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[jonpinson]

mate he's in the corner of the office waiting for action.....the market isnt ready for such radical introductions yet...years ahead of his time is old Frank!

Tom do you make your helmets from unhandled clefts or just from pre-mades?

[Ayrtek Cricket]

We can't let on the secrets involved I'm afraid...trade secrets lol

[Talisman]

I love the view that as you set out to make a bat from a big lump of wood you find that the big lump of wood doesn't like being pushed to have certain features and so a hand maker will adapt to the uprising and select another shape.

In reality this would only ever apply to low end bats made from poor men's clefts with big faults in them that need to be worked around by hand, and this high labour with a cheap cleft will never make anyone money so is always done in Asia where labour is very very cheap.

As far as I know no one but Mr T Keeley will press at bat in his factory as no one has skills to match his. Certainly it is a nice story to spin that certain customers of his making actually use his equipment to make their own bats but sadly having spent time with them while they have been there they watch and wonder how it is all done.

I can cook a mean Chilli, but if I chose to buy in tins of it and sell it as my own would I still be a cook?

[jonpinson]

I love the view that as you set out to make a bat from a big lump of wood you find that the big lump of wood doesn't like being pushed to have certain features and so a hand maker will adapt to the uprising and select another shape.

In reality this would only ever apply to low end bats made from poor men's clefts with big faults in them that need to be worked around by hand, and this high labour with a cheap cleft will never make anyone money so is always done in Asia where labour is very very cheap.

As far as I know no one but Mr T Keeley will press at bat in his factory as no one has skills to match his. Certainly it is a nice story to spin that certain customers of his making actually use his equipment to make their own bats but sadly having spent time with them while they have been there they watch and wonder how it is all done.

I can cook a mean Chilli, but if I chose to buy in tins of it and sell it as my own would I still be a cook?

I can't think of anyone obviously on this forum who claims to make who actually doesn't...

[Tom]

I think that's the idea Jon, you're not meant to know!

[jonpinson]

I think that's the idea Jon, you're not meant to know!

Well are we talking about those who finish pre-mades or those who have never so much as owned a woodworking tool? Of the former I suspect some, of the latter, don't think so.

[Beachcricket]

It's a question of perception, I agree that to be called a bat maker you need to be involved in all the processes but how could someone starting out afford a press?

I made a wooden smoothing plane recently and whilst I didn't make the blade, I did make the body to hold the blade. Whilst the blade does the cutting, it would be of little use had I not made a body to hold it...

[Vantage Cricket]

Il be honest with all - Vantage source there willow from elsewhere pressed/handled. I then get it down to required weight/profile, shape shoulders and get to the correct width, sand, bind the handle and apply finish.

I have experience of pressing and the process of making a bat by hand from scratch which i learnt with Choice Willow but as mentioned before presses are very expensive and difficuilt to get a good one so it is easier and more cost effective to have this done elsewhere. Hopefully something we will be able to achieve in the future.

[Ayrtek Cricket]

Very refreshing and honest of you Dan...i tip my hat to thee in respect

[roco]

Big respect for being honest mate

[Ayrtek Cricket]

Takes skill, time and effort to do those tasks u mention mate otherwise ul end up with a FRANKENSTEIN in your kit bag lol

[roco]

Will good old frankie be on display when I head down Thomas

[mattw]

Very honest, fair play. Indeed it does still take a lot of skill and a lot of the Vantage bats I have seen on this forum look superbly finished.

[Ayrtek Cricket]

Iv asked mike for sum binding string so it can be finished off mate as i know ur keen to give him a try out lol

[roco]

Hell yeah would love to walk out to the middle with it