Index/middle finger blowout

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Index/middle finger blowout

Postby oakfan33 » January 1st, 2009, 3:58 pm

This is just a thought and a bit of a theory about the dreaded blowout between the index and middle finger on some gloves with the bowl shapes and fingers bent in. If you see the way the index finger and middle finger separate at the blowout point when you press down on that area at the top of the fingers, it seems to put alot of pressure and stress on that blowout area. Could this be one cause of the blowout? We all know that this is a weak point already. There have been times where I could have sworn that the blowout wasn't there on a used glove that I have gotten in the past until I started working the fingers. I like to have my gloves broken in the bowl shaped way but since I started having second thoughts if I was the culprit of the blowout, I've been more careful as to how I bend the fingers. I keep the index and middle fingers together as I'm kneading and bending the fingers. I notice this keeps the pressure on that area a bit lower. I also make a habit of putting some lanolin on those ares as I have read on other posts about this problem. I'm going to have to keep better track of gloves when I get them if they already have the blowout and how they're broken in. Do any of you have blowouts at that area with the glove broken in with the fingers straight or flared out?
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Postby Raw » January 1st, 2009, 7:53 pm

Can you explain what are you talking about? A split in the notch, or something else?
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Postby cubfaithful » January 1st, 2009, 8:11 pm

oakfan33,

are you talking about the the crotch area at the base of the fingers?
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Postby cubfaithful » January 1st, 2009, 9:39 pm

oakfan33,

If your are meaning blowout(or tear) in the finger crotch area as I think you are, then no I have never had that happen(knock on wood). Like you, I also like somewhat of a bowl shaped pocket - but I try to shape the pocket below the fingers and at the base of thumb, rather than pushing down on top of fingers. While playing catch I pound the pocket with my fist and use my fingertips to maintain the shape. The gloves fingers remain relatively straight. As added insurance I lightly dab vpj at finger crotch area as I've read fellow forum members recommend.

-Eddie
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Postby oakfan33 » January 1st, 2009, 10:49 pm

Yes, the finger crotch. I forgot what it was called, my mistake. I am talking about the slight tear or split in the leather in the crotch area(at the base of the junction of the index and middle finger) that has been discussed in other posts. The tear doesn't happen to everybody, just some of us unfortunate ones. It's been explained before that this is a very difficult area to sew and is prone to tearing. I was thinking that by bending the fingers of the glove downward to get a bowl shape I may have done some of this damage myself to the crotch area by this finger bending procedure. How else do you get this shape? A glove's fingers don't naturally bend that way, it has to be shaped that way, right? This was just an observation of mine of how the fingers spread apart at that area when pushing down on them. It looks like it really puts alot of stress and stretching of the leather in that area and might help aid in the tearing or splitting of the leather. Or will the crotch area develop a tear just by simply playing catch? I know I'm not the only one who pushes down on their fingers to get a bowl shape. I see players pushing down on their fingers all the time. I'm sorry if I didn't make myself clear and I probably still don't make it clear, but I don't know any other way to explain it. I think for people who this has happened to(the crotch tear,split), they may have an idea as to what I'm trying to say. I truly apologize for any confusion.
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Postby oakfan33 » January 1st, 2009, 11:07 pm

Just a quick note on the finger bending thing. I dyed a Pro Preferred the other day and took it to work to see if a co-worker wanted to buy it and the first thing he did was put it on and bent the fingers down. I let him try it out catching balls and he was bending and twisting it around. I guess that's why you don't want anybody trying on your glove as was discussed on another post. But it didn't bother me because I was selling it. If it was a glove that I liked and used, it would have been different.
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Postby RedSoxFan81 » January 1st, 2009, 11:48 pm

Thankfully most gloves with decent leather take a lot of repeat shaping/finger bending/flaring etc before they'll adapt.So in the case where someone does pick up your glove luckily it shouldn't phase it.
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Postby cubfaithful » January 2nd, 2009, 12:25 am

oakfan33,

I think I do understand what your saying. But it sounds like your trying to make your whole glove a "bowl shape"...not just the pocket. I wish this beater p.c. of mine would let me post pics, but if you look up other members pics like mike_2007's Mizuno"s for example you would see his gloves have a bowl shaped pocket without having the fingers curled over. Thats what I was meaning when I said that I pound the pocket with my fist and use my fingertips to maintain bowl shape. Seems like its instinct to bend the fingers over, as we have all grown up seeing friends, pro's all doing it. It's one of those "each to his own" kinda things. I always figured middle infielders did it to speed up ball transfer. I dont do it, but I dont believe doing it means you will for sure have a finger crotch tear. Also, dont worry about sounding confusing, I'm pretty good at it too.
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