Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Your Kit => Topic started by: raymond on March 23, 2009, 09:37:25 PM
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Tom are you working full time now to try and establish Itias as a brand, or is it just a bit of a side project?
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Full Time since I've returned from India, hopefully will be making my own bats within the next month. Just setting up a small workshop in the shed at the moment.
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tom ,are you making them from scratch?
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Not this season, would be pressed and handled when I receive them.
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Sounds good, i hope to high heaven that you pick up the art of batmaking as i suppose its one of those things that you have a knack for, or not. Do batmakers tend to offer apprenticeships as that would surely be the best way to learn. Was the visit to india mainly based on soft goods i take it then, or to learn about making bats?
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I've tried the apprenticeship route, thing is most people who make by hand work on their own. They can't afford to take time off from working to teach me to do it really. I will spend some time with UK manufacturers though to get some tips and I admittedly am a bit crap at the sharpening of tools so will look at that too.
I did learn a lot about bats in India as well as soft goods. I was there for 5 weeks, most of that was spent with manufacturers. The way they make bats is different to here, so I'm hoping to take some bits they do and combine them with the British way of making bats.
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Any news on your remfry copies yet tom?
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sharpening of tools so will look at that too.
"eze-lap" or DMT diamond sharpening stones and files and a honing guide...
http://www.rutlands.co.uk/cgi-bin/psProdSrch.cgi/@cHoning%20Guides@b::0::user::1,0,0,1:: (http://www.rutlands.co.uk/cgi-bin/psProdSrch.cgi/@cHoning%20Guides@b::0::user::1,0,0,1::)
http://www.axminster.co.uk/category-Honing-Guides-208003.htm (http://www.axminster.co.uk/category-Honing-Guides-208003.htm)
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Sultan: Soft goods still aren't here unfortunately, will let you know when they are.
Norb: Thanks will have a look at those.
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Those stones are great but expensive, if they go any where near some of the older tools, i.e with proper steel used for the blades, then they scare the blade sharp! :D
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batmaking= money! (spending ,that is!)
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I just use a good old oil stone and plenty of elbow grease, must admit my curved drawknife is a nightmare to sharpen!
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Haha I know Matt, £40's and £50's going out everywhere. Soon adds up and this is before any expensive machines. Not even sorted what I'm doing for sanding yet!!! Fortunately I've picked up some pretty nice old tools from family members who used to be into woodworking.
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tom email me if need any help, i get my sanding drums from the usa,but that was when the dollar was good,good knows what they are now!
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Could you not just ask a batmaker if you could watch them work? im sure you would pick up loads from doing that, but its not really in their interest really.
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I've watched quite a few batmakers at work and where possible taken videos/photo's for reference. Most have been quite helpful with giving me tips which I'm thankful for. Just a formal apprenticeship is more difficult to arrange.
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Hows the batmaking going?
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Sultan: Soft goods still aren't here unfortunately, will let you know when they are.
Tom any more news?
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Tom, who's your willow supplier and i take it they are already pressed and handled when you recieve them?
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Got 2 suppliers Lucifer in England. And 2 abroad for finished bats. Not gonna name names for either of them but I'm sure you could guess.
And Softs not a clue yet where they are, definitely en-route but not sure on date when I'll get them.
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TOM can I ask how old you are ? you seem experienced(having read these forums + others) so I take your not one of these 14/15 yr old's trying out their own businesses after watching "THE APPRENTICE"
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Pretty sure he is 18...Also Tom just a quick question as I'm not catching you online, should I be expecting that stick?
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Yes, stick will be there on Wed. Haven't posted it yet due to bank hold etc.
And no not just setting up a company with no experience, worked for/with a few companies previously. Yep I'm 18 too.
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Tom I am really impressed with the knowledge you have at the age of 18.
Regards
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(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i29/02thoeva/e9cd2b6f.jpg)
(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i29/02thoeva/362912f5.jpg)
(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i29/02thoeva/feeb1571.jpg)
Photo's of the soft goods.
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I think the pads look great - gloves look nice too, though I'm afraid I wouldn't buy them as I prefer sausages
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quality looking gear tom!
any plans for wicketkeeping range?
