Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: Vic Nicholas on September 14, 2011, 11:25:11 AM
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Howdy Bat Nerds.
Today I recieved my second TK lam.
My first one was sourced by the famous Mike Brimble.
The second one was sourced by another supplier from this forum who got it directly from the Keeley's.
Both bats have a similar shape (looks like a Thruxton shape to me), bioth have the same handle and both have a great pick up - as you would expect anything that has the DNA of TK on them to be.
That however is where the similarity ends.
The BIG difference is that the Brimble sourced bat is lighter, with bigger edges, more grains 18 vs 9 and unbelievable response off the face with the mallet.
The other TK lam has good ping - about that to be expected with a good piece of willow...but not "WOW" ping.
The Brimble sourced willow TK lam has the "WOW this is a test players quality willow with unbelievable ping" bat.
Brimble might be many things, but he certainly knows where to find super wood.
I had to wait six months for that magical quality bat - and I say without hesitation, that it was worth the wait (as hard as it was to take).
Cheers,
Vic
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The other TK lam has good ping - about that to be expected with a good piece of willow...but not "WOW" ping.
The Brimble sourced willow TK lam has the "WOW this is a test players quality willow with unbelievable ping" bat.
Cringe haha,
glad you like it/them!
Any pics?
you planning on using them in matches then?
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I think it may be a while until anyone gets a bat like your Brimble version Vic, enjoy it for us!!
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he sure as heck does know a thing or two about bats. . . . im in the same boat as you.
my one is simply monstrous. . . .
not all lams play as good as the best one pieces. . . .the other one may need more knocking in. does TK press differently for different people.
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So would you buy off Mike again, Vic?
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Ahhhh the sixty million dollar question. . . . i called him yesterday infact. .
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does TK press differently for different people.
I wouldn think so,
unless maybe a company asks for it to be pressed harder? but even then i am not sure they/he would!
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you planning on using them in matches then?
Yes.
In my comp, lams, double woods, seam picking, illegal substances put on on side of the ball etc are all fair game.
I feel no guilt at all.
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not all lams play as good as the best one pieces. . . .the other one may need more knocking in. does TK press differently for different people.
The 9 grain lam plays as well as a top one piece willow bat. It is still an excellent bat that I imagine County Pros would use.
The 18 grain, 35 mill edge Brimble monster is better than the best one piece willow and I have clear understanding how international class players hit boundaries with minimal effort and sixes that go for miles.
The difference between a great one piece willow bat and the low density cleft lam is like a good looking bloke on the dole thinking he has as much chance of snaffling the hot looking bird at the bar as the average looking bloke who happens to be a Russian oil billionaire.
No contest lads.
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What difference does 18 grains on the front of the bat make to the performance of the bat? Excuse my thickness but I thought it was about 2mm of laminated face?
And what weight is the bat Vic to get 35mm edges? Looking forward to these pics.
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Yes.
In my comp, lams, double woods, seam picking, illegal substances put on on side of the ball etc are all fair game.
I feel no guilt at all.
and i thought you was a man of God. . .lol
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and i thought you was a man of God. . .lol
Haha
I play such a low standard, that the umpires KNOW this stuff all goes on - and they do not care.
They get more upset if you run on the wicket!
I got warned once - and we were the team batting second!!
Amazing.
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What difference does 18 grains on the front of the bat make to the performance of the bat? Excuse my thickness but I thought it was about 2mm of laminated face?
And what weight is the bat Vic to get 35mm edges? Looking forward to these pics.
Very valid point there Mr Bow. I have a laminate from Mike with 16 grains made by CA (net bat obviously:) ) and the face is about 1 cm thick so I assume this would make a slight difference. I understood that TKLams are with a thin veneer of laminate so why would the actual ammount of grains on the face make a difference? I would have thought the back of Vics bat would be lightweight cleft with very similar grains to the front so avoid being detected?
Sort the pics out mate and let the opinions flow.
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Very valid point there Mr Bow. I have a laminate from Mike with 16 grains made by CA (net bat obviously:) ) and the face is about 1 cm thick so I assume this would make a slight difference. I understood that TKLams are with a thin veneer of laminate so why would the actual ammount of grains on the face make a difference? I would have thought the back of Vics bat would be lightweight cleft with very similar grains to the front so avoid being detected?
Sort the pics out mate and let the opinions flow.
The back of the 18 grainer has about nine grains.
Different...but obviously very, very light weight.
The nine grainer is the same front and back and is obviously one piece split in two.
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Vic.
In case you aren't sure: http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=7712.0
!!!!!!!
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What difference does 18 grains on the front of the bat make to the performance of the bat? Excuse my thickness but I thought it was about 2mm of laminated face?
And what weight is the bat Vic to get 35mm edges? Looking forward to these pics.
The 35mm bat is about 2.8.
The 30mm bat is about 2.9ish.
No idea what difference the 18 grains make if any.
I can report though, that the rebound is like nothing I have ever known...and I own top of the range GM's and Gray Nicolls.
Someone who knows wood better than me would be able to explain why.
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Glad the bat arrived safely vic. Bit longer than we thought but only a couple of weeks in the end.
18 grains on the front bit does not make any difference. It the back bit and the method of gluing that is key in the performance.
Use both and then see what you think. Both will be superb I'm sure but the one you got from me was also £110 cheaper.
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Glad the bat arrived safely vic. Bit longer than we thought but only a couple of weeks in the end.
