Easton-Bell Sports is a company that designs and manufactures equipment for a variety of sports arenas. Included in the baseball and softball lines are handcrafted gloves in adult and youth brands. Baseball gloves tend to be stiff and hard to manage when first obtained. By taking the time to break the glove in, you conform the shape to your hand and loosen the material to make the glove more flexible. Any baseball glove, including those offered by Easton, will need proper breaking in to improve your game play.
Step 1
Select an oil-based solution to soften the leather. There are a number of products that will work to help make the glove flexible. Reader's Digest suggests bath oil, olive oil, petroleum jelly or a spray-on lubricant, and many manufacturers sell oil product for this purpose. Try different products until you find the best one for you.
Step 2
Apply the oil to the glove and rub it in with a soft cloth. Add just a small amount of oil to one corner of the glove. Place the glove on your catching hand, then work the oil into the leather with the cloth. Cover the front and back on the glove. Wearing the glove while oiling may help conform it to the shape of your hand and allow you to keep a grip on it while you work.
Step 3
Take the glove to a batting cage and catch balls. This helps to further stretch the material to the shape of your hand and form the pocket. The pocket is the inside section of the glove wear the ball sits. Pockets form as the material pulls to accommodate the hand inside the glove.
Step 4
Fold the glove over on the pocket. Pull the outside sections toward the center so the pocket is covered by both sides. Circle a shoestring around the top of the folded glove and tie it off to secure the fold. Add a second string lower down. Allow the glove to sit in this position for several days to seal the pocket and break in the glove.
Things You'll Need
- Oil
- Soft cloth
- 2 shoestrings
Member Comments