Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: Bats_Galore on February 22, 2017, 08:55:18 PM
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I am seeing more and more pros using 1/2 and 1/2 coloured bats, and also saw the Johnny Bairstow video stating he prefers them for test cricket. For the batmakers and users what is the benefit?
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It's more brittle, so if not looked after is likely to crack up quicker, it's also denser so will give you a heavier bat over a sapwood opponent, however if treated properly it looks after you as well as you look after it, the ball tends to fly off of heartwood a bit more and gives a lovely cracking sound when you hit the ball
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I had a Redback allegiance that was the reverse of what a lot of people like on their bats: all heartwood with a sliver of sapwood on the edge and the sound it made was the most satisfying of any bat I've ever owned.
(http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b444/TopSpinCricket/IMG_0006.jpg) (http://s1044.photobucket.com/user/TopSpinCricket/media/IMG_0006.jpg.html)
(http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b444/TopSpinCricket/IMG_0007.jpg) (http://s1044.photobucket.com/user/TopSpinCricket/media/IMG_0007.jpg.html)
This was the choice Gary gave me when I asked what he had back in 2009, it was a tough call! But mine was the one top left. Looked lovely when it was all cleaned up and finished, and only cost me £150! Happier bat buying days those were.
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Just splitting hairs here , but.....would a 50/50 two tone bat be ever so slightly lopsided , in terms of weight , if both sides were shaped to the same dimensions ? ( given that heartwood is denser / slightly heavier ).
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It's more brittle, so if not looked after is likely to crack up quicker, it's also denser so will give you a heavier bat over a sapwood opponent, however if treated properly it looks after you as well as you look after it, the ball tends to fly off of heartwood a bit more and gives a lovely cracking sound when you hit the ball
It used to be the very popular but dropped out of favour as white wood sapwood became the willow to be seen with. Also a thin strip of heartwood on the top edge of your bat can help prevent damage caused by edgeing the ball and for many it means there's no need for edge tape.
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Just splitting hairs here , but.....would a 50/50 two tone bat be ever so slightly lopsided , in terms of weight , if both sides were shaped to the same dimensions ? ( given that heartwood is denser / slightly heavier ).
Yes due to a natural lack of sap.
Not to be confused with lack of sap due to over drying to remove weight
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It used to be the very popular but dropped out of favour as white wood sapwood became the willow to be seen with. Also a thin strip of heartwood on the top edge of your bat can help prevent damage caused by edgeing the ball and for many it means there's no need for edge tape.
Really? I thought it would be more likely to crack as it's naturally more brittle than sapwood?
It's a preference thing but I prefer my heartwood (no more than 1/3rd of the blade) on the inside edge of the bat as that's where I tend to hit it most (I could also save weight by cutting a hole in the middle...)
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This is an excellent, very useful thread, thank you. There is a lot of heartwood in the willow I split up yesterday, so I will think carefully about this when I get to the sawmill.
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Really? I thought it would be more likely to crack as it's naturally more brittle than sapwood?
It's a preference thing but I prefer my heartwood (no more than 1/3rd of the blade) on the inside edge of the bat as that's where I tend to hit it most (I could also save weight by cutting a hole in the middle...)
Yes it can be brittle but as Tom as said its also denser and harder it used to be so popular very few wanted sapwood bats players preferred a bat that would last a few seasons
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My b3 is all heartwood and a 358 cleft
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As stated earlier this is a trend that comes in and out of fashion. When we first started to see pro's using two toned willow as we called it back then we all wanted one. I've had excellent bats with plenty of heartwood and some others that were pure crud. It's all down to personal taste. I think there is some evidence to suggest performance is a more immediate with a two toned bat but durability is compromised a little. It's a good enough reason to have a bat in your collection with heartwood...just to experiment :D
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i think i might of had the redback on the bottom right.
really nice bat, strangly with no difference in sound between the heartwood and sap wood
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I'm not a fan of heartwood, I found it can split even if fully looked after. Might be fine for pros but not when spending my own cash.
