Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: Tom on July 06, 2009, 10:33:07 AM
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Are there any companies that handmake all of their bats in England still? From basic cleft to final finished bats.
Every day I seem to hear about a company moving production abroad or insourcing part mades/machine mades.
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this was being discussed the other day in a similar topic - there seemed to be a growing consensus that fewer and fewer companies are handmaking the entire bat.
However, from a business point of view, it makes sense as it increases profits and there seem to be very few regulations surrounding the classification of 'handmade', so many companies are able to pass off bats as handmade when in truth they are not. It would be interesting if we could compile a list of batmakers who, truthfully, craft the entire bat.....
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It would be a very short list, I'd be very suprised if it was more than 5.
Hawk?
Hell4Leather?
Fusion (exc. Skyer)?
Even those 3 I'm not sure on!
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Redback??
SAF?
CE?
Talisman?
Charlie French?
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Most of those on that list shape part mades. Which isn't an easy job at all and makes little difference (I used to do it too) just interested as to whom shapes completely.
CF may be one who makes them completely.
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fair enough - i wouldnt know having not been to the workshops, but like you say - few companies offer an entirely handmade bat in the traditional sense.
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Yep, I think the last 5yrs haven't been great for English batmaking. With some moving abroad to work, others moving production abroad and unfortunately a couple passing away.
The positive though is that there are 5/6 companies who currently shape part mades, I can see them moving to complete production with presses et al in the future.
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I think the costs invlolved in making a entire bat is quite high, like you mention, quite a few companies may start by shaping part-mades and once established can up production - there is little point in buying all the gear if you cant sell the bats. Conversly, you may sell more bats and build a stronger reputation by making the entire bat in the uk, not being involved with any companies i wouldnt know? However, i would imagine the latter is less common and i'm imagining the costs involved would make this difficult for most
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What about
WARSOP
Most of of the bigger brnads/companies have shifted the production of their lower end and junior bats to India or Pakistan or SA as the margins are lowers and the time require is the same as a senior bat.
I would assume that most of the top end bats from Salix, Newbery, GN, GM etc are still handmade (to some/large extent) in the UK.
We have ourselves to blame..... on a average (i guess) each forum member would have at least 5 bats ;):)
Tom/Leo, how many forum members do we have?
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Warsop I'm not sure if they handmake all, there was a photo at there place with some bats shaped by machine in.
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Crown Sports?
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chase---dan swaine??????
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not from what i have heard
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Its a shame that there are so little
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The main problem the batmakers face is competing with the GN, Pumas and G&M's of this world. There is a niche in the market for a small company but from my point of view i couldn't even consider doing it full time cos of this (not that i'm good enough).
The outlay of workshop space, press, specialist equipment, rates etc just makes it a distant dream, if i was to win the lottery then i would consider it otherwise its a nogo.
If i lived on the south coast i'd consider working the weekends FOC just for the love of the art.
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Tom, can I/we see the pic of the Warsop 'Machine'?
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choice willow? millichamp? salix? warsop probably get there clefts machined up by newbery ,then they handle and press the blades. newbery do something for most companys in the uk......
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from what i have heard i cant argue with with matt is saying - it would appear newbery have a hand in many cricket companies in some way or another - however, this is not necessarily an awful thing to happen, i as a customer am happier to hear that my bat has been largely produced in a workshop in britain than a factory in india.
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Yeah I've heard rumours, Napiers bats a Newbery. Probably finished by Warsop?
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i think warsop do everthing else apart from machine there clefts to shape, its easier to run them down to newbery put them in there cnc machine ,and hey presto there done! The machine can prob do the lot in minutes ,I think warsop make handles for newbery .
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choice willow? millichamp? salix? warsop probably get there clefts machined up by newbery ,then they handle and press the blades. newbery do something for most companys in the uk......
Salix no, Millichamp no. Choice Willow maybe.
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i am 99% sure choice do all there bats, do salix and millichamp buy part mades from india?
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salix finish in england
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At the end of the day 99% of people couldn't care less where the bat has come from as long as it is a nice bat. If you can achieve a better bat by outsourcing work to other companies then great.
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Well the blade of my new one is completely hand made in Brisbane here. It is interesting watching a slab of willow being carefully shaped to order.
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At the end of the day 99% of people couldn't care less where the bat has come from as long as it is a nice bat. If you can achieve a better bat by outsourcing work to other companies then great.
