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[prim0pyr0]

I mean, absolutely fair play in persevering with it beyond the call of duty.
But I'm wondering if you knocked it in beforehand, and for how long?
And how big were the cannonballs you were firing at it? 

Got a mallet especially to follow the ginger process, hit it until could see grains "open" or crack slightly, once sig. other and neighbors were driven mad was complete. Can't remember exactly how long it took prolly 3 or four sessions of 15-20min. Hardest part is always remembering what grade of sandpaper to use before oiling. Wouldn't mind getting a lignum vitae mallet after knocking in three bats at once recently, is quite tough on the arm.

Bat lasted just over three months, with 10-15 hours of bowling machine or bowling a week. something like 50,000+ balls i guess. Was pretty keen to go to the nets every night, gf was/is pretty awesome to feed the bola and fire balls at me. When I First started I used my old canvas dacron filled pads.. got hit in the leg at 80mph and it broken the canes and felt like my leg broke too. I put additional plumbing pipe insulation foam inside the pads. After got hit on the inside thigh, i got some aero stripper theigh gaurds, proper pads and picked up a helmet(never wore one previously).
the bat was pretty light ~2lb 6or7oz, and I can swing quite hard (usually open, and get more 4's and 6's than ones and two's), mate bowls around mid 120s last time we had a radar and bowling machine usually started 70mph and went to 80mph one my eye is in. some weekends we'll do 4 hours of bowling/batting.

Been through 4 or so bats in two seasons using a lot less bowling machine, they've mostly cracked at the shoulders, busted from the bottom of the splice on the back of the bat, or had very big toe/blade splits. Batting left handed tends to give the inside toe more wear with the ball coming across the swing more from rh bowlers.

This powerbow had storm damage and didn't last very long



Always a bit sad when one dies, but it's exciting to choose a new stick. I got a few bats recently while they were half price in anticipation of next season..really hope they don't break tho as the new ones are very nice.
 

[InternalTraining]

I always found this to be an odd thing since bola balls aren't as hard as normal cricket balls - they have a point, (based off the relaxation time of the willow) it's just I don't regularly see people breaking their bats on bowling machines. Would be nice if they had evidence to back this up. I've always wondered whether the contact time between the ball and the bat played any part in their view of bowling machine balls.

Yes Bola red is not hard like a new leather ball but harder than an old leather ball. Also, not sure what is your experience but I have found that Bola reds hurt a lot more than any other ball I have been hit with. Speed maybe?

[InternalTraining]

Bat lasted just over three months, with 10-15 hours of bowling machine or bowling a week. something like 50,000+ balls i guess.

That is a lot!!!

[Biggie Smalls]

Got a mallet especially to follow the ginger process, hit it until could see grains "open" or crack slightly, once sig. other and neighbors were driven mad was complete. Can't remember exactly how long it took prolly 3 or four sessions of 15-20min. Hardest part is always remembering what grade of sandpaper to use before oiling. Wouldn't mind getting a lignum vitae mallet after knocking in three bats at once recently, is quite tough on the arm.

Bat lasted just over three months, with 10-15 hours of bowling machine or bowling a week. something like 50,000+ balls i guess. Was pretty keen to go to the nets every night, gf was/is pretty awesome to feed the bola and fire balls at me. When I First started I used my old canvas dacron filled pads.. got hit in the leg at 80mph and it broken the canes and felt like my leg broke too. I put additional plumbing pipe insulation foam inside the pads. After got hit on the inside thigh, i got some aero stripper theigh gaurds, proper pads and picked up a helmet(never wore one previously).
the bat was pretty light ~2lb 6or7oz, and I can swing quite hard (usually open, and get more 4's and 6's than ones and two's), mate bowls around mid 120s last time we had a radar and bowling machine usually started 70mph and went to 80mph one my eye is in. some weekends we'll do 4 hours of bowling/batting.

Been through 4 or so bats in two seasons using a lot less bowling machine, they've mostly cracked at the shoulders, busted from the bottom of the splice on the back of the bat, or had very big toe/blade splits. Batting left handed tends to give the inside toe more wear with the ball coming across the swing more from rh bowlers.

This powerbow had storm damage and didn't last very long



Always a bit sad when one dies, but it's exciting to choose a new stick. I got a few bats recently while they were half price in anticipation of next season..really hope they don't break tho as the new ones are very nice.

Sounds like you may have gone a bit too hard too early with the mallet. You only did about 1hr20min of knocking ....really dhould be starting your knocking soft , slowly working up, and doing 3-5 times the amount of knocking in that you did. Then use old balls to play the bat for as long as it takes.
A bat with that little preparation and being used that much is always likely to explode.

[prim0pyr0]

Was knocked in well. 3x oil 24h between. rolled edges on porcelain sink, started soft making dents on face spreading out, grains opened, no seam marks etc. Don't think any bat really needs 6 hours of mallet.. maybe if your using a ball in a sock. But yes, edges and toe most important, and bit on face so it doesn't get deep seam marks or compression cracking.

 It didn't go bad straight away, it was good for a large number of net sessions. Facing bowling machine etc would have knocked it in more than extra malleting. Was literally going to the next for 2 or 3 hours most days and more on the weekends. I'd get bruised hands from the impact of hitting through the handle.

Have started using facegaurds xtratec or lighter fibertec now, and with slightly heavier bats having a bit more substance to them they hold up pretty well.
Hadn't found a bat as good as the oblivion until the xp80, was like nothing could live up to how the e41 sent balls flying to the back of the nets. Bit funny I never got to use it in a game. Omega bat is good but doesn't have much of a bow.

Pros don't knock their bats in anyway, do they?
.

