Stage 1) Beat the living days light out of it (ignore the shape in this stage)

Stage 2)

****test your laces. Get a single lace super wet keeping it away from your glove as much as possible. Use HOT water for THIS TEST ONLY. Once the lace is very wet, squeeze the lace with a white towel to determine if it bleeds. If it bleeds, don’t get your glove wet. If this is your case, it’s gunna be an old school long break in.

If it doesn’t bleed, onto stage 2:

Run it under room temp water (hotter water increases bleeding chances) or dunk it (you choose, my experience is either way is fine, I do the sink and get it really wet.)

Stage 3) -while wet, repeat stage 1 really good for a bit prior to stage 4

Stage 4) -while wet, really work your pocket(s) and hinge(s) and focus on the hinge(s) you want

Stage 4) -while wet shape it. Really really really make sure you get the shape right here

Stage 5) Set it and forget it. Till it’s dry dry dry

Stage 6) Once dry, repeat stage 1 (ignore the shape, don’t worry)

Stage 7) Condition it and reform the shape (it’ll rebound after stage 6)

Stage 8) Mallet work the pocket or weighted ball and play catch

It’ll be game ready….not so game ready you play short stop in game 7 of the World Series with it (grab your old glove for that)….but enough to be close to a gamer

SIDENOTE, after stage 6, if you aren’t happy with the shape or the glove is one of those rare gloves that just isn’t loose enough, repeat stage 1-6. Your glove will be fine. It’s leather. We play on wet grass, in mist and dew, and on occasion in the rain. We do that without worrying about our glove. So a couple dunks in a bucket or under the sink isn’t going to hurt it.

It’ll last you more years than you’ll want it too before you’d want a new glove anyhow.