Topic: willow grading (Read 5600 times)

Canners · « **on:** November 06, 2011, 10:27:06 AM »

what is everyones understanding of willow grading

I personally expect

grade 1- clean willow no knots/blemishes or heartwood 8+ straight grains

grade 2 same as above with slight blemishing/heartwood

grade 3- pretty ugly willow with waver grains knots and heartwood

what are your expectations? thoughts....... ?

this is what JS Wright (the experts) say.....

A Grade 1 Blade

A Grade 1 is the best looking blade money can buy, though it will not necessarily play the best. There may be some red wood evident on the edge of the bat. The grain on the face will be straight and there will be at least 4 grains visible. There may be the odd small knot in the edge or back but the playing area should be clean.

A Grade 2 Blade

A Grade 2 blade is also very good quality and normally a larger amount of red wood can be seen on the edge of a bat, this has no effect on the playing ability of the bat it is purely cosmetic. Again there will be at least 4 straight grains on the face of the bat with maybe some blemishes, pin knots or "speck" visible.

A Grade 3 Blade

This is the grade we produce and sell most of and it offers very good value for money. A Grade 3 Blade has up to half colour across the bat and is sometimes bleached, again this has no direct relation to the playing ability of the wood, it just has less visual attraction. There will be a minimum of 4 grains on the face of the bat which may not always be perfectly straight. Again some small knots or a little 'butterfly' stain may be present with perhaps more prominent "speck".

A Grade 4 Blade

A Grade 4 Blade is normally over half colour or contains butterfly stain (see our page on Imperfections in Willow). This wood is also normally bleached just to make it "look better", it will still play as well as the other grades. Any number of grains are possible and the willow containing 'butterfly' stain is very strong, there could also be more "speck".

Six Sixes Cricket · « **Reply #1 on:** November 06, 2011, 10:36:33 AM »

Like I said in the other post, grading is nonsense. Look at the GM LE clefts on cricket insight, most have heartwood.

Canners · « **Reply #2 on:** November 06, 2011, 10:40:25 AM »

it does seem like it, from js wrights statements i would expect all grade 1's to be of 'sig' appearance

Six Sixes Cricket · « **Reply #3 on:** November 06, 2011, 10:50:21 AM »

Imagine if you bought a top of the range bat, now in most cases that's �250 - �400 and a 4 grainer turned up.

Manormanic · « **Reply #4 on:** November 06, 2011, 11:08:50 AM »

Quote from: d7bow on November 06, 2011, 10:50:21 AM

Imagine if you bought a top of the range bat, now in most cases that's �250 - �400 and a 4 grainer turned up.

Hehehe, remember seeing a "top of the range" Slazenger last season that had five grains, one of which ran off the edge of the face half way down. Suffice to say, it was less than a total gun...

Number4 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 06, 2011, 12:32:51 PM »

Willow grading is whatever the batmaker wants it to be

Canners · « **Reply #6 on:** November 06, 2011, 12:44:59 PM »

Quote from: Number4 on November 06, 2011, 12:32:51 PM

Willow grading is whatever the batmaker wants it to be

i think you've hit the nail on the head

shazz · « **Reply #7 on:** November 06, 2011, 12:44:59 PM »

Should be..

1) 8-11 straight grains, no blemishes, knots or heartwood. Good ping also.

2) 7-14 Straight-ish grains, the odd blemish, knot and maybe a tinge of heartwood. decent ping

3) 3(?)-20(?) Grains, very knottey, blemished and again a tinge of heartwood. average ping.

But most companies grade on EITHER performance or looks, i'm not sure that I can think of a brand that do both (<--please prove me wrong).

peplow · « **Reply #8 on:** November 06, 2011, 12:47:00 PM »

Quote from: shazz on November 06, 2011, 12:44:59 PM

Should be..

1) 8-11 straight grains, no blemishes, knots or heartwood. Good ping also.

2) 7-14 Straight-ish grains, the odd blemish, knot and maybe a tinge of heartwood. decent ping

3) 3(?)-20(?) Grains, very knottey, blemished and again a tinge of heartwood. average ping.

But most companies grade on EITHER performance or looks, i'm not sure that I can think of a brand that do both (<--please prove me wrong).

why cant you have 15 striaght grains, all sapwood, completely clean and that not be grade one

Canners · « **Reply #9 on:** November 06, 2011, 12:50:35 PM »

15? i want 20

shazz · « **Reply #10 on:** November 06, 2011, 01:11:52 PM »

My personal preference has always been fewer grains, for whatever reason. I prefer the look and imo you get a better ping from the bat, but if you wish to have 15 then i agree that that is probably acceptable.

jamesisapayne · « **Reply #11 on:** November 06, 2011, 02:54:37 PM »

I think grading is simply a way of the manufacturer creating different pricepoints for their bats. Willow is willow is willow at the end of the day. It's no coincidence that a lot of people have tried top range G1 bats that play like crap and 4 grain G4 bats that go like the clappers. Willow grading in general is total bull in my opinion. The only way you could realistically grade bats is with a mallet and how it pings, and after all that's what we want the bat to do.

Colesy · « **Reply #12 on:** November 06, 2011, 02:56:32 PM »

Team mate has a GM Icon Original, 7 fairly straight grains, no heartwood. Without the model sticker I'd say 707 but it performs unbelievably.

FattusCattus · « **Reply #13 on:** November 06, 2011, 09:42:23 PM »

Canners - you're such a grain-tart! As long as it pings, use it to (No Swearing Please) the ball!

My grading criteria is a cleanish face, big chunky profile and a nice middle.

Canners · « **Reply #14 on:** November 06, 2011, 09:55:37 PM »

Brucie, you keep calling me a tart of late.....

I honestly don't think number of grains are that essential, I had a bat with 30 grains and by no means is it the best bat ive had.....

Author Topic: willow grading (Read 5600 times)

Canners

willow grading

Six Sixes Cricket

Re: willow grading

Canners

Re: willow grading

Six Sixes Cricket

Re: willow grading

Manormanic

Re: willow grading

Number4

Re: willow grading

Canners

Re: willow grading

shazz

Re: willow grading

peplow

Re: willow grading

Canners

Re: willow grading

shazz

Re: willow grading

jamesisapayne

Re: willow grading

Colesy

Re: willow grading

FattusCattus

Re: willow grading

Canners

Re: willow grading