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I don't like heartwood at all. My preference would be for an all sapwood blade of uniform colour if possible.
I would like another Redback though!
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As stated earlier this is a trend that comes in and out of fashion. When we first started to see pro's using two toned willow as we called it back then we all wanted one. I've had excellent bats with plenty of heartwood and some others that were pure crud. It's all down to personal taste. I think there is some evidence to suggest performance is a more immediate with a two toned bat but durability is compromised a little. It's a good enough reason to have a bat in your collection with heartwood...just to experiment :D
It does come in and go out of fashion there was a time when when heartwood was so unpopular it was bleached white
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When the bat makers/bat company's buy the clefts is the hartwood seen as a blemish therefore down grading the cleft.
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It does come in and go out of fashion there was a time when when heartwood was so unpopular it was bleached white
Hmmm .......kookaburra circa 1990's !
Whiter than me in winter ! :D
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Hmmm .......kookaburra circa 1990's !
Whiter than me in winter ! :D
Yes I had one they were whiter than a brides wedding dress.
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When the bat makers/bat company's buy the clefts is the hartwood seen as a blemish therefore down grading the cleft.
If they're being honest then it should downgrade it slightly, you shouldn't really ever see a gn legend with heartwood (unless it's been asked for) if you look at someone like @hell4leather cricket they grade them so fairly you see bats that some brands would call grade 1/ grade 1+++++ they would call grade 2 because of it
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Why should heartwood downgrade at all?
JS Wright's grading system
A Grade 1 Blade
A Grade 1 is the best looking blade, though it will not necessarily play the best. There may be some red wood evident on the edge of the blade. The grain on the face will be straight and there will be a minimum of 6 grains visible. There may be the odd small knot or speck in the edge or back but the playing area should be clean.
A Grade 2 Blade
A Grade 2 blade is also very good quality and normally a larger amount of red wood can be seen on the edge of a blade, this has no effect on the playing ability of the bat it is purely cosmetic. Again there will be at least 6 straight grains on the face of the blade with maybe some blemishes, pin knots or “speck” visible, we also put the top 2% of the excellent quality butterfly blades that we get into Grade 2.
A Grade 3 Blade
This is a middle grade that is produced in much higher numbers than the top grades and it offers very good value for money. A Grade 3 Blade has up to half colour across the blade which again has no direct relation to the playing ability of the wood, it just has less visual attraction. There will be a minimum of 5 grains on the face of the blade which may not always be perfectly straight. Again some small knots or butterfly stain may be present with sometimes more prominent “speck”.
A Grade 4 Blade
A Grade 4 Blade is normally over half colour or contains butterfly stain (see our page on Imperfections in Willow). It will still play as well as the other grades. Any number of grains are possible with often only 4 grains, the willow containing ‘butterfly’ stain is very strong, there could also be more “speck” and other faults.
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Does that mean that a pros 50/50 bat is technically a grade 3?As the JS Wright grading system states that a grade 2 must only have heartwood on the edge .
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@WalkingWicket37 generally speaking look at the highest grade bats you won't see many with heartwood
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the best hheartwood clefts normally gome from grade 3/4 and of course the pro do always use grade 1
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Does that mean that a pros 50/50 bat is technically a grade 3?As the JS Wright grading system states that a grade 2 must only have heartwood on the edge .
By JS Wright's grading system yes.
But there isn't a set standard for grading, so each brand can call whatever they like "Grade 1"
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By JS Wright's grading system yes.
But there isn't a set standard for grading, so each brand can call whatever they like "Grade 1"
That's why buying a bat is a messy business .I know someone with two legends both half heartwood so one brand can call it super grade 1+++ and charge £600 whilst other willow suppliers will grade it a grade 3 .
