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[Bats_Entertainment]

Shame on all the people on here who keep giving money to Kookaburra and the like.

[Aldred Cricket Bats]

  That's it bats you'd think they were a big company or something 

[Bats_Entertainment]

That's it bats you'd think they were a big company or something 

Coca-Cola are a big company.

[johnrockin]

Really interesting upload. Thanks for taking the time to shoot and share it [emoji3]


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[AverageCricketer]

Interesting video. Does it matter how much water you put on the cleft? Other videos I see have people dip it into a pool of water.

[Aldred Cricket Bats]

Probably in hot climates I would say like India Pakistan etc. not the case here in uk really just enough to soften the fibres, you learn as you go. It's taken me three years to get it where I am consistent and to get exactly the feel that I want along with a bat that will last for the general public as value for money is vital for a customer. It's alright pressing soft because some of the top players like it that way but with the ever growing amount of cheap cricket balls even county standard balls have got harder, the bats will break up easily so it's finding that precise line between performance and a bat that will last. That takes a while to get right. with each cleft bat I am always learning. Every day is a school day.

[Boondougal]

Brilliant insight. Fascinating to see a real skill in action.

[Seniorplayer]

Has always an excellent informative video.

[ijmorgan]

Just finished watching both videos, thanks for posting.

[Bats_Entertainment]

Wasn"t it decided on another thread that  the "soft pressing = high performance" idea is rubbish?

[Aldred Cricket Bats]

Not sure. I agree really as there is a point where the willow is pressed to gain the most ping under that point it will take quite a while of just having throw downs or mallet to get it to that point and it won't be even. Obviously if its overdressed that is detrimental to the bat, it will last longer but generally have a smaller middle. It's finding that point that is top of performance. Allot of it is down to the handles starting to get that bit of natural flex in it through use. Professionals hit balls virtually every day so that process is speeded up but as an amateur you are not hitting as many balls so the process of the bat opening up fully will naturally take longer. That's one of the reasons I press to sound and feel it's a certain feel and resonance that I look for.

[Kal]

Paul, slight tangent but what can be done to a bat that has been over pressed?

[Aldred Cricket Bats]

Well it's a tough one that really I always think it depends how far over its been pressed. I have done one or two that have been a bit on the hard side and literally stuck them on my sander and sanded the face down a couple of mill and then given it a couple of light coats of linseed to soften it, that's done the trick for those. I have only tackled one that was like a rock, now it was a case of do something as the bat is useless anyway and I didn't really know what the best thing to do was but the owner was happy to just give anything a go even if it wrecked the bat he was just more interested than anything else. So I got my thinking cap on and I steamed the face with an old steam iron ridiculous as it seems. Theory? Well the idea was that it would lift and soften the fibres of the blade. Did it work? Yes it did actually to a degree. The bat was still quite hard after but it certainly made a difference and didn't seem to cause any damage but it was rock hard to start with. Some older manufacturers might have a  remedy for this as I haven't come across it often enough really but what i have done has really been based on advice from retired craftsmen and the like and then I come up with an educated decision from there using my knowledge alongside.

[procricket]

Shame on all the people on here who keep giving money to Kookaburra and the like.

Great video but why not from Kookaburra and the likes you telling me SG do not press them all differently....

Many of the big boys have people who specialise in only pressing and press no differently than Paul does.

I find it strange have a chat to the likes of Jatin at Sareen who i consider has a couple of guys who are as good as anybody in the business and they are a big brand.

Lets not get blinkered but a great video Paul it always good seeing people have a passion and be good at the passion.

[Aldred Cricket Bats]

B3 I  think I mentioned in the video that it was the way I did things and didn't question what other people do including your company. Trying to show people exactly what I do as I want to be transparent in my business and not baffle people with science I think what was said about kookaburra  was in jest or at least that's how I interpreted it.