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[100 not out]

I was thinking . . . .re last nights session with Mr Laver. He didnt want to say too much on his press or pressing techniques. I am not a knowledgable person on such things. But whats the big deal anyway. why are batmakers so protective over such things. surely this knowledge would have be gained from their mentors during their apprenticeships. is it really that much of a competitive advantage?? what do they gain by not sharing.

[Ayrtek Cricket]

intellectual property is often the most valuable asset a company has and as such it will be closely guarded!

[yvk3103]

Maybe there is some technique that James has developed and therefore does not want to share it.

You see this in the field of medicine as well.... same medicine but made with different processes which are patented and thus very valued IPs

[procricket]

rocket science and i do not like the question and now have come to terms there some things best not knowing about bat making

YET......

[petehosk]

Well...at a guess I would say that he learns about pressing all the time. It's not something they are shown and then, hey presto, he is a pressing expert. It is a skill learnt over years and years. And as pressing is a large part of how the bat performs, then why should he give away lots of pressing tricks and secrets to people he doesn't even know?
He's probably sweated blood and tears to learn so these techniques are probably very dear to him!!!
I'm sure he will pass the skills on to people he works with, so that they can continue to make excellent bats!

That's the way I see it. But I'm probably way off target!! 

[Ayrtek Cricket]

some things can only be touch by touch and feel which comes with the years of experience it has taken through trial and error in getting them right.

F1 teams IPR on how things are made and the design etc can be the difference between winning and coming 2nd....the same principle applies to cricket bats.....and as such the winning processes will try to be replicated by the competition.

[procricket]

No i think your bang on the money

I thought last nights chat and listing to people like Andy and the others are a great way of picking up tips and understanding what actually makes a good bat and what doesn't

This part for me is the best part of the forum the geek corner

[jonpinson]

I was thinking . . . .re last nights session with Mr Laver. He didnt want to say too much on his press or pressing techniques. I am not a knowledgable person on such things. But whats the big deal anyway. why are batmakers so protective over such things. surely this knowledge would have be gained from their mentors during their apprenticeships. is it really that much of a competitive advantage?? what do they gain by not sharing.

You may as well just delete the thread now mate, there are powers that be on this forum who dislike such things being discussed. We're only allowed to spend the money on bat, not know how they are made.

[procricket]

Jon was you around last night

James gave away a few secrets mate and was as open as possible

[petehosk]

I don't think it's a big conpsiracy Jon.....I suspect that it's not the kind of skill that can be explained in words!
Anyway...you are all mortals and the podshavers will take over the world!!

[roco]

If the bat makers gave away there secrets then what they could be replicated with ease thus endangering there livelihood we are privileged as we are to get the knowledge we do which is alot more than most and anything can be discussed really but no one is forced to answer

[pacman75cricket]

Think its just down to skill & experience of the batmaker.

As a groundsman I can roll a pitch the same amount but if moisture content isn't right throughout to process 1pitch will be great consistent with pace & bounce & another may just be flat no pace etc.

Think its down to the skill of the batmaker when working with natural products

[Buzz]

I am not sure that there are powers on the forum that dislike such things being discussed, I would hope they actively encourage it - but realistically there are very few people on the forum who know how to press a bat and fewer than that who could actually do it really well...

[FattusCattus]

Agreed Phillipus - there are also very few people on this forum who know how to actually press a bat.

..... and rather more who think they know how to press and make a bat.

A gulf between belief and skill.

[peplow]

of which i have neither haha!

I dont see how anyone can know 20+ years worth of hands on knowledge in a year or so on here reading about things, it must take a wealth of time to build up knowledge and the little things that set some peoples pressing apart from the rest. And unfortunately some of them cannot be told or learnt as its a special talent, which respect and wouldnt try emulate or claim i could do!