before you use hte new one. A week from now, use some more BARBASOL and do the same thing. DONT use the whole can, just enough so the glove can absorb it. Do the same thing and wrap the ball in the pocket and tighten it with the rubber band. DONT USE GLOVE OIL. New gloves are NOT made of 100% leather and oil will only help the synthetics desolve. After another wk, the glove should be soft enough to use. This was told to me by a former minor leaguer who coached my son. And it worked.

Answer 4

Rub some shaving cream or glove oil around the glove twice a week, put a softball in the pocket, and wrap the glove with rubber bands to keep the ball in the same position whenever you are not using it. And every chance you get toss a ball in and out of the glove. The glove should be good in about 2-3weeks

Answer 5

Been braking in gloves for over 15+ years, best thing is glovoilum by rawling. Apply 2 coats to the glove then put in ball, wrap with big rubber bands or tie it with a shoestring. let it sit 24 hours then play catch for a hour or so. reposition ball and tie it up again. do this for about a week then put another coat of oil on the glove and tie it back up. should be ready to use the next day. The glove won't be completely broke in, but it will be pretty close.

Answer 6

I 100% agree with the shaving cream suggestions. Use a named-brand gel with aloe - which helps soften the leather. Make sure you rub the gel into every inch of the glove. Also, oil isn't bad but too much oil can eventually weigh down the glove.

Good Luck.

Answer 7

Keep tossing the ball inside the glove over and over till u fell it snug inside ur glove or jus play catch before u play a game

Answer 8

I know a guy who used to work in the clubhouse for the San Diego Padres at Qualcomm Stadium before they moved to Petco Park and he said that several of the Padres fielders used to use shaving cream, including Tony Gwynn, I've also heard Tony mention it when he calls Padres games for the local TV station here in San Diego.

Answer 9

Breaking in a new glove requires patience and it may take 1/2 of a playing season or more before the new glove sees game action. I generally use the "new" glove in the outfield while shagging balls during BP, and take ground balls in the infield once I have completed the preliminary "break-in" steps described below:
(1) Unwrap the glove and put it on your hand. Fold the glove across the hinge with your throwing hand several times.

(2) Go out and play catch with the glove each day. Continue flexing the glove across the hinge in between throws while you are playing catch. Have fun and talk with your partner while you build arm strength to play ball, and break in your new glove. If you can find a partner that throws hard, your glove will break in faster and you will get better at playing catch!

(3) If you must use a glove conditioner, use Lexol leather conditioner. It is impossible to use too much. It provides adequate lubrication to the leather fibers, and it does not soak in and make the glove padding heavy.

Put a small amount of Lexol on a clean sponge or rag and rub it into the triangle formed between the base of the web and the hinge at the heel of the glove.

Continue to flex the glove across the hinge while wearing it. This will help the glove conform to the anatomy of "your" hand and give you a custom fit.

(4) Finally, I store all of my gloves on a shelf in the house and use the Glove Guard to help them retain their shape. Of course, a baseball or softball in the pocket also works to keep the glove from becoming a flattened pancake.


1) Do take time and use patience when breaking in a new glove. Don't resort to quick-fix treatments like soaking it in a bucket of water or lubing it up with glove oil and then use a car to back over it in the driveway. Likewise, avoid all of the "Hot-Glove" oven bake methods that essentially cook your glove. These quick-fix methods will shorten the life of your glove or ruin it entirely.

(2) Do remove your glove from the bat or equipment bag following each use, wipe off the dirt and grit, and store it on a shelf with a ball or Glove Guard in the pocket. Don't leave it dirty and stored in the bat bag between seasons and uses.

(3) Do use Lexol leather care products for annual cleaning and periodic conditioning of your glove between seasons, games, and practices.

Use the following procedure to keep your glove in top playing condition.

(a) Use a light brush to remove dust and grit,
(b) Apply a small amount of Lexol leather cleaner with a damp sponge to the glove pocket, fingers, and back to clean the leather,
(c) Use a clean damp sponge to rinse and remove the cleaner from the glove,
(d) Let the glove air dry slowly and apply Lexol leather conditioner to the pocket, fingers and back, rub it in. Store the glove or play catch with it as usual,
(e) tighten the laces in the fingers and web following each season and only use square and overhand knots to tie each of the laces off.

Don't use an over abundance of saddle soap to clean your glove (it will make it sticky and gooey forever).

Don't use any of the petrolium based glove conditioners like vaseline, Rawlings Glovolium, or the vaseline-like glove conditioners sold by Nokona and Wilson. Likwise, avoid using oil conditioners like neatsfoot and mink oil, and especially boiled linseed oil. These products will make your glove heavy (glovolium, neatsfoot oil, and mink oil), sticky so it attracts dirt and grit (vaseline-like products), or ruin the leather by making it hard and brittle (boiled linseed oil). I really believe Lexol leather conditioner is the best product on the market, but other lanolin-based products will also get the job done without ruining the leather in your glove.

(4) Do wear a batting glove under (inside) of the fielding glove during games and practices. This will help keep the inside of the glove palm from getting saturated with body sweat and salts that will dry the leather out over time.

(5) Do let your glove air-dry slowly when it has gotten wet during a game or practice. Don't put it in the oven or microwave, or over a heating vent to speed the drying process. This will cause the leather to crack and become brittle. Be sure to apply a small amount of Lexol leather conditioner to the leather once it has dried to maintain its flexibility.

Answer 10

It should only take a couple of days,at night put a baseball-softball in it and tie a shoestring around it works great