Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Companies => Custom companies => Laver & Wood => Topic started by: smokem on March 28, 2014, 01:57:55 AM
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Just thought I would do a bit of an update on my Private Bin which I initially reviewed here some 10 months ago - http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=24617.0. (http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=24617.0.)
Since the L&W sponsored section can no longer be properly accessed, I have decided to update my review here.
So as the season went on, the bat slowly picked up weight. When I first got it, it weighed 2lb 9oz dead with one chevron grip. 6 months down the track, that had ballooned out 2lb 10.5oz with a Salix hybrid grip. At that weight, it really started to affect my timing and really couldn't get on with it any longer... And similar to Chad's Reserve, it had started delaminating under the face of the bat. So I sent it off (together with Chad's) to get a weight reduction and to see if James can fix the delamination.
So with it back to a trim 2lb 9oz dead and delamination repaired, it was back off to the nets with it last night. And all I can say is WOW! This bat has a massive sweetspot and it make a numpty like me feel like a batting hero! I love it and is right up there with my H4L as my favourite bats at the moment. It's such a shame that the season has finished or it would get a few games for sure. Next season can't come soon enough...
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The curious L&W weight gain. A year later and my L&W has gained 2.5oz. Up to 2.13 now. I believe the original buyer had asked for 2lb 9!
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not sure where you are based, but in the uk we have had a very wet winter... my bats were in the garage and picked up over an oz in weight (not lavers) so I moved them into my wardrobe and they have returned to their original weight.
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I'm originally from Australia which is typically fairly dry and NZ is pretty similar. I'm now based in Hong Kong and it gets quite humid here. So I think what happens is that as the bat is made in a dry environment, its moisture content is naturally lower. And so in a more humid environment it will normalise with its surrounding by absorbing moisture and therefore gain weight. This theory is backed up by the fact that all the bats I buy from the UK hardly ever pick up any weight over the course of a season.
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Was the bat oiled and did you apply a scuff?
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Scuff was applied by Laver and I also asked them to oil the bat before sending. Oiling does help but it does not provide a perfect seal. Like I said I have bought other bats (mostly from IJC) and they never put on weight like the Laver did.
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Did you ask for the secondary drying process?
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Nope.
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The delamination repairs on yours and mine were excellent, really chuffed with the result of mine. The pick up on it was ridiculous when the weight got taken off too, really felt like a wand. Glad you're getting on well with it, but you're hardly a tool with the bat, so it's to be expected. ;)
It will be interesting to see what kind of glue different bat makers use for their delamination repairs. I suspect a slightly more flexible glue would be ideal, since it's got to withstand impact of a ball and remain intact, rather than being too hard and brittle.
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Scuff was applied by Laver and I also asked them to oil the bat before sending. Oiling does help but it does not provide a perfect seal. Like I said I have bought other bats (mostly from IJC) and they never put on weight like the Laver did.
I have also experienced this weight gain with a size 4 Laver bought for my son. The requested weight was 1lb 14oz and I measured straight after it arrived and it weighed in at 1lb 13.8oz on my scales. Pretty impressive I thought. Two days later I read about the weight gain others had posted about on here so I rechecked the weight - it had increased exactly 1oz to 1lb 14.8oz. A week or so later it was up to 1.15 exactly and that's where it has stabilised. This bat was also knocked in, oiled and had a scuff sheet applied. A 1oz increase makes a big difference for a 10 year old so a pretty disappointing first experience with L&W. It is however a lovely bat and the standard of finishing seems to be just as good on the junior bats as the full size ones.
Coincidentally I recently ordered a size 5 Newbery Kudos Players from Paul at IJC. It weighed 0.2oz less than Paul told me which is mostly due to different scales I would imagine. Despite not being oiled the bat is still exactly the same weight 2 weeks later.