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[patriotscreen]

Hi guys,

General question here as i've not posted for a while thought of a good discussion.

Has anyone ever knocked a bat in for so long that there are actually no seam marks after playing it in? I have owned a good 10 or so bats, and none of them have ever been played in showing absolutely no seam marks. I dont think it is possible unless you have a lignum mallet, I have a kookaburra and a ball on a mallet and am at the point with my latest bat where I am belting it as hard as I can, still getting seam marks. I've never had a bat get damaged severely from lack of knocking in, infact the worst damage i've ever picked up from my own batting was using a GM and the toe cracked.

Just wondered what everyones thoughts were... I've spent a good hour or two on my current bat, which is a New Balance TC560 and it feels good to go but then bounce a used ball on it (the ball does still have a pronounced seam) and it's leaving marks.

So what's everyone's view on this?

[WalkingWicket37]

I like to knock it in as normal, or until it's "ready to play in"

Once it's "ready to play in" go mad with the mallet for 20 minutes, apply a scuff sheet, wack it for another 20 minutes (I think of this as part of the process of properly applying a scuff sheet) then take it into nets.

You can't really over prepare a bat, but under preparation is asking for trouble

[t2ylo]

You need softer/older balls.
Stuff you never thought you'd type

[patriotscreen]

But at what point is it "ready to play in"? Does everyone have a different preference, do some people like a softer bat and others a harder one?

My view has always been keep knocking it until im not really making any new indents with the mallet, but this means it still gets shallow seam marks. I've never seen a bat thats been used frequently without any marks on it.

[WalkingWicket37]

But at what point is it "ready to play in"? Does everyone have a different preference, do some people like a softer bat and others a harder one?

I treat a bat as ready to play in once the face is even and I can't indent it any further with the mallet.

[Biggie Smalls]

As above .
Knock in until no more indentations . Then use vvvveeeerrrrryyyy old balls for throw downs . Work your way up to faster throw downs . Then use slightly less old balls ... etc etc , until you can face quicks with old balls , then eventually quicks with new balls . You might still be unlucky enough to get a rare seem mark but , for the most part , it xan be avoided .

[Number 11]

I had a GM Canon Original years ago, started with ball on a stick until seam marks were only minor, then used a mallet. It seemed to be a soft pressing so I need up whacking away for a total of 10 or 12 hours until I was happy with it. Suffice to say, it lived up to it's name.

[patriotscreen]

Gotten to the point with my New Balance now where I am getting the telltale vertical cracks in the grains so it seems to be opening up a little which is good, tried some throwdowns at nets last night with an old ball and got no marks but a slightly newer ball was leaving marks so stopped with it straight away and went back to walloping it. Got the marks down to a minimum but I will be hopefully using it in a game tomorrow so will continue smacking it tonight and tomorrow morning to be sure.

Not really fussed if there are a few seam marks so long as it doesnt actually damage the bat, as I said i've never had a bat that's shown no markings at all once up against a new ball.