Topic: Best Consistent Bat Pressing (Read 8167 times)

Bats_Galore · « **Reply #30 on:** May 01, 2016, 08:53:07 AM »

Interesting thread, though I suspect that the ideal is inconsistent pressing, in that whilst I am no batmaker, I would imagine that every piece of wood will be different, and as such the pressing should also be different, in order to optimise the performance of each piece of willow. For me this is why the performance of mass produced bats is less consistent in the lower grades of willow. The top grades of willow I would think would be more consistent in nature, grain structure, density, lack of defects, being all sap wood etc. and as such will work better under a pre determined pressing format. This could be a load of rubbish, but makes sense to me.

Bats_Galore · « **Reply #31 on:** May 01, 2016, 09:03:51 AM »

Further to my previous post, I was reading a book on willow growing & willow structure recently, and the author whose father was a bat maker a long time ago, used to press by hand (hand hammering) effectively knocking in from raw cleft to finished bat, and bemoaning the loss of the art of pressing, and that a pressing machine is unable to feel the wood and thus make the best of the wood and that each area of the bat will need a different degree of hammering which will only be achievable under the mallet rather than the press, where the bat maker can feel progress of the pressing through the mallet. Interesting thought to my mind, and this model wouldn't conform to modern business, as you are completely reliant on the talent of the batmaker rather than the system of production, which removes the human, for better and worse, sure you don't get as many mistakes, but you also don't allow for the same degree of excellence.

Calzehbhoy · « **Reply #32 on:** May 03, 2016, 03:57:26 PM »

Slightly off topic on this one - Is it possible to pop in to a bat manufacturer and ask them to press a bat you have that might not be made by them?

Sloggerz · « **Reply #33 on:** November 12, 2020, 08:17:39 PM »

Just opening up an old thread. How have opinions changed? What companies UK and overseas are the most consistent in terms of pressing in 2020?

velvetsky01 · « **Reply #34 on:** November 12, 2020, 08:30:05 PM »

From what I have tried the past few years I would say

Aldred - can certainly press a bat - his pickups...well you know the rest 😉
RS - very consistent in their pressing
H4l - matts pressing is very good
Kippax - have had some gems from kippax however you gotta luck out on the pickup (from what I have had anyway)
Keeley (on the whole - I have had some that I haven�t liked)
B3 seem consistent too
GM are very consistent however mostly on the hard side

SD · « **Reply #35 on:** November 12, 2020, 08:39:10 PM »

The idea of hand pressing is an interesting one. I don't really understand how you can get the very best pressing out of a bat that has heavy staining or other imperfections if you press with a machine that applies a uniform pressure to every part of the blade. Quite what a hand pressed bat would set you back in today's market is another matter!

I prefer the firmer feel of B3 / GM. I look for a clean, crisp sound of the bat. Whether this makes the bat better i can't say, but ultimately the confidence in the bat you are going out with is important in a game that is played in the head as much as on the pitch

Sloggerz · « **Reply #36 on:** November 12, 2020, 08:55:21 PM »

Quote from: velvetsky01 on November 12, 2020, 08:30:05 PM

From what I have tried the past few years I would say

Aldred - can certainly press a bat - his pickups...well you know the rest 😉
RS - very consistent in their pressing
H4l - matts pressing is very good
Kippax - have had some gems from kippax however you gotta luck out on the pickup (from what I have had anyway)
Keeley (on the whole - I have had some that I haven�t liked)
B3 seem consistent too
GM are very consistent however mostly on the hard side

Thats interesting. Which shape kippax blade do you have?
Never used an aldred but i have have they 'pick up like a toothpick'.

Bats_Entertainment · « **Reply #37 on:** November 12, 2020, 09:10:40 PM »

People might have better luck with pickup if they actually picked up bats before buying them?

A bat picking up lighter than its dead weight is a good thing, is it not?

velvetsky01 · « **Reply #38 on:** November 12, 2020, 09:37:49 PM »

Quote from: Sloggerz on November 12, 2020, 08:55:21 PM

Thats interesting. Which shape kippax blade do you have?
Never used an aldred but i have have they 'pick up like a toothpick'.

I have had both the pro blade, colossus and a custom shape. The custom shape was one of the best bats Iv owned and a real regrettable sale! All have pinged just the pickup has been missing. Bar the 2lb13oz custom shape which picked up so so well

SOULMAN1012 · « **Reply #39 on:** November 12, 2020, 09:49:59 PM »

Still going to give the same answer as 3 years ago and the most consistent for me is Salix. Don�t think Iv ever seen a bad review about one. Anyone that�s been in the business and long as Kember, TK, rob pack etc is going to be a expert as otherwise there brand wouldn�t have lasted.

From the newer brands Matt is now very well regarded in the industry as is Ed at Garrad & Flack that I know press there one clefts and that Iv also used personally.

GM are also consistently good but they do have a different feel early on but they perform as well as any other in my opinion

Sloggerz · « **Reply #40 on:** November 12, 2020, 10:12:12 PM »

Quote from: velvetsky01 on November 12, 2020, 09:37:49 PM

I have had both the pro blade, colossus and a custom shape. The custom shape was one of the best bats Iv owned and a real regrettable sale! All have pinged just the pickup has been missing. Bar the 2lb13oz custom shape which picked up so so well

Any pictures of the custom?

SD · « **Reply #41 on:** November 12, 2020, 10:19:49 PM »

Quote from: Bats_Entertainment on November 12, 2020, 09:10:40 PM

People might have better luck with pickup if they actually picked up bats before buying them?

A bat picking up lighter than its dead weight is a good thing, is it not?

I don't like a light pick up as I find myself playing my shots too early and also losing shape when trying to hit over the top. I use bats around the 3lb mark with a lowish middle to pick up heavy

Bats_Entertainment · « **Reply #42 on:** November 12, 2020, 10:57:30 PM »

The skill of the batmaker is to make a bat pick-up lighter than its dead weight. A light pick-up should never be regarded as a bad thing. If your bat feels too light, get a heavier bat.

I've not had enough of any of the many brands to possibly judge which are pressed best. With a few exceptions, I doubt any of us have. Don't mean to kill the thread or anything.

SD · « **Reply #43 on:** November 13, 2020, 12:08:37 AM »

Quote from: Bats_Entertainment on November 12, 2020, 10:57:30 PM

The skill of the batmaker is to make a bat pick-up lighter than its dead weight. A light pick-up should never be regarded as a bad thing. If your bat feels too light, get a heavier bat.

Pick up is not about skill, it is a matter of physics. If you hold a weight in your hand close to you it feels lighter than if you hold it at full stretch because the further the distance from the point of axis, the greater the torque it exerts and therefore the greater the force required to stop the object dropping to the ground. In both cases, the weight is exactly the same, but the effort needed to keep it up is considerably different.

In terms of Bats, the greater the proportion of the wood that is closer to the handle, the lighter the bat will pick up. Bats with duck bill toes, offset edges and thick shoulders are going to pick up lighter because they are distributing wood higher up the blade. That is fine if you want a bat with a high middle, but not if you want something with the wood lower down in the bat.

LEACHY48 · « **Reply #44 on:** November 13, 2020, 01:11:51 AM »

For me the 3 most consistent performers in the U.K. are Red Ink, Keeley, and (as much as it pains me to say it) Aldred.

Outside of the U.K., C.A., SG and RS

Author Topic: Best Consistent Bat Pressing (Read 8167 times)

Bats_Galore

Re: Best Consistent Bat Pressing

Bats_Galore

Re: Best Consistent Bat Pressing

Calzehbhoy

Re: Best Consistent Bat Pressing

Sloggerz

Re: Best Consistent Bat Pressing

velvetsky01

Re: Best Consistent Bat Pressing

SD

Re: Best Consistent Bat Pressing

Sloggerz

Re: Best Consistent Bat Pressing

Bats_Entertainment

Re: Best Consistent Bat Pressing

velvetsky01

Re: Best Consistent Bat Pressing

SOULMAN1012

Re: Best Consistent Bat Pressing

Sloggerz

Re: Best Consistent Bat Pressing

SD

Re: Best Consistent Bat Pressing

Bats_Entertainment

Re: Best Consistent Bat Pressing

SD

Re: Best Consistent Bat Pressing

LEACHY48

Re: Best Consistent Bat Pressing