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[sarg]

Removing the fibre edge tape, the toe guard and the stickers will drop perhaps 1-1.5oz. Along with a bit of time spent back downwards on a radiator to remove moisture from the back of the bat, will get you close. Playing with a thinner grip will drop another fraction of an oz, but won't make it feel any lighter (how much is psychological? Does it need to be 3oz, or can you get away with 2oz less?). Given the toe thickness, I suspect you could drop perhaps 1-1.5oz there to make it pick up 2-3oz lighter. Shame to lose bulk from the middle or compromise the pick up - get a pro to make any wood off.

A section of those kids foam swimming pool noodles makes a great sanding block for sanding a concaved bat. Pick them up cheap in those cheap shops over here.

[Northern monkey]

[JK Lewis]

Oh is that you mate? I friended you on FB yesterday. Nice work!

[Northern monkey]

Ha ha yeah

[edge]

This might be of interest - was tidying up the workshop earlier and thought I'd weigh the pile of willow shavings I ended up with... This is what 4oz of willow looks like after its been removed from a cleft, 3/4 of an IKEA paper bin, or a carrier bag full:

[uknsaunders]

If you attack the bat bottom up you may need less wood off as it should help pickup. Better to lose 1-1.5oz off the toe than 3oz across all the hitting area. Toe could be trimmed down to 25mm without affecting durability, particularly if you go for a round toe and lose the toe guard (it will drop off in a few weeks anyway). Also angling the toe to avoid feathering will make the bat more durable and lose a little more willow. Losing the stickers might save 0.5oz, scuff a little more. Not helping pickup but another 0.2-0.3oz would be to slope the shoulders a touch, not quite shoulderless but between where they are now and shoulderless.  Outside that, just take a mm or so off the edges and job done, each mm is an oz roughly.

[JK Lewis]

If you attack the bat bottom up you may need less wood off as it should help pickup. Better to lose 1-1.5oz off the toe than 3oz across all the hitting area. Toe could be trimmed down to 25mm without affecting durability, particularly if you go for a round toe and lose the toe guard (it will drop off in a few weeks anyway). Also angling the toe to avoid feathering will make the bat more durable and lose a little more willow. Losing the stickers might save 0.5oz, scuff a little more. Not helping pickup but another 0.2-0.3oz would be to slope the shoulders a touch, not quite shoulderless but between where they are now and shoulderless.  Outside that, just take a mm or so off the edges and job done, each mm is an oz roughly.

Agree with all of this, but I do think that it's worth having a first go with an old bat you no longer care about, rather than diving right in on your pride and joy!

[velvetsky01]

Hi all thank you ever so much for all your comments and suggestions

Just a quick update on this

I returned the bat to Adam last night and am awaiting a replacement which should be with me in a few weeks

So.....not sure what Adam was planning on doing with it but there is a rather nice looking orange Neon going spare if you ask Adam nicely 😜

[Northern monkey]