leathermanz

I'm with you there. Nothing like playing a pickup game on blacktop or in someones muddy backyard. Part of my reason for starting this thread is that I coach HS ball, and we have to bust out new game balls every few weeks, and need to break them in as soon as possible. I decided to buy my own ball to see what techniques works best. Turns out, buying the cheapest leather ball was a mistake. Here's an article about some of the prep that NFL players do to their footballs http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/nfl-players-very-particular-about-footballs--tricks-to-get-them-right-194020439.html Of course, none of those techniques worked on my re-engineered leather. I will have to try it when we get the team footballs back out this summer.

Thanks for the information. I never would have known that. Now I know why it was so much cheaper than the standard Wilson footballs. I have had temporary success applying a tacky wax to the surface. Although that method fades, it's better than nothing.

Hello, I have a brand new football that I am trying to break in. The problem is that the leather is very hard and very slick. I have googled ways to break in balls, and so far none have worked. I have tried scrubbing it with a brush and a dampening the leather a bit. I have tried saddle soap. Nothing has worked. I have no experience with leather working, so I figured I'd go to the experts to see what you'd recommend. I'm looking to soften the leather and make it a bit tackier and easier to throw and catch. Thanks in advance. Here is a picture of the ball taken from the manufacturer's website: