I think I have kept you waiting long enough.
Now for some more pictures (with better lighting), along with a few of the finer details (and the vital statistics).
This is a Puma Classic Reserve, Adam Gilchrist Edition, made in Australia. I believe this was a top of the range bat back in its day.
Its not a huge bat by todays standards, but its a big hunk of tree! There is no concaving anywhere, yet with all the wood packed in it still somehow weighs under 2lb10. Who needs massive edges when you have the wood distributed throughout the blade, anyway!
The bat itself has 10 grains (with the end two going off the edge, leaving 8 to run through the toe). They are pretty straight and almost even, but not the ruler straight perfection some seek. There are a few specs on the face but nothing to worry about, they merely add character and give me something else to love about the bat.
There are a couple of things I really like. The rounded toe is bordering on perfection (sorry to the square toe lovers) and the spine runs right up into the handle. The handle itself is has two rubber inserts, and is a lovely pronounced oval on the bottom hand, which tapers into a thinner circle up the top. This is something I have only seen on a bat once before. It may not be common, but it feels lovely in the hands!
Considering there is a lot of wood near the toe of the bat, the pickup is very good. I think this may be down to the spine running right up to the handle, which distributes the wood throughout the whole blade very effectively.
I gave the bat a quick tap up and it responds and sounds very nice. I will try to get a video of the "ping test" at some point.
The only thing some people may not like is that there is zero bow on this bat. That does not bother me as it is a known trait of the bat maker, and I have always wanted a bat made by him. Now I have my hands on one I am over the moon, but I will admit I always imagined when I got one it would have had different stickers on.
Weight in its current state: 2lb9 & 5/8
Edge size at peak: 19.5mm
Edge size at shoulders: 10.5mm
Edge size at toe: 10.5mm
Toe at thickest point: 24mm
Peak spine height: 60mm
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Topic: My "new" stick from the land down under (Read 7748 times)