I agree. However, I would be rather ticked off if a batmaker who only finishes a bat by hand sold me a bat saying it was completely hand made. That would be misleading imo. It might still be considered hand made on a technicality but to me, completely hand made means you've bought a cleft and done everything else yourself by hand.
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Tom asked a question, what constitues a Bat Maker on a thread on here somewhere. It was a good thread really as it asked the same question really. It depends what you mean by finishing a bat i.e what level is it when you start on it.
I'm surprised no one has pulled me up on post lastnight! That is, the Wisden Equipment guide, isnt a great leveller for bats really. There is no consistency in the bat requested, they don't check who makes them and just suppose the guy that tested a bat like a soft pressing they would have got a higher score or vice versa....
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To me, finishing a bat means that the handle is already in, and you just smooth/buff the bat to make it pleasing to the eye and slap on the stickers and the grip.
If one doesnt 'create' the blade of a bat from a raw cleft themself, then the bat is not hand made according to me.
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phew!!!! :D
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lol....im guessing that means your bats are really hand-made (by my definition above).
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Yep I handmake and even have press now... but after speaking to someone lastnight I'm thinking of getting another!!!!
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If I may ask, do you make the handles too? Or are they delivered to you?
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Nope I dont and at the moment I still get handled and pressed unfinished bats as well.. I have clefts for pressing so that I can test press a-la Technolgy thread but as they say slowly, slowly catchy monkey....
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do u have a website where you sell ure bats norbair?
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www.safbats.co.uk (http://www.safbats.co.uk)
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nices bats norb
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Where abouts are you based norbs ? i also live in oxfordshire
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pm me
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Hey Norbs - you checking your e-mails?
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Hi,
Question, how many bat makers allow the customer to use the bat they are having made for them ,before they part with their money ? with cricket balls, that is !
Surely you can judge for yourself whether it is right weight ,balance and if it is pressed to your liking.
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I think Fusion allows you to do that. I'm not positive though.
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Scuudz, Batsman100 was talking about Fusion, he is Fusion Sports Creater...
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Hey Norbs - you checking your e-mails?
Yep not seen anything from the Le Grande Chat though
Bill are Fusion bats ready to play when they leave, that is finished in the workshop?
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Scuudz, Batsman100 was talking about Fusion, he is Fusion Sports Creater...
Oh, hehe. Sorry I had no way of knowing who he was.
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Our bats are made in the workshops here at the farm,we have out side and insde nets and plently cricket balls, We also press by hand i,e no electrical motor ,each blade gets different amount of pressing.
And the good news is that we have reduced our prices on ALL models including the Fusion Skyer,that is now £79-95.
Any question give me shout and will try to help, We are also considering giving private lessons again ,mostly batting ,fielding and w/k
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Our bats are made in the workshops here at the farm,we have out side and insde nets and plently cricket balls, We also press by hand i,e no electrical motor ,each blade gets different amount of pressing.
And the good news is that we have reduced our prices on ALL models including the Fusion Skyer,that is now £79-95.
Any question give me shout and will try to help, We are also considering giving private lessons again ,mostly batting ,fielding and w/k
Bill I know it was a leading question :D
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Nope I dont and at the moment I still get handled and pressed unfinished bats as well.. I have clefts for pressing so that I can test press a-la Technolgy thread but as they say slowly, slowly catchy monkey....
Any pics of the press Andy? Is it a homemade jobby?
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Hint, one of the best coaches in the world is heading to England next week for a few weeks of cricket watching and interview gathering.
Would be someone to meet.
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Any pics of the press Andy? Is it a homemade jobby?
Drawn up by me made by someone else... It is a bit different then the norm but can be used as a standard press... That answer is suitably cagey from me!!!!
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very interesting indeed......
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PM'd you about a bat chris.
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choice willow? millichamp? salix? warsop probably get there clefts machined up by newbery ,then they handle and press the blades. newbery do something for most companys in the uk......
Excuse my ignorance, but are Newbery bats not handmade in the UK?
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As always depends on your definition, they bought a machine from Slazenger to do their bats and hand-sand/finish them.
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It actually does very little for their bats, just the donkey work. Shaping it very unimportant in the grand scheme of things, probably the lowest priority in making. The pressing at Newbery is the best in the world, as told to me by someone making 34,000 English willow bats himself. No bat maker other than hobby brands work without one. Surprising to know who pays to have theirs made with one.
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Mike, Tom i've pm'ed you re a bat, have you recieved it?