[prim0pyr0]

Ive got grey nicolls ball machine balls. full weight but dimples are not as shallow

[Biggie Smalls]

Was knocked in well. 3x oil 24h between. rolled edges on porcelain sink, started soft making dents on face spreading out, grains opened, no seam marks etc. Don't think any bat really needs 6 hours of mallet.. maybe if your using a ball in a sock. But yes, edges and toe most important, and bit on face so it doesn't get deep seam marks or compression cracking.

 It didn't go bad straight away, it was good for a large number of net sessions. Facing bowling machine etc would have knocked it in more than extra malleting. Was literally going to the next for 2 or 3 hours most days and more on the weekends. I'd get bruised hands from the impact of hitting through the handle.

Have started using facegaurds xtratec or lighter fibertec now, and with slightly heavier bats having a bit more substance to them they hold up pretty well.
Hadn't found a bat as good as the oblivion until the xp80, was like nothing could live up to how the e41 sent balls flying to the back of the nets. Bit funny I never got to use it in a game. Omega bat is good but doesn't have much of a bow.

Pros don't knock their bats in anyway, do they?

4 hours minimum for knocking in . You did 1hr20min, that's just not enough . Plus , you never mentioned playing the bat in with old balls . I think that's poor/not enough prep .
Pros do , pros don't,  depends on the player . A lot of pros won't use a new bat in a match for months , so some definitely go to the enth to prepare their bats . Also , unless you're a pro with bats coming out of your proverbial , can you really take the chance /afford replacements ?
.

[prim0pyr0]

Knocking in: bit of science, bit of an art. 

Get edges and toe done well, hit catches, then play in with slower balls and controlled strokes. once you're hitting balls it has the same knocking in effect of compressing the willow face as donging around with a mallet.
It's impossible to quantify a required time for knocking in. Bats vary in wood characteristics and pressing, and the rate and force of the mallet will vary significantly.
 
The important thing is you've achieved the goal of rounding the edges and compressing the willow to the point it is hard enough to start running it in without damage. Every bat will destruct itself eventually. Having bats to share the workload is a good reason/excuse to buy more bats

I do carry several backups in the bag incase something snaps(usually this happens more often to Puma or Kook bats i believe):


 

[GoodLeave]

I do carry several backups in the bag incase something snaps(usually this happens more often to Puma or Kook bats i believe):

Must be a big bag/container unit!

[prim0pyr0]

Must be a big bag/container unit!

hide them in here

[SAFC2403]

Wow! lots of dedication to your bat!

I have a 80's powerspot that i know is on the way out but i just cant bring myself to use it. Was my dads and was given to me when i finished playing. probably the best pickup on any bat that i've ever used......

[Biggie Smalls]

Wow! lots of dedication to your bat!

I have a 80's powerspot that i know is on the way out but i just cant bring myself to use it. Was my dads and was given to me when i finished playing. probably the best pickup on any bat that i've ever used......

If its a david gower powerspot ( the spot is gold and red  ) , or the michael slater powerspot  ( full blue spot ) then i understand the affection..... they were my first two bats and were sublime wands . For my first ever 'proper' bat I had asked my mum to get me a gn 100 scoop. She got me the david gower powerspot instead . I cried ( well , i was 8 , so perhaps we can look past that !? ) Anyway a week later after having used the powerspot i had grown fond of it and mum was promptly forgiven . 

[SAFC2403]

If its a david gower powerspot ( the spot is gold and red  ) , or the michael slater powerspot  ( full blue spot ) then i understand the affection..... they were my first two bats and were sublime wands . For my first ever 'proper' bat I had asked my mum to get me a gn 100 scoop. She got me the david gower powerspot instead . I cried ( well , i was 8 , so perhaps we can look past that !? ) Anyway a week later after having used the powerspot i had grown fond of it and mum was promptly forgiven . 

It was a gower one - however it got used that much it got sent back to GN every season for a tidy up and one year came back with the blue spot which it still has to this day. I'm going to try and glue it together - i have on the back of finding this forum, bought an orbital sander, workbench and clamps so either way it will be a good test of my skills! Got another knackered bat to test the sander with first.

Also got a newer dynadrive to sand down, oil and then hopefully sell - need to get my posts up first though!

[prim0pyr0]

It was a gower one - however it got used that much it got sent back to GN every season for a tidy up and one year came back with the blue spot which it still has to this day. I'm going to try and glue it together - i have on the back of finding this forum, bought an orbital sander, workbench and clamps so either way it will be a good test of my skills! Got another knackered bat to test the sander with first.

Also got a newer dynadrive to sand down, oil and then hopefully sell - need to get my posts up first though!

Nice! Willow is pretty easy to sand, can be slightly harder if there are dents or raised parts on the face from cracks/use. P120 is rather aggressive but i start there and go for P240 and maybe a finer grade. Watch out if you take the sander off the bat - it spins up to be very fast from no load, and then if contacts bat esp on an angle it will leave a gouge.

I tried a paint remover tool( like a cross between an angle grinder and a electric plane https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMcKUBEHtJU) last weekend on an old bat, got through all the surface cracks and flattened the face. Wouldn't recommend for a popper bat this one is for back yard tennis balls now, been practicing using spoke/heel shaves on it for a bit of fun.

One good product I've used is shockproof superglue. Better than normal super glue for cracks and  faster than pva http://www.selleys.co.nz/trade/specialist-products/contact-adhesive/quick-fix-supa-glue-shockproof/

[Gingerbusiness]

I always caveat my knocking in guide by saying that it is a process to try and elongate the life of your bat. Sadly, it is not full proof.

Your bats do look incredibly dry mate. That's not down to oiling. That's down to improper kit storage or over-drying from the manufacturer. Where do you keep them when you are not playing/in the off season? Do you oil them again at the start of each season?