Topic: Are we infatuated with the number of grains (Read 3617 times)

100 not out · « **on:** March 22, 2010, 02:46:23 PM »

I have spoken with a few batmakers in recent times and one thing they all seem to say is that too many grains is not a good thing. 8-12 is about right and make very good bats. For example a well known podshaver said that most people seem to place too much emphasis on grains as a decision making factor when choosing a bat. This didnt make sense.

Are they right or just trying to get you to buy wider grained bats.

SillyShilly · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2010, 02:56:22 PM »

Preference at the end of the day. I havnt seen one really tight grained screaming cat and he seems to have a fantastic reputation, same for m&h - very often they have to use what they have been given - If it's 12 grains maximum then you can sure as hell guarantee they wont be saying the bat you want should have 20 grains. Similarly, if they have 50 tight grainers then you can guarantee they wont reccomend an 8 grained bat. Personally i think they will work on what they regularly get, what looks good and performs well (denisty).

petehosk · « **Reply #2 on:** March 22, 2010, 03:11:15 PM »

And to borrow a saying from another area of life....it's not what you''ve got, but what you do with it!
That could be the same for stating that KP could likely use a plank and still bat better than most of us.

But it could also be the same for the bat making process!
A decent bat maker could take a lower grade willow and the way they press it, and do the pod-shaving will define how that willow plays - 5 grain or 35 grain! For example, I had a Laver & Wood Firefly (Grade 1) and a Churchill (Grade 3) made to the same spec and profile.
And the Churchill played as well the Firefly - but that was almosr certainly down to the skill of the batmaker!

And don't they say that the willow with more grains tends to play better straight away but also normally have a shorter life expectancy?
Whereas the less grains generally means that it takes longer to play itself in, but tends to last longer?

SillyShilly · « **Reply #3 on:** March 22, 2010, 03:13:24 PM »

Actually ignore what i just said - i'm sure a lot of people would disagree with what i've written......batmakers with enough experience are best placed to tell you what should perform well, regardless of their current stock of clefts.

SAF Bats · « **Reply #4 on:** March 22, 2010, 03:16:51 PM »

At the end of the day it is a buyers market, it is bit like the swap to Salix Abla Caerulea way back when... The white willow sold better.

procricket · « **Reply #5 on:** March 22, 2010, 03:22:08 PM »

Pete

the churchill was a good bat mate as good as many top grade bats we see on here and nearly as good as my Laver pb

i think we are totally infatuated on here with grains as most buy there bats of here on looks alone.

i have a rule never buy a bat worth over �140 on looks alone and it seems to work

i will be honest to say for my top bats looks are important nearly as much as performance but as many have said to me the looks means nothing.

and the more grain on a bat i have found to play better from a start but i have found them to have more breakage than a wider grain bat but i have not had a bat last longer than 2 season and my laver is on it way out.

and as for density well i have had 2 lightweight clefts in my life 1 was defiantly due to excess drying which flew for a short period then just went off like salmon, and the other i have not not sure about it being a genuine lightweight but it going well so far and for a 2lb 12oz shape the weight is around 2lb 6oz with 35mm edges but i to have my doubts about the durability of that but it flys so i'am happy.

i suspect there are good markets out there for everybodys needs and purse.

another one is my bulldog bat which performs well on a mallett and bowling machine and is classed grade1 but i suspect it a long burner and if i keep it it will take maybe a season to get the best out of it

all in all i agree with pete about good batmaker will get the best out of the wood they get no matter the grain or density within the willows limits

Talisman · « **Reply #6 on:** March 22, 2010, 03:34:28 PM »

8 to 12 grains will offer the best of both worlds, performance and duribility. If we as customers wanted a bat to max our score and had a choice of 3 at the same weight and balance would you choose a 5, 10 or 20 grain bat?

procricket · « **Reply #7 on:** March 22, 2010, 03:36:34 PM »

at the minute i want a low density 20 grain bat that will be lucky to last the season that performs like a gun

Talisman · « **Reply #8 on:** March 22, 2010, 03:38:37 PM »

I love tight grains, but my 2 match bats are 7 and 8 grains!!!

procricket · « **Reply #9 on:** March 22, 2010, 03:39:51 PM »

my 5 are all 10 grain that why i want a change

Beachcricket · « **Reply #10 on:** March 22, 2010, 04:46:30 PM »

Quote from: SAF Bats on March 22, 2010, 03:16:51 PM

At the end of the day it is a buyers market, it is bit like the swap to Salix Abla Caerulea way back when... The white willow sold better.

What did they use before then? Do some manufacturers still use other species of willow?

SAF Bats · « **Reply #11 on:** March 22, 2010, 04:53:46 PM »

Quote from: Beachcricket on March 22, 2010, 04:46:30 PM

What did they use before then? Do some manufacturers still use other species of willow?

Still willow but it was red-ish - Salix Alba Caerulea is a hybrid based on the colour. The demand died for the original willow at the timber yards so they started using and planting the in demand Caerulea and here we are based on the fashion decades and decades ago.

Colesy · « **Reply #12 on:** March 22, 2010, 05:22:01 PM »

Quote from: Talisman on March 22, 2010, 03:34:28 PM

8 to 12 grains will offer the best of both worlds, performance and duribility. If we as customers wanted a bat to max our score and had a choice of 3 at the same weight and balance would you choose a 5, 10 or 20 grain bat?

Depends, if I bought the bat I would go 10 grains. Free bat I would have the 20 grainer

Author Topic: Are we infatuated with the number of grains (Read 3617 times)

100 not out

Are we infatuated with the number of grains

SillyShilly

Re: Are we infatuated with the number of grains

petehosk

Re: Are we infatuated with the number of grains

SillyShilly

Re: Are we infatuated with the number of grains

SAF Bats

Re: Are we infatuated with the number of grains

procricket

Re: Are we infatuated with the number of grains

Talisman

Re: Are we infatuated with the number of grains

procricket

Re: Are we infatuated with the number of grains

Talisman

Re: Are we infatuated with the number of grains

procricket

Re: Are we infatuated with the number of grains

Beachcricket

Re: Are we infatuated with the number of grains

SAF Bats

Re: Are we infatuated with the number of grains

Colesy

Re: Are we infatuated with the number of grains