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[TangoWhiskey]

All mallets are hard (dense) enough for a cricket bat. Heavier need not necessarily mean harder or lighter need not necessarily mean softer. Same compression can be achieved by a lighter mallet as a heavier one if you can hit harder. Force = mass * velocity, which means same amount of force and the resultant compression can be achieved by a lighter mallet if you hit harder (higher velocity). Only advantage of heavier mallet is you dont have to hit harder saving you energy. hope this helps.

I don't think it's quite as simple as F=M*V. You'll be losing a bit of force absorbed by the softer would in a normal mallet as it will deformed compared to the Lignum Vitae model. I'd imagine the chap who has glued a regular mallet head onto a heavier LV mallet loses quite a lot of energy.

[edge]

Just to clear a couple of things up:
- mass x velocity does not equal force
- density and hardness have nothing to do with each other

LV will be an improvement over standard mallets because it's denser (so heavier mallet meaning you can apply more force) and because it's both harder and denser (less loss of energy upon impact). How significant the effect of either is and how good that is for your cricket bat is hard to say, the weight will be much more of a factor than the hardness though.

[bostoncricketer]

I don't expect my LV laminate to "perform" the same as a G1 LV mallet But if a little energy loss is the only negative then I think it wouldn't be that bad. Majority of the people as still using regular mallets to knock in their bats. Saved well over $100 that I can put towards a bat which is what we all are here for in the end

[Kulli]

I don't expect my LV laminate to "perform" the same as a G1 LV mallet But if a little energy loss is the only negative then I think it wouldn't be that bad. Majority of the people as still using regular mallets to knock in their bats. Saved well over $100 that I can put towards a bat which is what we all are here for in the end

Can't you just fine someone to turn one of the ends, sure they wouldn't charge much.

[Vitas Cricket]

Can't you just fine someone to turn one of the ends, sure they wouldn't charge much.

LV mallets are expensive not just because the wood is rare, but also because it is extremely hard to turn; wearing out tools extremely quickly.

Theres a reason it was used in bearings on ships, even when modern technology offered a theoretically better alternative. The first nuclear submarine used LV bearings.

[Kulli]

LV mallets are not expensive just because the wood is rare, but also because it is extremely hard to turn; wearing out tools extremely quickly.

Theres a reason it was used in bearings on ships, even when modern technology offered a theoretically better alternative. The first nuclear submarine used LV bearings.

I understood it's waxy nature made it not too bad to turn but a nightmare to sand.

[Vitas Cricket]

I understood it's waxy nature made it not too bad to turn but a nightmare to sand.

I'm just going on what the chap who made mine said. A nightmare to turn apparently.

Flipside is they will last a lifetime, whereas the frankenmallet will more than likely split at some point.

[trypewriter]

I'm just going on what the chap who made mine said. A nightmare to turn apparently.

Flipside is they will last a lifetime, whereas the frankenmallet will more than likely split at some point.

Absolutely right - I knew a guy who used to make stuff out of LV and he got through blades and the like in no time - it all adds to the cost.

[Gurujames]

I understood it's waxy nature made it not too bad to turn but a nightmare to sand.

No. Lignum vitae is murder to turn as it blunts the tools very quickly, and is very hard so only a minimal amount can be removed with each pass.  is time consuming to sand, though on turned products this is never a problem as the lathe spins the material and you just hold the paper.
It is expensive though only small amounts are used in mallets.

[CrickFreak]

Just to clear a couple of things up:
- mass x velocity does not equal force
- density and hardness have nothing to do with each other

LV will be an improvement over standard mallets because it's denser (so heavier mallet meaning you can apply more force) and because it's both harder and denser (less loss of energy upon impact). How significant the effect of either is and how good that is for your cricket bat is hard to say, the weight will be much more of a factor than the hardness though.

OK scientist!!! f=m*a. Was almost midnight when i wrote that. The point was that a regular mallet is hard enough to generate almost similar compression if you hit harder. Only difference between "G1" LV and custom LV of bostoncricketer will be the energy lost due to deformation which i think will be comparable in both case. What Bostoncricketer has done will definitely save time and energy compared to a regular mallet and might have same effect as LV.