Print

Completely flat (F2)

In between (F4.5)

Rounded (F7)

Not bothered at all

[Chad]

Hi guys, since it's the end of season, (For the guys in the Northern Hemisphere anyways!) quite a few of us have most likely experimented with different bats which have different types of pressing. Now my question is, do you think the different face profiles make a difference, if so, vote and comment with a little explanation as to why. (Looks, confidence, feel, etc etc.) If you don't think it does, vote for your preference anyways!

Flat faced:




In between:




Rounded face (Traditional):





Apologies admin if a similar topic has been made, but I felt that with the season over and quite a few folk experimenting on new things, it would be interesting to hear their opinions.

Personally, I prefer a mix, my L&W Reserve has an 'in between' face profiling, which looks good and performs fine for me.

[Alvaro]

I fear that I couldn't give a toodles. I think it may be down to not knowing much about bats past the questions, does this one feel alright? and have I made runs with it?

These are the main mitigating factors surrounding the bats I use/own. There's not enough of a batsman or scientist in me that knows whether a flat face is a factor in the answers to the above questions.

[Chad]

I fear that I couldn't give a toodles. I think it may be down to not knowing much about bats past the questions, does this one feel alright? and have I made runs with it?

These are the main mitigating factors surrounding the bats I use/own. There's not enough of a batsman or scientist in me that knows whether a flat face is a factor in the answers to the above questions.

Fair enough, I will tend to prefer something that has worked best for me too, which is the L&W and happens to have a mixed face profiling. I think most people have a preference down to looks, and I find that flat faced bats just look a little square, but I don't mind them too much.

[WalkingWicket37]

I've only used "normal" faces in a match, but my Octane seems to go very well in the nets.
I'm also waiting for a Ricochet with a flat face so will see if I get on with a flat face better or it doesn't make a difference to me at all.

[mini998]

This something I put lot of thought lately.

Last season was my first ever season and I only used flat faced bats in matches and nets during the season, but I bought a round face Thruxton last week and had a net session with it .

Only Difference I experience was I didn't top edged any of leg glances/ flicks during that session (again it could be just a coincidence rather than the face of the bat) . Really timed some of the leg side flicks /glances that day .Which has been a big problem for me during the whole season.

Apart from that I didn't feel any difference on other shots.

[Sam]

One thing I've thought , surely a press designed to round edges is going to compress the edges more than the middle , making edges more brittle and more prone to cracking? Someone can probably prove me wrong somehow but it's just something that I can't see how it doesn't happen?

[Chad]

One thing I've thought , surely a press designed to round edges is going to compress the edges more than the middle , making edges more brittle and more prone to cracking? Someone can probably prove me wrong somehow but it's just something that I can't see how it doesn't happen?

In that case, you shouldn't knock/round your edges! It compresses the fibres of the willow, so they are harder and can withstand the force of a cricket ball. Also the way a ball will make contact with the edge will mean that the ball will glide off the face more, so the edge doesn't absorb as much impact. Whether it makes them more brittle or not is something I'm not sure of, all I know is that batmakers recommend rounding off edges, and they wouldn't tell you to do that unless it helped preserve the edges. One thing which I find does make an edge more brittle is actually heartwood.

[Sam]

Yes but a wooden hammer doesn't exactly give off a huge amount of pressure compared to a mechanical machine designed to squish something  .

[tim2000s]

Yes but a wooden hammer doesn't exactly give off a huge amount of pressure compared to a mechanical machine designed to squish something  .

I dare you to put your finger under a wooden mallet if you are using it properly... If you aren't denting the willow when you first hit the bat, you aren't hitting it hard enough, and I guarantee that will squish your finger...

Sent from my HTC One mini using Tapatalk 4

[Sam]

I dare you to put your finger under a wooden mallet if you are using it properly... If you aren't denting the willow when you first hit the bat, you aren't hitting it hard enough, and I guarantee that will squish your finger...

Sent from my HTC One mini using Tapatalk 4

Not saying it won't squish your finger , I'm sure most of us have done it with a hammer before  , just assume you won't get the same amount of pressure from a mallet as you would a press! Putting your finger between a press and a bat though looks a bit more painful to me!

[smilley792]

One thing I've thought , surely a press designed to round edges is going to compress the edges more than the middle , making edges more brittle and more prone to cracking? Someone can probably prove me wrong somehow but it's just something that I can't see how it doesn't happen?

The face is cut in not pressed.
The press is then the shape of the face so it compresses the entire thing evenly across face. 

gm has 3 different presses for there 3 different faces, Edward Lowry confirmed it in the "gm2014 launch" thread

[Chad]

The face is cut in not pressed.
The press is then the shape of the face so it compresses the entire thing evenly across face. 

gm has 3 different presses for there 3 different faces, Edward Lowry confirmed it in the "gm2014 launch" thread

Not in all cases, GM do this and this was the first time I had heard of it being done that way. Many other companies press their bats without shaping the faces to suit the camber of press I believe.

[Sam]

Is that so? It must be very hard to cut the clefts edges to the same shape as the press for the smaller companies that press themselves? I've always assumed the curve was pressed into the edges , but I could be wrong then! Are you sure that isn't just G&M?

[smilley792]

Nick Nixon shapes bats, before pressing

Nixon Cricket - From Willow Tree to Cricket Bat

Machine doesn't look to complicated/expensive for a "small" manufacturer to have.


Edit: skip to 2.40 for those not wanting to watch the entire process

[Sam]

Yeah , I did think back to that video when you mentioned that but I think Nixon and G&M are the only two I have ever heard mention that? I could be completely wrong but I've never seen/heard of anyone else manually curving the edges on a bat.

If we could get some answers from some forum sponsors who own their own presses it could be interesting  .