Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Bat Care => Topic started by: Biggie Smalls on January 08, 2017, 04:02:30 PM
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The club pro at my club just got a new sponsor (an oz company that have counterbalances on some bat models ). I haven't seen any of his bats yet , but another teammate has , and he said the counterbalance wasn't wood/cane etc , and was added on . Perhaps that particular model has standard handles but club pro wanted a counterbalance handle and a solution was found , not sure .
Anyway , the method used was to cut small cross sections of a chevron bat grip ( either 10 or 20 mm , but could be whatever you want ) . You then stretch the little grip 'rubber bands' over onto the handle tip, then put the actual grip back over the top of the grip segments . The bats seen apparently had four added .
I tried doing this myself , using 4 'grip rubber bands' , and i must admit that I'm rather chuffed with the result . I've always thought counterbalance handles are good / work but ive never bought a bat with one because i like to cut off the top inch of my handles to make them super-short handles .
I think I'm going to play around with this some more and may even end up doing this for all my bats . The four grip segments I used weighed .25oz . To me the bat now picks up at least .5oz lighter .
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Nice work, there are a few topics on this.
To me, however, it is all in your mind...
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How did i know who would reply first , and what they would say ? :D You could well be right Buzz , but for .25oz I'm happy to have a 'placebo effect' counterbalance and 'feel' the bat picking up better . However , i have 13 more bats to try it with .....it might not have the same results with some of the others . I'm not sure how I would explain away a mixed result - plecebo or not , that is the question ! :)
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I've found it easier to wrap some self amalgamating tape around the tip of the handle. I do this sometimes to make a bigger 'knob' at the end rather than a counter balance. If you wanted it for counterbalance you would be better using some of the lead tape golfers use.
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Lead tape works.
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Yeah , i remember now reading about lead tape . Haven't heard about self amalgamating tape for this application bofore though . I wonder what would be the most cost effective method for multipke bats though ?
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Whenever I've done counterbalances (don't use them myself but have put them on a few bats for other people) I always just use an old grip cut up into rings as mentioned normally 2 or 3 dependent on grip thickness and then a bit of electrical tape round them to hold them in place
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Lead tape is more subtle than grips, I tend to find that it initially works and then you get used to it, ending up being additional weight.
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Tried lead tape and cut grips didn't think they Made much difference to the pick up found that lead flashing cut into 1inch wide strips held in place by tape and cut grips at the top of the handle works better.
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Or - use the correct weight bat for your own technique in the first place and ignore the need for a counter-balance.
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Or - use the correct weight bat for your own technique in the first place and ignore the need for a counter-balance.
MMM a very contentious point.
Not saying anything about quality of technique here but of stable technique by that I mean consistency of it.
It all about the hands vs weight (mass) theory for me which is greatly misunderstood even by professional players at times.
I know I love light bats but score generally more runs with a heavier bat but I understand why so I agree to a degree Fattus about what you have said.
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MMM a very contentious point.
Not saying anything about quality of technique here but of stable technique by that I mean consistency of it.
It all about the hands vs weight (mass) theory for me which is greatly misunderstood even by professional players at times.
I know I love light bats but score generally more runs with a heavier bat but I understand why so I agree to a degree Fattus about what you have said.
what is the hands vs weight theory?
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I think this is a load of cobblers. If adding a quarter of an ounce at the top of a handle makes a significant difference you are surely thinking too much about the equipment and not concerntating enough on the ball.
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well Saad what type of player are you ...
Quick hands slow hand
Are you strong..
What bats do you tend to use
What bat weight do you tend to score runs with..
Are you a touch player or a buller of the ball.
Are you a ball deflector or more of a hard hitting get your hand through the ball type.
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well Saad what type of player are you ...
Quick hands slow hand
Are you strong..
What bats do you tend to use
What bat weight do you tend to score runs with..
Are you a touch player or a buller of the ball.
What important in a bat to you (looks or one that will help you score runs)
Are you a ball deflector or more of a hard hitting get your hand through the ball type.
These are the questions I would always ask a player before he picks a bat
Hands vs weight is not a theory it works for me....
I do not have quick hands but I'm quite strong and have a stable technique but I find a heavier bat I can time the ball better due to being in a good position and not throwing my hands through it.
I also find too many people inhibit themselves with too lightweight/ or excseeivly heavy bats and hands speed vs mass weight is one of the most important questions answered.
But it goes back to the equipment vs quality of player question
will a better player using poor kit play better than a average player with top kit.
Working out your game is part of the game I love and so should people it the journey to finding what works for them..
For me pick up is important but so is coverage because as a club player I hit it all over the blade and need as much mass behind most of the bat as possible but still need to possibly play all the shots I know and do it for a longish period unless I get out early.
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I tested all this stuff ages ago and it works well for bats that are already light. The heavier the bat the least effective it becomes. Strips of lead flashing work well with a bit of tape.
Of course getting a bat made how you need it is better than all these workarounds.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/cricket-bat-info/want-a-lighter-pickup/1472693596368109 (https://www.facebook.com/notes/cricket-bat-info/want-a-lighter-pickup/1472693596368109)
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I think what is happening for my experience is that they are all light bats so as @sarg said it may be more noticeable . With most of my bats I have an inch cut off the handle , which is a loss of .3-.5oz , so adding a counterbalance is putting some of that weight back onto the handle knob , thus returning the bat to something more closely resembling its original balance and feel .
I tried the counterbalance on all 14 of my bats . With my c.a bats (6 of them ) I dont cut the knob off because they are shorter bats to begin with . I found the counterbalance worked for the 4 lighter ones , not so much for the two heavier ones .
With my j.p.g i noticed a minor improvement .
With my s.f ( which is short blade , long handle , no knob cut off ) I felt it made the bat feel worse . But perhaps this bat has extra handle sticking out past my top hand anyway which is already fulfilling a similar job .
With all my other bats ( all g.n ) i noticed a significant improvement , regardless of weight .
Having said all this , all my bats are between 2lb6oz and 2lb9oz .
So I'm going to keep the counterbalance on 10 of my 14 bats , for the time being anyway .
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I also cut 1 inch of the top of my bats So to me it makes sense to replace the weight lost i weigh the piece cut off and put the same weight in lead flashing strips around the top of the handle.
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he sure is I have his actual bat with me at the minute!!!!
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I have found that a thicker handle is much better for counter balancing than lead tape or cut grips
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he sure is I have his actual bat with me at the minute!!!!
Hope yours isn't a two piece mate! :D
My cousins Impala has a counter balance from factory. Personally im not a fan.
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What is B Macs counter balance actually made of?
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What is B Macs counter balance actually made of?
Finest west country mature cheddar.
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I like how bmac is making his handles thinner using medical tape and combining this with a counterbalance. ....I'm becoming more and more a fan of these two things done to a handle.
Would love to know how many cut grips it takes to get a bmac-tennis ball handle knob !
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I like how bmac is making his handles thinner using medical tape and combining this with a counterbalance. ....I'm becoming more and more a fan of these two things done to a handle.
Would love to know how many cut grips it takes to get a bmac-tennis ball handle knob !
Lead tape (golf stores sell various types) is way better. Much more weight for the volume...and no chance of the tape rolling up, off the handle.
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I have something similar on my 20/20 bat. I do it not for a counterbalance but as additional grip when you're swinging hard. The knob helps prevent the bat from slipping out of your hands.
I used self amalgamating tape, and to be honest it really improves the feel of the handle.
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B Mac bat is only done by cutting strips of
and to think he puts tape on to make it thinner is in-correct.
He has two thick grips on his bats