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@WalkingWicket37 generally speaking look at the highest grade bats you won't see many with heartwood
([url]http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j401/JT77145/unnamed%2011_zpsfzohubvr.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://s1084.photobucket.com/user/JT77145/media/unnamed%2011_zpsfzohubvr.jpg.html[/url])
;)
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Gray nics grow and cut their own willow though, so they are free to grade however they want and choose whatever specs they like for what makes each cleft that grade
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Gray nics grow and cut their own willow though, so they are free to grade however they want and choose whatever specs they like for what makes each cleft that grade
I asume all the bedroom brands with two or three different types of Grade 1 must all grow and cut their own willow too then? ;)
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Gray nics grow and cut their own willow though, so they are free to grade however they want and choose whatever specs they like for what makes each cleft that grade
most companies grade there own willow no matter what they receive from JS Wrights in terms of there grading.
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Used to be so much simple in the old days
Grade one or two
Most off the shelf bats performed amazing with a bit of knocking etc.
It's got to the point nowadays, I've gotta inspect the cleft/moisture content/sharpness of draw knife etc etc
Only joking, bats nowadays are all wonderful
And all bat supplier/makers are honest and hardworking, and would never bleach/disguise/mislead eager buyers
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most companies grade there own willow no matter what they receive from JS Wrights in terms of there grading.
yes regardless of how the willow merchants grade the clefts.
Beat me to it Dave
Along with whats been mentioned You can throw finish and ping in there.
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Used to be so much simple in the old days
Grade one or two
Most off the shelf bats performed amazing with a bit of knocking etc.
It's got to the point nowadays, I've gotta inspect the cleft/moisture content/sharpness of draw knife etc etc
Only joking, bats nowadays are all wonderful
And all bat supplier/makers are honest and hardworking, and would never bleach/disguise/mislead eager buyers
bats a bat if you can use it you can use it..
in truth some pro bats are bleached
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bats a bat if you can use it you can use it..
in truth some pro bats are bleached
I'll swap you a sports direct plank for your Taylor bat, Dave.
As you say "a bats a bat" ;)
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I'll swap you a sports direct plank for your Taylor bat, Dave.
As you say "a bats a bat" ;)
ok I will play no disrespect mate but would taylor bat score YOU more runs than a sports direct special.
IF YOU WANT TO BORROW IT YOU ONLY HAVE TO ASK....
said it before 90 per cent of all bats play the same no matter grain or heartwood density the lot. like a good theory though and love a interesting bat with history.
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ok I will play no disrespect mate but would taylor bat score YOU more runs than a sports direct special.
IF YOU WANT TO BORROW IT YOU ONLY HAVE TO ASK....
said it before 90 per cent of all bats play the same no matter grain or heartwood density the lot. like a good theory though and love a interesting bat with history.
I honestly think it would, with a bat that good I might even hit the odd one off the square! (I can dream...)
And I'd love to borrow it, but I'd hate it at the same time. I'd be scared to use a bat that special, as I'd be mortified if it broke while in my possession
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I honestly think it would, with a bat that good I might even hit the odd one off the square! (I can dream...)
And I'd love to borrow it, but I'd hate it at the same time. I'd be scared to use a bat that special, as I'd be mortified if it broke while in my possession
I have better bats with better pick up than that one it just got a history mate.
I have taken it easy with it in the winter nets I may retire it end of this season if it lasts and get it in a box...
bats have never score the runs, people do
in truth performance should be a given with most bats from the forum pick and feel should be higher up the order of priority
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Personally love a even strip of heartwood on my bats and never really had any issue with them being more brittle, the only exception is my new GM Chrome the outside edge is heartwood and even with GM ready now knocking in plus the 3 hours knocking in its had its cracked in 2 places already.
Only light service cracks but will need some TLC soon I reckon.
Like most things heartwood is purely down to personal choice I wouldn't wind a top end bat having heartwood as long as it's an even amount and grains continue to run straight threw it.
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I have a jpg and a sf that are both two thirds heartwood . Both are still big bats for the weight ....perhaps they are somehow lower density heartwood ? Either way , both go like trampolines , but both got light edge cracking during knocking in /playing in process , even though i babied them them tlc . So , yeah , perhaps they are more brittle , to a degree , but they tend to play well , so long as you don't mind them not having that soft feel .