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[Silver Bullet]

Just noticed quite a few cracks near the surface on my bat. Can someone help me diagnose and determine next steps please ? Two games left in the season and I don't have an alternate bat.

Thanks

[Seniorplayer]

Some of the best bats I have owned went like that it is possibly previous  linseed  oiling that has caused the lift.
Give it a light sanding followed by a light oiling apply a scuff sheet when the oil has dried and your bat should be fine.

[Silver Bullet]

The pictures don't do it justice but the cracks are deep enough that any sanding will not get rid of the crack.

Also with two games left in the season. Should I continue using it or should I repair the bat first ?

[WalkingWicket37]

The pictures don't do it justice but the cracks are deep enough that any sanding will not get rid of the crack.

Also with two games left in the season. Should I continue using it or should I repair the bat first ?

Bind with tape until the end of the season, then id be tempted to get some glue in there and clamp it down overnight at the end of the season.
Once the glue has dried give it a good sand and a couple of coats of oil, should be fine after that.

If you don't fancy doing the repair yourself PM me about a refurb 

[Silver Bullet]

Bind with tape until the end of the season, then id be tempted to get some glue in there and clamp it down overnight at the end of the season.
Once the glue has dried give it a good sand and a couple of coats of oil, should be fine after that.

If you don't fancy doing the repair yourself PM me about a refurb 

Thank You.

The cracks span the middle of the bat. Would tape have a significant impact on performance ? If so, I might as well repair it now.

Second question - taking off the current scuff sheet would probably make the current cracks slightly worse and take some wood off the face crack. Are there any special precautions I should take ?

Lastly, would edge tape have prevented these cracks ? What do you reckon caused them in the first place ? I didn't oil the bat this season, I strictly used batwax at the start of the season and applied a scuff sheet. Haven't touched the bat since then.

[WalkingWicket37]

Thank You.

The cracks span the middle of the bat. Would tape have a significant impact on performance ? If so, I might as well repair it now.
Tape is so thin you wont notice a difference in performance at all. It's the same as adding a scuff sheet, theoretically reduces performance but its so minimal you don't notice.

Second question - taking off the current scuff sheet would probably make the current cracks slightly worse and take some wood off the face crack. Are there any special precautions I should take ?
Go slowly, side to side not down the grain, and if the other edge isn't damaged go from that side to avoid any unnecessary damage/unplanned wood removal

Lastly, would edge tape have prevented these cracks ? What do you reckon caused them in the first place ? I didn't oil the bat this season, I strictly used batwax at the start of the season and applied a scuff sheet. Haven't touched the bat since then.
Looking at the crack I doubt edge tape would have prevented it, just hidden it from view. Did you strike the edges at 45 degrees while knocking in? It could be ball damage, but from just the pictures it's hard to tell in this case.

[Silver Bullet]

The cracks are much worse than they appear in the pictures - just something like this warrant reaching out to the bat maker ?

The bat is one season old.

[WalkingWicket37]

The cracks are much worse than they appear in the pictures - just something like this warrant reaching out to the bat maker ?

The bat is one season old.

If they're local you could always pop in and show the to get an opinion.
If it involves posting it off to them you've virtually comminuted to paying for a refurb/repair.

[Silver Bullet]

If they're local you could always pop in and show the to get an opinion.
If it involves posting it off to them you've virtually comminuted to paying for a refurb/repair.

Ie. this is not a manufacturers defect - it's essentially wear and tear. I can't claim to have received a substandard stick and ask for a refund/replacement.

[WalkingWicket37]

Ie. this is not a manufacturers defect - it's essentially wear and tear. I can't claim to have received a substandard stick and ask for a refund/replacement.

It's aa tricky one with bats mate.
Willow is a natural product so things like this are always going to happen.
However, if the bat is less than a year old it "might" be eligible for a repair free of charge.

I can almost certainly say if you asked for a full refund after a seasons use you'd be told to stop taking the piss though.

[Silver Bullet]

It's aa tricky one with bats mate.
Willow is a natural product so things like this are always going to happen.
However, if the bat is less than a year old it "might" be eligible for a repair free of charge.

I can almost certainly say if you asked for a full refund after a seasons use you'd be told to stop taking the piss though.

I agree. I asked because the guy I took it to for a repair insisted I reach out to the manufacturer and insist for a refund/replacement.

I am not local or even on the same continent so don't think sending the bat across the ocean for a repair would make much sense. Will attempt a repair myself.

[WalkingWicket37]

I agree. I asked because the guy I took it to for a repair insisted I reach out to the manufacturer and insist for a refund/replacement.

I am not local or even on the same continent so don't think sending the bat across the ocean for a repair would make much sense. Will attempt a repair myself.

Fair enough mate, If you want any advice on the fix feel free to PM me

[Silver Bullet]

Update - after removing the scuff sheet the cracks look a lot worse.

Two questions
1. How do I get rid of the residual glue from the scuff sheet
2. How do I get glue into these cracks. They're tiny...

[WalkingWicket37]

1) white spirit on a rag will remove the residue

2) For the cracks on the face watered down PVA on top of the cracks, leave the bat face up and let gravity do it's thing. For the crack on the edge use a syringe to get the glue in as deep as possible, then clamp tightly and leave 24 hours.

[Vitas Cricket]

If you get that to me by Tuesday (wednesday at a push) i will have it back to you for the weekend.

Edit, just read the words 'across the ocean' - maybe i can't get it back to you inside a week!

It is an easy enough repair, happy to provide some advice/help.