When you purchase a new baseball glove, the leather is stiff. You'll need to break the glove in before it is ready for use in a ball game. Treating baseball gloves is necessary to properly care for and break them in. There's no single method for treating baseball gloves, but you will find general agreement on the basic steps required.
Purpose
Your initial goals when you treat baseball gloves are to soften the leather and to shape the pocket for optimum play. You will want to treat the glove again periodically to keep the leather from becoming dry and cracking, to extend the useful lifespan of your baseball glove.
Conditioners
Players use a variety of substances to treat baseball gloves. Linseed and mink oil are popular choices. Glove manufacturers market leather treatments for their products. Some people get good results using ordinary leather conditioners and even shaving cream. Which conditioning agent you use is really a matter of individual preference. Regardless of your choice, always allow the glove to air dry after applying a conditioning agent.
Application
It takes only a small amount of conditioner to treat baseball gloves. Overuse of any conditioner will tend to make the leather deteriorate and shorten the life of the glove. Use a cloth to rub a small amount of conditioner into the surfaces of the glove, including the inside and the pocket. If you are breaking in a new baseball glove, place a baseball in the pocket after applying the conditioning agent. Use rubber bands, a belt, or shoelaces to hold the glove closed around the pocket for a few days. This will help to properly shape the pocket.
Use the Glove
One of the most important parts of breaking in a new glove is to use it as part of your treatment. All you need to do is get together with a friend and play catch a few times. If that's not possible for some reason, you can substitute a batting practice machine. Use your glove to catch the balls instead of hitting them with a bat.
Ongoing Care
Re-apply your chosen leather conditioner a few times during each baseball season and when the season ends. You may want to treat the glove again before starting to use it the following season. Always store your baseball gloves in a cool dry place, in season and out. If the glove becomes wet, dry it with a cloth and allow it to air dry. Never use a heat source to dry a baseball glove. Doing so will dry the leather and shorten the life of the glove.
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