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[WalkingWicket37]

Hi all

Day off work so a random thought I've just had. Apologies in advance if this is a load of rambling.

We all know that we knock in bats to make a "crust" of harder willow on the surface of the blade. This is the same sort of principal as pressing, but even a B3 that's been "ready pressed" will need some mallet loving and playing in before the performance reaches it's peak.

Now onto my thoughts. B3 ready press their bats, which is what some people would describe as a "firm" press, while I've had a couple of SS bats that dent considerably from the mallet. These would be what people think of as "soft" pressed. In theory however, after some knocking and playing in both softly and firmly pressed bats would eventually be compressed to the same level, so should perform very similarly.

No onto my thought. I know someone on here says you need to knock a new bat in a further 3-5mm, but is it as clear cut as that?
My thought was, is knocking in as scientific as that, or doe jut know when a bat is done?
I've had a couple of bats that I could not indent with the mallet no matter how hard I hit them, but still knocked them in as I would normally. I also had an SS that felt rather soft and dented noticeably. I knocked this in until the surface of the bat was level again and it now feels just as good as the bats I couldn't dent.

So basically my question is, can you measure how knocked in a bat is scientifically, or do you accept each bat is different so do each individual bat by eye and feel? I personally go for the latter, but I'd love to hear others thoughts on the matter (especially though from a bat maker). 

[The Doctor]

I guess you could use an adapted vickers hardness test

[patriotscreen]

I've always done it to the point where I can no longer deepen the marks made by the mallet, have always found that softer pressed bats don't last though. especially around the edges, a press can apply more pressure than a mallet ever will. I have a Slazenger V360 that's in it's 5th season now, hard pressed, no ball indentations on the face (a couple of seam marks higher up) and no damage. Bat goes like a gun, and weighs JUST under 2.6. It's a feather that packs a punch. Had a couple of soft pressed bats that I made and knocked in myself, they regularly pick up small amounts of damage. I can never seem to get rid of hammer indents when knocking in, so my theory is hammer it until you can't make any more indents, then you know it is ready!

[horseman]

I guess you could use an adapted vickers hardness test

"Damn beat me to it". Is what i wouldve said if i had a clue what one was.

[Jlscarroll17]

Each cleft is different so I would just base it off when the marks no longer deepen and go from there

[Northern monkey]

Best bats I've had, I've not knocked in!
I've rounded edges, but that's it.
And you know how my bats go

[330Mark]

As I have mentioned before, I am just returning to the game after a long hiatus...things have moved on since I were a lad (goes all misty eyed)
This is the exact information that I need to know...having purchased 3 bats in quick succession (before I've even found a club lol)
my net slag/wet pitch bat is fully knocked I reckon...grains just starting to open up and the ping is really good.
my other 2 have been supplied with a thick scuff sheet that means i can't quite see what is going on in their middles (hence me asking how long to knock in in another thread)
plus there is wax these days...chip fat when I weret'lad (gone irrevocably misty eyed now) 

[ppccopener]

As I have mentioned before, I am just returning to the game after a long hiatus...things have moved on since I were a lad (goes all misty eyed)
This is the exact information that I need to know...having purchased 3 bats in quick succession (before I've even found a club lol)
my net slag/wet pitch bat is fully knocked I reckon...grains just starting to open up and the ping is really good.
my other 2 have been supplied with a thick scuff sheet that means i can't quite see what is going on in their middles (hence me asking how long to knock in in another thread)
plus there is wax these days...chip fat when I weret'lad (gone irrevocably misty eyed now) 

welcome Mark, back to the wonderful game. Love the expression 'net slag'.Things have changed a lot, first up with bat wax I tried to put it on my wife's bikini line i'm sure we have all been down that road and got it wrong.

Nowadays, bats have 70 mm edges, and 100 mm spines, you can even get 200 mm edges and no spine. Has it changed for the better, well who knows?

anyway, whatever you need can be found on these boards.Not myself, but there are experts round every corner.

 

[edge]

I remember back in the day being told by my school cricket coach that it was a good few hours of ball in a sock, then old ball, then go harder until the grains open up, then two coats of oil, then you can consider using it.
Can see why so many kids have GMs these days, you can imagine Mum and Dad at the shop - "you don't need to knock these in? praise the lord, I don't care what stickers Joe Root uses these days but you're having a GM son"

[GoodLeave]

Things have changed a lot, first up with bat wax I tried to put it on my wife's bikini line

I herby invoke rule #1 of CBF. Pictures or it didn't happen.

[tim2000s]

Best bats I've had, I've not knocked in!
I've rounded edges, but that's it.
And you know how my bats go

I'm very much the same. I hate knocking in. The only one that I got knocked in was my Dynadrive special, which was done by Jake for me.

[ppccopener]

I remember back in the day being told by my school cricket coach that it was a good few hours of ball in a sock, then old ball, then go harder until the grains open up, then two coats of oil, then you can consider using it.
Can see why so many kids have GMs these days, you can imagine Mum and Dad at the shop - "you don't need to knock these in? praise the lord, I don't care what stickers Joe Root uses these days but you're having a GM son"

I had a new with a newish gm 808 maxi last night. all stickers on ready to use. felt to me like it needed massive knocking in. have you got a GM and was it actually really ready to play. it's not a brand I usually use.

[Jlscarroll17]

Gm's are often pressed harder so require longer playing periods before they actually open up, often takes a good half or full season until they start to open up from experience

[ppccopener]

Gm's are often pressed harder so require longer playing periods before they actually open up, often takes a good half or full season until they start to open up from experience

ok thank you. I did wonder when I was batting with it. Feels quite a hard bat.....

[moonball]

I guess you could use an adapted vickers hardness test

Testing for the hardness of vicars sounds like something that should be brought to the attention of Operation Yewtree... 

The pressing is only really the face and relates to ping. Knocking in hardens / condenses the fibres on the edges and at the toe in order to avoid damage, so doing different things really. Just my view...