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[Aldred Cricket Bats]

I reckon I'd average out 3 1/2 - 4 hours some quicker some longer depends on how the wood works for me at the time some is nice and smooth to work with others aren't and trickier. Some of those were sanded up on Sunday and were just shaped on Saturday

[Number 11]

Pressing each cleft to get the best out of it is tricky in itself as its a fine margin I reckon as every piece needs pressing differently and shaping the toes to get the pick up right because every piece of willow will need shaping slightly differently according to the particular clefts natural make up and feel. So making the pick up right without making the toe too thin and ruining the bat I find probably one of the trickiest parts. But I try and take each process one stage at a time and be methodical about it. I just enjoy making a bat from just a blank cleft into a finished item, it would be easier and quicker to use pre shaped I suppose but that isn't what I want to do I really enjoy the full process, the next thing will be making the handles too if possible.

There was a section on the old Warsop video I found showing how they made handles.
http://www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/424
About 9 minutes in.

[Bats_Entertainment]

Charlie French makes handles. I learned this the other day, along with the fact that he learned the trade from Bernie Facer at County.

[procricket]

Yes he does good ones too I'm hearing

[HueyLad]

Charlie French makes handles. I learned this the other day, along with the fact that he learned the trade from Bernie Facer at County.

Never had a bat as good as the ones Bernie used to make for me...........but taken delivery of a stunning looking Supreme today so hoping that will change!

[Aldred Cricket Bats]

Another lovely grade 1 gold sovereign off out locally

[toenails97]

Beautiful profile Paul

[Aldred Cricket Bats]

This is truly a stunner off down to a very loyal customer of mine down in Hemel Hempstead a gold sovereign players grade 2-10 truly huge and goes like stink




We have plenty of very special clefts in at the moment just get in touch
Paul

[ProCricketer1982]

This is truely a stunner off down to a very loyal customer of mine down in Hemel Hempstead a gold sovereign players grade 2-10 truely huge and goes like stink




We have plenty of very special clefts in at the moment just get in touch
Paul

Ooohh... Huummm, given how nice the grade 1 you did is, I am tempted to see what a players is like for myself!

[Aldred Cricket Bats]

Here's a lovely grade 1 gold sovereign made to spec off out to America just going to have a couple of coats of oil over the weekend. It's specs were 60mm spine 38mm edges 2-9. We have some  truly beautiful top end clefts in at the moment too.

[petehosk]

This is truly a stunner off down to a very loyal customer of mine down in Hemel Hempstead a gold sovereign players grade 2-10 truly huge and goes like stink

There I go dribbling on the damn keyboard again!! 

[WalkingWicket37]

Here's a lovely grade 1 gold sovereign made to spec off out to America just going to have a couple of coats of oil over the weekend. It's specs were 60mm spine 38mm edges 2-9. We have some  truly beautiful top end clefts in at the moment too.

That perfect wood gave me wood!
That's proper bat porn that