Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: bigblue365 on October 16, 2019, 07:33:18 PM
-
Hi,
I recently purchased a RNS Larson bat through there Facebook page. Any do's and dont's during knocking in process from prior experiences?
Thanks
-
DO'S - Knock it in absolutely loads
DON'TS - Forget to knock it in absolutely loads
-
What bat? We can't see one? First rule of CBF, it doesn't exist until we see pictures 😉
-
It's likely to be quite soft pressed I guess if it is a high end RNS. I spent many happy hours knocking in my last Indian made bat and eventually gave in and had it knocked in professionally on a machine. Even after many hours of hammering by hand the ball still left seam marks. After machine knocking it was fine.
Question to the experts: do the automatic knocking machines degrade the quality of the bat compared to hand knocking?
And, what is the difference between a soft pressed bat that has been knocked in well and a hard pressed bat? Does the knocking in do something very different from pressing?
-
What bat? We can't see one? First rule of CBF, it doesn't exist until we see pictures 😉
Model is RNS Prime with green orange stickers: https://imgur.com/a/SWetP2b
-
It's likely to be quite soft pressed I guess if it is a high end RNS. I spent many happy hours knocking in my last Indian made bat and eventually gave in and had it knocked in professionally on a machine. Even after many hours of hammering by hand the ball still left seam marks. After machine knocking it was fine.
Question to the experts: do the automatic knocking machines degrade the quality of the bat compared to hand knocking?
And, what is the difference between a soft pressed bat that has been knocked in well and a hard pressed bat? Does the knocking in do something very different from pressing?
No idea about knocking in machines as I’ve never used one. To be perfectly honest, I’ve not knocked a bat in properly since I was about 14.
Knocking in and pressing aren’t the same thing. Pressing compresses the fibres, and the harder you press it, the longer it will supposedly last, and knocking in opens them back up. A soft pressed bat already has the fibres opened up, and is good to go pretty much straight away, although it won’t last as long. harder pressed bats take some time to reach peak performance.
Give me a soft pressed bat any day. Knocking in is such a faff, and some manufacturers such as GN press their bats so hard. Case in point, I bought a GN Legend a few months ago, and it’s a real beauty and will be magnificent, but it’s pressed so hard, and needs someone with more patience than I to bring the best out of it. I knocked it in against a BOLA for 45 mins, then gave it a whack with a mallet for 30 mins before getting bored and deciding to get rid.
-
I would focus on toe area and edges. Really focus there as those are the most vulnerable areas. Once that’s done, stick a sheet on and start using in nets vs really old and soft balls. That way you knock it in AND get used to the bat. I have a bunch of really old balls (50-100 overs old) that I have scuffed up on one side...so they really swing out of the sidearm. Great fun while you prepare your new stick.
-
Knocking in and pressing aren’t the same thing. Pressing compresses the fibres, and the harder you press it, the longer it will supposedly last, and knocking in opens them back up. A soft pressed bat already has the fibres opened up, and is good to go pretty much straight away, although it won’t last as long.
Nope. Knocking in compresses the fibres further and is done mainly to prevent damage, an underpressed bat just means more knocking in time.
-
Hi,
I recently purchased a RNS Larson bat through there Facebook page. Any do's and dont's during knocking in process from prior experiences?
Thanks
Will be interested to hear feedback as me and my mates have won at least 4 bats through their auction process and none of them were even close to the claimed weights or ping. All bats were (No Swearing Please) and are being used for tennis ball cricket now. Hope you have better luck
-
Nope. Knocking in compresses the fibres further and is done mainly to prevent damage, an underpressed bat just means more knocking in time.
That's kind of what I thought. But could it be that hard pressing compresses the fibres deep in the timber, whereas knocking on a soft bat just compresses the outer surface, leaving it with more 'ping' from the soft interior?
-
I got a couple of bats from them and one of them delaminated crazily...I would never buy from them again
-
Tbh disappointed with the quality of RNS. Last 1 turned to be a plank and badly pressed.
From a knocking perspective, willow is so soft that it takes eternity to knock them in.
-
So far I oiled the bat 2 times and worked on the edges. 20 mins per each edge. Next will spend some time on toe. I feel the bat is on the dry side. Middle of the bat is pinging well.
-
I would focus on toe area and edges. Really focus there as those are the most vulnerable areas. Once that’s done, stick a sheet on and start using in nets vs really old and soft balls. That way you knock it in AND get used to the bat. I have a bunch of really old balls (50-100 overs old) that I have scuffed up on one side...so they really swing out of the sidearm. Great fun while you prepare your new stick.
No need to knock the middle part of the bat? How much time do you spend playing with soft balls before taking it to the nets?
-
So far I oiled the bat 2 times and worked on the edges. 20 mins per each edge. Next will spend some time on toe. I feel the bat is on the dry side. Middle of the bat is pinging well.
How many times is oiling (& how much) required?
-
How many times is oiling (& how much) required?
2-3 times.
-
DO'S - Knock it in absolutely loads
DON'TS - Forget to knock it in absolutely loads
Heed this wisdom!
-
70 mins into knocking in process the right hander outside is cracking vertically. I uploaded the images here - https://imgur.com/a/0zcUI92
Not sure what to do next?
-
70 mins into knocking in process the right hander outside is cracking vertically. I uploaded the images here - https://imgur.com/a/0zcUI92
Not sure what to do next?
Clear sign of overdried willow. Superglue and sand it down. Then put a couple of layers of fibreglass edge tape and hope for the best
-
It’s not that bad at all. I wouldn’t jump to conclusions. Seems like heartwood - it can crack like that if you whacked it too hard. No big deal - just glue and sand. Edges seem nice and round now - I wouldn’t knock them more.
-
Clear sign of overdried willow. Superglue and sand it down. Then put a couple of layers of fibreglass edge tape and hope for the best
Agree. My SM I bought last year had an impressive ping even though it started disintegrating during the knocking in process
-
Doesn't look like anything to worry about at all, make sure you're not going too hard too early with the knocking in. Finish the process and then give it a little sand down, it'll be fine.
-
Followed brokenbat and edge advice(superglue and light sand) and finished 4 hrs knocking. Ping is good now and hoping it will further open up after few net sessions. Applied scuff sheet and edge tape - https://imgur.com/a/9ySeiFg
-
Looks very nice. I would also put edge tape up the edge by the label as this bit is quite susceptible to cracking if you edge it there (through bitter experience this afternoon. Edged a pull shot badly up near the label and it has dented /cracked my new bat. Now fixed with a steam iron, superglue and sanding. Edge sheet now applied 😂
-
That’s a nice looking stick