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[InternalTraining]

Folks,

I am going to stay true to my oath of not buying any bats in 2015. Since I won't be buying supposedly "better" bats, I have to explore what is available (in terms of performance) in my existing bats. Now, I use a light weight mallet which has cracked many of my brand new bats (maybe I am hitting too hard) when knocking my bats. I find it discouraging.

Questions:

1.  Would a heavier mallet - something like Lignum Vitae - with a bigger head help with knocking and getting the most out of my bats' performance?

2. How do you know that a bat is ready and it has reached its peak potential?

[GDP1964]

Just as it's about to break

[simonmay5]

Folks,

I am going to stay true to my oath of not buying any bats in 2015. Since I won't be buying supposedly "better" bats, I have to explore what is available (in terms of performance) in my existing bats. Now, I use a light weight mallet which has cracked many of my brand new bats (maybe I am hitting too hard) when knocking my bats. I find it discouraging.

Questions:

1.  Would a heavier mallet - something like Lignum Vitae - with a bigger head help with knocking and getting the most out of my bats' performance?

2. How do you know that a bat is ready and it has reached its peak potential?

I knocked lots off bats in with light mallets and I find you get to a point that the bat just sounds right and with no more indentations on it I never cracked a bat I had the grains open up but never cracked a bat with a mallet so witch way do the cracks go

[InternalTraining]

Cracks are horizontal.

[simonmay5]

Are they lifting at all by the cracks

[InternalTraining]

They are. I had to sand them down and then glue them with crazy glue or superglue. Then, I sanded the dried  off glue, oiled the crack, and then pounded with a mallet.

[Seniorplayer]

When   no indentations appear during the knocking in   is when the process is complete as it can be with a mallet as the bat fibres will have hardened compressed and knitted also the sound off the mallet will be different. A good test of the  improved ping after knocking in is when you drive the ball. All good quality bats should crack         ( not split ) at some stage but when the blade does start to crack is mainly due to the pressing  i was also told by a batmaker when a bat cracks quickly following correct pressing it is an indication  of top  quality willow..

[simonmay5]

Sounds like you are knocking in the bats ok as sounds like the grains are opening up witch is a good thing 

[InternalTraining]

^ ok. Would an LV mallet get more out of a bat in terms of performance than a lightweight one?

[e4sby]

^ ok. Would an LV mallet get more out of a bat in terms of performance than a lightweight one?

Personally I find it gets you to that point quicker with less time and effort.

[WalkingWicket37]

e4sby, does it dramatically reduce the time spent?
I managed to do my SS Yuvi to a point I'm happy to use it in a net session* in just under 2 hours with a light mallet (I did go at it like a bat out of hell though!)

*i can give it a fair wack with no more indentations appearing.

[e4sby]

I've only knocked my b3 beast in with one and I was very very impressed with the results. When I used it in a match the bat seemed to be at a stage where the ball just flew off the blade. This was probably also due by the size and quality of the bat

Realistically I bet I didn't knock in much longer than an hour or so

[Vitas Cricket]

^ ok. Would an LV mallet get more out of a bat in terms of performance than a lightweight one?

No.

It simply requires less effort and less time to knock a bat in when compared to a normal mallet.

[InternalTraining]

I've only knocked my b3 beast in with one and I was very very impressed with the results. When I used it in a match the bat seemed to be at a stage where the ball just flew off the blade. This was probably also due by the size and quality of the bat

Realistically I bet I didn't knock in much longer than an hour or so

I am wondering if this is both function of weight and the size i.e. surface of the mallet that is impacting the surface. I suspect, when I hit hard, the face of the mallet is is turning upon impact creating a crator on the surface resulting in a break. If I were to use a bigger size mallet (regardless of the weight), it will be create a bigger surface depression.

So, the new tack I have taken is instead of hitting extremely hard, I am hitting in a larger area (with less force) creating a wider dent but shallower. The bat face where knocked looks evenly depressed.

[InternalTraining]

No.

It simply requires less effort and less time to knock a bat in when compared to a normal mallet.

USD 90 plus shipping for an LV mallet. This thing ain't cheap. My light weight mallet cost USD 15.