So, you have just purchased that new baseball glove you’ve had your eye on for weeks, and now, it’s time to break it in. You know the drill – rub in some glove oil, put a ball in the pocket, stick it under your couch cushions, beat it with your fist a few hundred times, etc. It takes forever to get a glove properly broken in, right?
Not necessarily!
Warning: the following method is not advised for “suede-type” leather, vinyl, or other non-standard baseball gloves. This method is ideal for traditional, “hard” leather or steerhide gloves that are very stiff.
First of all, you’ll need a five gallon bucket. Empty an entire can of foam-style shaving cream (good old Barbasol works well) into the bucket. Do *not* use shaving gel or similar products!
Take your new glove, put an old baseball in the pocket, and tie it closed. Make sure that you are happy with the pocket.
Next, pleace the glove into the bucket, and empty a second entire can of shaving cream on top of the mitt. Allow everything to sit undisturbed overnight.
The shaving cream will have melted, and your glove will now be a soaking mess. You will be certain that you have ruined it. Be brave! The best is yet to come!
Place your glove somewhere where it can dry at room temperature. This will take at least another day, maybe two. However, once the glove is dry, you will discover that the leather is now soft and supple, and perfectly broken in. Quite a few professional baseball players swear by this unorthodox method of breaking in a glove.
