For many baseball players, oiling a baseball glove is one of the great joys of the sport. Besides the nostalgic value of handling leather and crafting your own tool for your own use, you can also reinvigorate old baseball gloves by oiling them just as you would new ones. Once the oil works into the leather and has some time to settle there, the glove is fortified from the elements and has a ball pocket that makes it easier to catch. The oil also protects the laces and leather from overuse, ripping, and wear.
Step 1
Oil the laces with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Dip the toothbrush into the oil and cover all the glove’s laces with oil. Tighten the laces and repeat.
Step 2
Fold a towel you do not mind staining into a small rectangle. Put oil on one corner of the rectangle, and rub the oiled towel over all surfaces of the glove. Use a circular motion to work the oil into the leather, but do not press too hard onto the leather. Cover the entire glove with oil. Don't worry if the glove changes color or becomes darker; this is normal. Also, don't be concerned if you use more than a few ounces of oil. The total amount of oil you use depends on the size of the glove and the type of leather, but it takes at least a few ounces of oil to properly oil your glove.
Step 3
Wipe the inside of the glove, where your hand goes, with the oil left over on the towel. Reach in as far as you can with the towel, and use circular motions to cover it with oil.
Step 4
Wipe the excess oil off the glove with a clean towel. Ensure that the oil is evenly spread around the glove by rubbing the entire glove with the clean towel and wiping off any pools or larger collections of oil you may have left on the glove.
Step 5
To create a ball pocket, place a baseball into the pouch or pocket of the glove. Wrap the glove in another fresh towel, and secure the glove tightly by wrapping a rubber band around the entire glove in a way that does not allow it to expand.
Step 6
Place the wrapped glove under weights -- under heavy books or between mattresses, for example -- so that there is pressure applied to the glove.
Step 7
In two days or more, unwrap the rubber band and the towel, and remove the ball from the glove.
Things You'll Need
- Glove oil
- Soft-bristled toothbrush
- Old towels
- Baseball
- Rubber band
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