HELP Oiled glove now too heavy?

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Oct 16, 2014
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MY DD got a new glove recently ($95 Wilson Onyx, similar pattern to the A2000). It was very stiff and she wanted to use it right away in a game so we took it to have it steamed in a Mizuno Glove steamer. The guy had to do like 3 rounds on it (oil spraying, steaming and pounding) to get it how she wanted it . We have since oiled it once more at home (about 2 months after it was steamed) with Nokona glove oil.
Now DD is complaining that the glove it "too heavy". Now, I always thought it was a heavy glove right from the get go, but that was her pick. It does have a weight to it compared to the a Mizuno MVP we have in the house as well. I will not be oiling the glove again, but I wonder, will it ever "lighten up", or are we doomed? I will admit I didn't read up on the Do's and Don'ts of glove oiling and break in because she just needed to be able to use it right away. I'm even ok with her maybe needing a new glove in the near future as I can use this one it will not go to waste. I just loath the break in for her on an new one again….
It doesn't interfere with her ability to use it, but she's picky about feel. So I am hoping this is something that she won't dwell on from here on out.

Advice?
 
Oct 3, 2011
3,478
113
Right Here For Now
As you know from past experience, weather and dust/dirt etc. will dry out a glove naturally. It will take a while but it will happen. However, you can't let it dry out since the leather itself will crack from use if too dry. Many top end glove manufacturers as well as retailers are now recommending the use of leather conditioner as opposed to glove oil. They say the old style glove oil also breaks down the leather which makes for shorter glove life. The advantage of conditioner is that it replenishes the natural oils but doesn't break down the leather like the glove oil does. The other advantage is that its a much lighter fluid so doesn't make the glove nearly as heavy as glove oil does. The disadvantage is that since it's lighter, you will find that you'll need to apply it more frequently than the oil.
 
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Oct 16, 2014
333
0
thanks guys. This is what we used at home. Nokona Glove Conditioner
I have no idea what is in the "spray" they put on it to steam it. maybe thats it. or maybe it's just a heavy duty glove. It feels like some of those pro stock really expensive baseball gloves. That's the best comparison I can give. As the sports store here only have the Jennie Finch and other $40 fast pitch gloves on the shelf. To me it feels like a nice substantial glove that will last. To her I don't know :p
 
Jan 24, 2009
617
18
thanks guys. This is what we used at home. Nokona Glove Conditioner
:p

Socks, that Nok product is petroleum jelly aka vaseline. Most of it just wipes off and can't really add any discernible weight. Good product to use IMO. It is commonly thought that too much oil makes a glove heavy, but seriously, weigh a bottle of oil. Nobody soaks a whole bottle into a glove repeatedly...MAYBE a whole bottle over time with repeated apps. so any difference in weight would be miniscule. (Imperceptible really).

Could it be that your DD liked the glove for the initial test/fit because it didn't cause fatigue in the short term, but then once she made it her workhorse she felt it was too much? The glove may very well feel heavier to her than other gloves (heavier 5 oz leather, larger?), but I doubt that too much oil is to blame. I 'd guess that you bought a heavier, more substantial glove like you said, and it stayed heavier.

Just throwin' it out there.
 
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Aug 28, 2013
108
0
Hey Socks,

I would try and find an experienced glove relacer in your area and see if they can help. A lot of gloves I've seen have a substantial amount of weight in the laces believe it or not, might try having it relaced with a different type of lace. I've started using a Kevlar lace in some gloves and have been really happy with the results. To be honest, other than being "old fashioned", I'm not sure why glove manufacturers don't use Kevlar laces. No break in time, water/mud resistant, and will more than likely out live the glove and whoever is using it :).

By the way, glove steaming is awful for gloves!! Try to avoid it if possible unless you just need to use the glove in a hurry.
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
Steaming a glove infuses the material with water so after 3 trips through the steamer it is no surprise that it is heavier. Regardless of all the tricks and gimmicks to break in a glove nothing works better in the long run than the requisite amount of conditioner and a lot of use. DD used to complain that new gloves were too stiff and hard to use. I just hid the old glove and told her to suck it up. :) After a couple of weeks the glove was good to go.
 
Oct 16, 2014
333
0
Socks, that Nok product is petroleum jelly aka vaseline. Most of it just wipes off and can't really add any discernible weight. Good product to use IMO. It is commonly thought that too much oil makes a glove heavy, but seriously, weigh a bottle of oil. Nobody soaks a whole bottle into a glove repeatedly...MAYBE a whole bottle over time with repeated apps. so any difference in weight would be miniscule. (Imperceptible really).

Could it be that your DD liked the glove for the initial test/fit because it didn't cause fatigue in the short term, but then once she made it her workhorse she felt it was too much? The glove may very well feel heavier to her than other gloves (heavier 5 oz leather, larger?), but I doubt that too much oil is to blame. I 'd guess that you bought a heavier, more substantial glove like you said, and it stayed heavier.

Just throwin' it out there.

yes I think thats what it really is. And I don't think it's "heavy" by definition, just "substantial" if that makes any sense. I actually weighed our 2 gloves. The new one is 3 oz heavier than the old one…but like I said she is really picky about the feel of things….

Hey Socks,

I would try and find an experienced glove relacer in your area and see if they can help. A lot of gloves I've seen have a substantial amount of weight in the laces believe it or not, might try having it relaced with a different type of lace. I've started using a Kevlar lace in some gloves and have been really happy with the results. To be honest, other than being "old fashioned", I'm not sure why glove manufacturers don't use Kevlar laces. No break in time, water/mud resistant, and will more than likely out live the glove and whoever is using it :).

By the way, glove steaming is awful for gloves!! Try to avoid it if possible unless you just need to use the glove in a hurry.
thanks I'll look into that as well.

I know steaming isn't great. We needed it ASAP and the glove was really stiff out of the box. If we end up getting another new glove down the road we will take our time breaking it in
 
Oct 16, 2014
333
0
Steaming a glove infuses the material with water so after 3 trips through the steamer it is no surprise that it is heavier. Regardless of all the tricks and gimmicks to break in a glove nothing works better in the long run than the requisite amount of conditioner and a lot of use. DD used to complain that new gloves were too stiff and hard to use. I just hid the old glove and told her to suck it up. :) After a couple of weeks the glove was good to go.

yes I can see that happening. do you think after 2 moths the glove is still infused or that most of that would have evaporated by now?
 

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