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[sarg]

About eight years ago my mate brought me a Newbery Uzi weighing 2.8. I used it with some success for about 4 years until the handle broke.

Being in Adelaide Aus, I had it repaired locally and it never felt the same. It just had no ping.

 I eventually moved on to another bat and after reading about refurbs on this forum I decided to resurrect it. The handle was unstrung (instead they used fibre tape) so I had the professionally restrung this year by Bob Fielke. I explained to him that it felt to stiff and it had a minor 1 inch surface crack from the rehandling below the splice ( you can just see it below the sticker at the base of the splice). He said it shouldn't make a difference and was unlikely to crack further.



He suggested it was very dry and I should give it about 4 oils. I have done this and sourced some stickers off eBay.

It doesn't seem to make a difference. It just doesn't have any ping. Pity because it was a great bat.

Anyone have any thoughts why. Is it the splice, dryness or age of the bat?

[Ryan]

Nothing wrong with the splice, it's a handle fitting crack from the handle being slightly too tight.

It could be the handle it's self, a very stiff handle can give the impression of the bat being dead.

[sarg]

Nothing wrong with the splice, it's a handle fitting crack from the handle being slightly too tight.

It could be the handle it's self, a very stiff handle can give the impression of the bat being dead.

Thanks Ryan, I queried if that was likely as it tended to vibrate. I was hoping the restringing would control this, which it has and Bob also ovaled the bottom for me.

It's a GN Handle and Bob said he used the same handles from the same factory. I wondered if the original Newbery handle was more springy. I know their new handles are whippy, but this is before those.

He said he once rehandled a bat for Ritchie Richardson, he said his method of loosening the handle was to crack it over his thigh as he reached his car.. Not sure I want to do that, but if I did, should I crack the front or back of the handle lol.

Maybe I should try it?

[Blank Bats]

Beautiful looking bat

[Ryan]

Handles also knock in at the same time so if you replace the handle the bat won't feel like before as the handle isn't knocked in, I'd recommend using it as a net bat which will make it more flexible. Another trick is to put the bat handle on something higher than the toe of the bat and then put your foot on the handle just above the shoulders of the bat this will flex the handle and make it whip more without braking the handle. 

Hope that reads right, let me know if it's confusing and I'll post a picture of that I'm trying to describe.

[sarg]

Beautiful looking bat

Thanks

It was a SPS. I unfortunately played on a wet deck and got a bit of staining on the toe that has seeped into the grain.

I've been experimenting with a mix of bees wax and linseed to give it a polished finish.

I am going to store it in the shed and perhaps a cool winter might give some life.

[sarg]

Handles also knock in at the same time so if you replace the handle the bat won't feel like before as the handle isn't knocked in, I'd recommend using it as a net bat which will make it more flexible. Another trick is to put the bat handle on something higher than the toe of the bat and then put your foot on the handle just above the shoulders of the bat this will flex the handle and make it whip more without braking the handle. 

Hope that reads right, let me know if it's confusing and I'll post a picture of that I'm trying to describe.

That makes sense to me. I'll try both. I did use it as my bowling machine bat, but hated seeing it covered in dots.

Thanks for the help.

[sarg]

Well the foot on the handle seems to be making a difference. Perhaps the resurrection will succeed!

[tejasapatel]

That's a nice looking bat...good to hear that you are getting some positive results with foot on the handle

[sarg]

That's a nice looking bat...good to hear that you are getting some positive results with foot on the handle

Thanks I have a picture of it in the early days somewhere, I'll post it when I find it. On a harddrive somewhere!

[sarg]

Pics of the bat before the handle repair and my cleanup.

[Blank Bats]

Hands up who knows what BMF stands for then.......

[tim2000s]

Oh yes....

Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk

[Jenko]

Big M..... F..... ? Everyone else can fill in the blanks haha.

Bat Makers Finest

[Blank Bats]

Indeed Jenko 😄