18 grains on the front bit does not make any difference. It the back bit and the method of gluing that is key in the performance.
Use both and then see what you think. Both will be superb I'm sure but the one you got from me was also £110 cheaper.
Not a criticism Kieron.
The one you supplied is as good if not better than an excellent piece of willow. The type of bat a county pro would use.
The Brimble one (bless his cotton socks) is a test players cleft.
BOTH bats are the best bats I have ever owned.
No doubt about it.
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Vic - seriously stop with the talking and get your camera out!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)
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Vic - seriously stop with the talking and get your camera out!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)
Like, like, like!!!
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Vic - seriously stop with the talking and get your camera out!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)
I photographed them both 30 minutes ago.
I will put them online from work tomorrow.
Cheers lads.
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Is it possible that both bats aren't from the same place?
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I'm quite sure Tim Keeley presses differently for each manufacturers, you can notice this if you buy Newbery bats and other bats from this forum who get there bats made from Tim Keeley and you will see both are pressed differently, hence, one has better ping than other. I have three Tim Keeley bats where one is Newbery and other two are different manufacturer.
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I'm quite sure Tim Keeley presses differently for each manufacturers, you can notice this if you buy Newbery bats and other bats from this forum who get there bats made from Tim Keeley and you will see both are pressed differently, hence, one has better ping than other. I have three Tim Keeley bats where one is Newbery and other two are different manufacturer.
I am quite sure this isn't the case, it is luck of the draw. The bats may be finished differently though...
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I used to request a flat press roller on all Mongoose TK's. Whereas Newbery his other brands generally use a domed.
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I am quite sure this isn't the case, it is luck of the draw. The bats may be finished differently though...
I'd tend to agree. I have has what I believe to be two bats from TK, and both have performed very, very well, in fact, one could almost say that they were nearly identical. Neither is a Newbery and both are different brands.
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I'm quite sure Tim Keeley presses differently for each manufacturers, you can notice this if you buy Newbery bats and other bats from this forum who get there bats made from Tim Keeley and you will see both are pressed differently, hence, one has better ping than other. I have three Tim Keeley bats where one is Newbery and other two are different manufacturer.
CD what would you say was better?
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Is it possible that both bats aren't from the same place?
They are identical in every way save for the clefts used.
No doubt about it that whoever made one of them, made both of them.
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I used to request a flat press roller on all Mongoose TK's. Whereas Newbery his other brands generally use a domed.
Tom
what advantage do you get with the flat face, purely bigger edges?
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This is one pic.
The bat on the left is the Brimble, the bat on the right was kindly sourced for me by Kieron.
I had to photoshop the stickers off the Brimble bat lest I get into any unwanted trouble. Hence why the top of the Brimble bat around the blade area looks like the bat on the right.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v357/cooldewd/TKbats1.jpg)
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Tom
what advantage do you get with the flat face, purely bigger edges?
Exactly that.
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im jealous Victor
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Nice fireplace....and bats, I hope you have fun using them!
Any profile pics?
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This is one pic.
The bat on the left is the Brimble, the bat on the right was kindly sourced for me by Kieron.
I had to photoshop the stickers off the Brimble bat lest I get into any unwanted trouble. Hence why the top of the Brimble bat around the blade area looks like the bat on the right.
([url]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v357/cooldewd/TKbats1.jpg[/url])
are you saying that the brimble bat was for a test player, meaning you have photoshopped the stickers off as otherwise it would be given away?
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Vic,
Are you going to make us wait 6 months for some decent pictures? ;)
You should be handy with a camera as you use one for a living!
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Vic,
Are you going to make us wait 6 months for some decent pictures? ;)
You should be handy with a camera as you use one for a living!
From experience, if you are in a situation where you have to take a lot of photos for work or uni or whatever, the last thing you want to do is spend time taking decent ones for pleasure :D
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are you saying that the brimble bat was for a test player, meaning you have photoshopped the stickers off as otherwise it would be given away?
The cleft is a test players cleft and was earmarked for a test player who has gone up in weight, so it was of no use to him. Other test and FC cricketers would have swooped on it in any case.
However, the stickers on it were put on by me and I don't want any problems with anybody.
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Vic,
Are you going to make us wait 6 months for some decent pictures? ;)
You should be handy with a camera as you use one for a living!
I will take some Pete Hosk styled close ups of the grains and edges over this weekend for everyones edification.
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VIc
i thought the brimble one was having a longer blade or something?
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VIc
i thought the brimble one was having a longer blade or something?
It was supposed to be 5mm longer - but it ended up being a standard SH bat.
Recently I have gone down to a standard SH bat - so, it all worked out OK any way.
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Damn I was hoping you might sell it lol
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So would you buy off Mike again, Vic?
Interested in your answer to this one Vic
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Interested in your answer to this one Vic
That is a vexed question.
The customer service oscillated from excellent to non existent back to excellent.
The 45 days without any communication was really hard to take.
Having said that, the bat itself is the finest bat I have ever laid eyes on and tapped up with a mallet. Befitting a test batsman.
Hard to answer really.
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Vic, We are still waiting on these pics!
Have you managed to use either in any games yet? I take it your season has started.
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Vic, We are still waiting on these pics!
Have you managed to use either in any games yet? I take it your season has started.
didnt he lend it to Dhoni? :P
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No,
Ponting, Clarke and hussey are sharing it over in SA.