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[Jaffa]

From my understanding a drier bat cracks more easily.

Lightly oiling a bat helps seal what moisture it has in it.

I read on here (Salix info?) that while knocking in a bat they moisten the bat to help loosen the fibres. Is that correct or did I imagine it?

If I didn't imagine it and it is true could the average guy at home gently moisten a dry bat then later oil/knock-in without the fear it is going to warp, go green and cough with bronchitis in that order? 

[WalkingWicket37]

Leave it in a bathroom and the steam should do the job.

I saw Paul uses a spray bottle on bats when pressing them, I'm guessing that a couple of sprays on the face couldn't cause too much damage, but someone who knows what they're on about may well correct me on that

[amritpremi]

As advised earlier on the forum leaving it in a steam room is the best bet but that may increase the weight of the bat ever so slightly

[mp07]

you have to keep the right balance...to much moisture will make it dud.  It's far better to under oil the bat than over oil it, after all you want to get some performance out of it.

[WalkingWicket37]

you have to keep the right balance...to much moisture will make it dud.  It's far better to under oil the bat than over oil it, after all you want to get some performance out of it.

True, but oil seals moisture what's already there in and keeps any additional moisture out.
If it's overdried at the start of its life it will be light but the longevity will suffer.

[Seniorplayer]

Leave the bat in the Bathroom
 for 24 hours wipe away any excess moisture then apply 2 light coats of raw linseed oil.

[skip1973]

This may be a silly question but is the moisture in a cleft actually water? I have seen a lot of bats that have rotted from water in the toe etc.

[tushar sehgal]

Moisture in the cleft originally is Sap, stickier than water, once that moisture has escaped leaving it in the steam room is only going to add water to the cleft and not Sap. Better off oiling it and locking in whatever sap is left in.

[skip1973]

That was what I was thinking.

[tushar sehgal]

Only time I would think about adding moisture is when I want to add weight to the bat...

[Buzz]

This is a good question - the one thing I wouldn't do is spray water onto the bat directly - it is different for pressing the bat, you are looking at the after care of the bat.

Rather than the bathroom - I would be tempted to leave the bat in the garage - it will have less of a fluctuation of temerature and likely to have moisture form the autumn/winter air.

Definately go for some oil afterwards though. Over oiling a bat is pretty hard so you can be relatively generous with the oiling.

As alluded to above, more moisture will mean more weight.

If your bat is a GM - I believe they are treated in such a way that it is very hard for them to gain/lose moisture.

[ManHOOS]

^^^ Hello Buzz how many days in the garage to gain moisture ? Thanks

[Buzz]

I think that depends on how rainy it is outside!!

personally I would just oil the bat and enjoy it. I think trying to change anything like moisture content is hard without damaging the bat.