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Not really any plans for any Wkt kit, not being a keeper myself I've never really followed keeping gear so don't know what makes a good glove. Therefore I don't want to get something made and find out it's not up to scratch. I'll do a bit of research on keeping gloves anyway and may consider getting some done, but won't be in the near future.
Thanks for the positive comments guys :)
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tom, kit looks amazing, very impressed mate.
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quality stuff, what are you selling these at?
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Prices I think will be:
£35 Gloves
£50 Pads
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Should be proud of yourself mate.
Looks top draw!
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Prices I think will be:
£35 Gloves
£50 Pads
Are these prices including postage?
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Lookslike some top stuff:)
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Top draw Tom. Top draw.
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Are these prices including postage?
Nope, P+P will be £8 on top per order. Unless you were just after gloves.
Willing to do some offers to negate the P+P though for forum members if they are after anything.
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these are very good prices Tom. The gloves look very nice. Are these SS?
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Super stuff Tom. The gloves are even nicer than mine :)
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Love them Tom, really love that gear.
Will PM you about pads.
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Gear looks awesome to be fair Tom, considerign your only 18 how long have you been doing this?
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Been doing bits of work for cricket companies since I was roughly 14, started off doing the odd website in exchange for kit and went from there. Started Itias last year in July time, so this is the first full season.
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Looks alright, not a fan of the silver american s**t on the gloves and prices are way too steep for a new brand
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Umar the softs are priced very reasonably when you look at the price of the top of the range goods, which these are. Just because a brand is new they dont sell stuff cheap.
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Looks alright, not a fan of the silver american s**t on the gloves and prices are way too steep for a new brand
Fair enough, how much would you be willing to pay for a pair of top of the range gloves with pittards palm and a pair of top of the range pads? From a new company.
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these are excellent prices, not to steep and not to cheap.
if you start to cheap many will regard you instantly as a cheap, tacky and low quality brand. the price invariably tells you how good the product is, kashmir willow for example.
toms got it spot on i reckon.
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pmed you Tom about gloves
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Quietly impressed as always with all things Tom, you should find out how much hassle is involved in softs, Tom should get a pat on the back for producing a fine effort, streets ahead of most companies first efforts and he is not trying to ram them down your throats either.
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Tom did you ever get anywhere with those remfry style thigh pads or have any prototypes, mine broke yesterday and i need a new one!
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The plan is actually to do them custom rather than stock thigh pads, because anyone can buy a thigh pad off the shelf which offers good protection.
First set is being produced as we speak, if you email me with your size I can get it shipped with it but as they're custom the delivery won't be for a couple of weeks at the earliest which may be a problem if you're needing a set straight away.
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ive always imagined Tom as a 35 year old bloke :D
love the gear Tom and im especially a fan of the gloves!
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Where can i order this gear from tom?
Nick
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www.itias.co.uk (http://www.itias.co.uk) or email me.
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cheers :D
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Tom any pics of the bats you have made yet?
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Will post some tomorrow if I get chance, got a few here which are almost finished.
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Hi Tom I know this is quite a weird request but would it be possible to show a picture of someone wearing the pads? I ask this as I only wear pads which are very low down so this would be great, also I'm not a time waster I'm genuinely interested in the pads.
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(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i29/02thoeva/42565339.jpg)
(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i29/02thoeva/b341a3e2.jpg?t=1243532632)
Pads above
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thought tom would be a chav
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thought tom would be a chav
because you have seen one picture of him wearing trackies and a pair of trainers? give your head a shake mate
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Always seem to have a problem with anything Tom does... maybe someones jelous?
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and them trainers seriously arent chavy. i quite like them ha
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Sorry Umar, I don't wear my tailored suit and smart shoes when I'm at work shaping and sanding bats.
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I think a good a batmaker would come to work in a eaton suit and a straw hat . . . .
but the best come in trakkys
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Umar mate because someone wears trackies you think they're a chav.
I guess that means I'm a chav because whenever i'm around the house I wear them.
Also Tom, would you be able to make a size 6 bat? I'm a pretty small 15 y. o.