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[uknsaunders]

Weight is the simple answer

how much weight saving are we talking about?

[Canners]

from what i hear there can be a difference of at least an ounce in weight, there by given bigger bats at a lighter weight

[Cover_Drive]

The KG I came across had cork and it was dreadful! Detested it!!

My SS has rubber.

When I got CA bats made I asked Zahid Javed why they don't use rubber and he as Matt said it adds weight and there isn't much of a difference anyways.

Personally I prefer rubber as it makes pickup better IMHO which does make sense as more mass in hands.

[Ryan]

I think the best combo is cork/ rubber/ cork.  The cork sticks better than rubber so its used in the ends.

 

[tim2000s]

My B3 is cork and i can't tell the difference!

[tushar sehgal]

Never paid attention to this, so if i get it right cork inserts essentially replauce the dark rubber inserts/lines in your bat handle? would that be the only way to tell? can someone post pics..i am not sure i would have noticed...

[Chad]

Never paid attention to this, so if i get it right cork inserts essentially replauce the dark rubber inserts/lines in your bat handle? would that be the only way to tell? can someone post pics..i am not sure i would have noticed...

Sure, I'll get some pics up, give me a few minutes.

[Chad]

Cork inserts:


MSR





CA Plus 5000








And rubber inserts:


Broken Fusion bat (Unsure if UK or Asian made...)






Red Ink LE




Hunts County Triumph Cyclone




Helios Atlas





Hybrid Handles:


Laver and Wood PB with C-ten handle (Has cork inserts)






Pakistani made Plain bat - cork-rubber-cork handle (An absolute gun according to friend I bought it for)







I didn't actually realise that rubber inserts came in different colours until I looked at my Helios' handle a little while back! Generally speaking, if you dig your nail slightly into the insert, you will find that rubber ones are slightly 'bouncy' while cork tend to be harder.

The fact that the C-ten handle has cork inserts suggests to me that cork inserts may perhaps give a slightly stiffer handle than rubber inserts, but I could be very wrong. They may be used instead of rubber as cork is lighter, or maybe even because the handle just constructs better with cork! A question for JL himself I reckon!

One thing I don't know how people figure out is the 'piece' number, like a 12 piece cane handle, how do you tell? From a glance, I can't really tell at all, I would call all of the handles I have popped up 4 piece cane handles, but I am not sure. What does the number of pieces do to a handle anyways?

[Cover_Drive]

...
One thing I don't know how people figure out is the 'piece' number, like a 12 piece cane handle, how do you tell? From a glance, I can't really tell at all, I would call all of the handles I have popped up 4 piece cane handles, but I am not sure. What does the number of pieces do to a handle anyways?

Its not visible as top is sanded, buffed etc so the joints are difficult to see.

However, here is a picture which I found. Not very comprehensive but should give you an idea;



I think pieces add strength to the handle, greater the number of pieces stronger it will be (and more energy absorption) and vice versa.

[jamesisapayne]

Its not visible as top is sanded, buffed etc so the joints are difficult to see.

I always thought they were solid pieces Uzair!

Now I know ;-)

[tushar sehgal]

Thanks Chad and Uzair

[IQ]

One thing I have seen, the Pak made bat handles have a lot of black "burn" marks.

What are those? (Hope some one knows what I am talking about!)

[tim2000s]

I believe a 12 piece handle is supposed to be stiffer than a 4 piece handle.

[Fezballoh]

One thing I have seen, the Pak made bat handles have a lot of black "burn" marks.

What are those? (Hope some one knows what I am talking about!)

Could be where they are turned on the lathe that the operator is using a blunt chisel when he's turning them out. Someone posted a lovely video of a bat factory on here somewhere and you can see the guy turning square handles into round ones (you've gotta be real careful doing that belive me!) Ryan, are you making your own handles on your lathe? I might have a go if i can source some cane.

[Ryan]

Could be where they are turned on the lathe that the operator is using a blunt chisel when he's turning them out. Someone posted a lovely video of a bat factory on here somewhere and you can see the guy turning square handles into round ones (you've gotta be real careful doing that belive me!) Ryan, are you making your own handles on your lathe? I might have a go if i can source some cane.

Not yet, I'd like to give it a go but its hard to find them "unturned". Be good if i could as I'd prefer them to be a bigger oval so I'm not constrained on the size.