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[WalkingWicket37]

Very good point, and interesting question. I suppose you would monitor it in the same way as you do a standard 10%, how does the maker know that's even?
It was more a theory I have made me ask the question than anything else, but some kind of test would be interesting.

Longevity is one thing, but would the different moisture content have any effect on the performance.

[InternalTraining]

Bat 5 - 25% moisture, pressed well and knocked in until ready to play

What does the moisture %age actually mean? 25% of the weight of the bat is moisture i.e. water? For  a 2 lb bat with a 25% moisture, how much of the 2lb weight is the water/moisture?

[Bats_Entertainment]

Actually, the repeated impact compresses it further.
Pressing compresses the full face (well, area pressed), knocking in then compresses further in a more localised area (with the idea being to evenly compress the whole playing area further), and the impact of hitting the ball will compress the bat further still.
The reason delimitation occurs is because the willow has been compressed as far as it can, and as it cannot compress further it breaks. That's why it looks like the face of a well used bat falls off, it's actually the compressed area breaking away from the softer willow towards the middle of the blade.

Good work.