Greaser Gripper Lacrosse Ball Resurfacing Tool

The Greaser Gripper solved a problem I and all lacrosse players and coaches have: How to keep lacrosse balls from getting their surface degraded by the sun. Lacrosse balls need a “grippy” surface so players can pass and shoot accurately. They become “greasers” if out in the sun for a season or two. At $2.50+ each, they can be expensive to replace if you have a bag of 50. I’ve checked online and on YouTube for years to find a solution to recondition the ball surface. No one had a good, workable idea. Then the Greaser Gripper came along! I watched one video, was convinced, and bought one early 2021. 200 reconditioned balls and 4 grill cleaning pads later, my team and three other teams have thanked me for the “like new” balls. When you see the simplicity of the product, you’ll wonder why you didn’t think of it, so give these guys credit for a simple product that works and is cost effective. 4 stars for reasons you will see below in my NOTE3.

NOTE1: Reconditioned balls are unlikely to be “legal” for game play (if the ref notices the striations)
NOTE2: It works best for me when I grip the drill in a bench and point it upward, so one hand is free to trigger the drill and the other to hold the scrubby (I do not recommend setting the drill to the “on” position). You do not need to force the ball into the cup; the rubber surface will grip the cup wall after a gentle insertion.
NOTE3: After ~200 reconditionings, my Greaser Gripper cup wall is degrading and may not work much longer.
NOTE4: Safety precautions you need to take (1) wear a glove when holding the scrubby, (2) do not exert too much force on the ball, (3) do not use the scrubby after it breaks apart because holding it on the spinning ball gets tricky and you may injure or burn a finger (even with a glove on), (4) wear a mask as breathing rubber particles may cause cancer, and safety glasses too.
NOTE5: Setup outside; the work area will be covered in rubber particles
NOTE6: I flip the ball over after 10-20 seconds and rotate it a little more if marks and discoloration still exist. Newer balls only need a quick scrub.

We found that teams were throwing “greasers” in the woods instead of cleaning them. So my sons started collecting the greasers that were being thrown away and we started cleaning them. The coaches now ask me to clean the balls during practices. This works so well that they have used the clean balls for games. I am buying another to donate to the county lacrosse organization. Will help us save some money on buying new balls.

I’m a coach and always have a bucket full of greasy balls.

I usually will use them and when they get really bad, just throw them away or give them away.

I saw this and decided to try it.

I got through about 100 balls for me and another coach at about 30 seconds per ball and they are almost as good as new.

I used the supplied pad and it works great, probably good for 30-50 balls. But rather than buy replacement pads, I saw some scouring pads at the dollar store, and they worked great! Almost better than the supplied pad.

Def worth the purchase for a coach that’s churning through a case or two of balls per year, or even a player that is tearing through a bucket of balls themselves.

No brainer purchase and anyone can use it with a drill.

This product works pretty well. Easy to use once you get your method down. I switched the abrasive pad that came with it with 80 grit sandpaper for a quicker job.

It would be nice if it came with some suggestions on best ways to use it. It wears down pretty quick if your going degreasing a lot of balls.

My suggestion: take a trip to the hardware store and buy a 2” PVC pipe end cap, a 3/8” bolt, nylon nut, and 2 washers. It will cost you less than $5 and 10 minutes to make this device. If you know how to drill a straight hole and screw a nut on a washer then you can make this. Doesn’t get any easier.