Right, so there was some sunshine here today, and figured I'd probably try shed some light on the differences...
Salix Rugged Knife G1:
Salix Knife Finite:
Salix Amp G2:
ACID Nitric Bomb Pro:
Hopefully this highlights the difference, at least visually a bit better. The Salix and ACID standard finish seems to suggest that they'll have a very similar, if not identical finishing process. The thing to note about the Salix finish is that it's not necessarily the gloss mirror sheen that makes it the best on the market, but the way the shapes generally blend and the smoothness of the lines/swoops. The Rugged does not seem to sacrifice this aspect.
Now, onto a side to side comparison with a Knife Finite:
At this point, you might say - But Chad, they're just going to sell you G2 bats upgraded to G1 and use less work to justify the charging of a G2 price, etc etc etc. Well, lucky for you guys, this is a rather pricey experiment, so let's have a look and see...
G3 ACID:
G2 Salix:
G1/Marque Salix/Acid:
Players Salix (Pre-Finite era)/Finite Salix/Pro ACID:
I guess looking at this, Salix do seem to be fairly consistent in their grading - perhaps you could argue that the ACID Pro has that strange blemish/knot in the inside edge, or that you expect a Finite to have more than 7 grains, the G2 looks a bit more like a G1 etc, but I do think that the grading has some sort of consistency across this relatively small sample. In the end, grading is at the discretion of the maker, and I don't think Kember will have been in business this long if he was known to grade unfairly. The particular Rugged does look in the same league with the other G1s in my view.
If I had to sum up the differences, I guess the standard Salix finish gives off more of a flashy gleam, a very much prestigious product, whereas the Rugged Salix finish gives off more of a warm nostalgic glow, and the smell of linseed does evoke some fond memories. The area which both excel are in the quality of the workmanship, and the general quality control of ensuring the bats perform. Salix have never really been about HUGE large volume bats, but have always stood out with their classy look and satisfied customer base.
Is it worth it? I really couldn't say - I have no idea how long these additional processes take etc with regards to their final sanding/finishing process steps. Personally, tonnes of fine sanding and polishing will really have no effect on the function of the bat, which is to feel right in the hands, withstand the striking of some hard leather and score some runs. PS. Apologies, I probably should have posted this on a new thread!
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Topic: Salix knife (rugged) a blip or change on bat prices? (Read 3165 times)