Knocking in your bat??

I would always work even a pre-knocked in bat over with a bat mallet for a while and then ensure only to use old balls in the nets for a while. That said I didn't knock my current one in with the mallet at all, as I was advised directly by the person who made it that it shouldn't be necessary as long I was sensible in the nets.

I am currently knocking in a couple of bats for my club though and the process is driving me (and the wife even more so!) mad!

 

  Questions ??

              What is knocking in?

               What constitutes factory knocked in ?

               How long should you knock your bat in for ?

               And with what instrument should you use ?

              Where on the bat should you knock in ?

               Does different grades require different knocking in ?

              Does different willow require different knocking in ?

              Does soft or hard pressed bats need different knocking in ?

     And how can you tell if your bat has been knocked in ?

 

   Bill.

 

 

 

 

 

Interesting Chris E, i think it would be helpfull if others posted thier views as you have so kindly have done.

 

Bill

i would put a lot of effort to knock in the edges and toe of my bat, put a clear sheet over it, oild the back and toe, and used it in nets.

i always leave the middle untouch as i believe as you gradually use it in nets or game, it will be compacted by the balls itself. i will only knock in the middle a bit if the first knock of the mallet shows a deep dent on the face. the only places which tends to crack more on my bat are the edges and toes and this too is only due to BAD SHOT. you are not suppose to middle the ball here! hahaha

i find that i cracked a lot of my bat at the edges and toe when i was younger but has not faces that for the last few year. batting technique?

Edited by men3gpnc

What is knocking in?

i think this is to strengthen the fibres of willow on a bat, and compact them more together, it reduces cracks as your making the willow a bit denser, compacted?(im guessing there)

What constitutes factory knocked in ?

I think factory knocked in is when they have 'done most of the hard work for you' spent the intial process knocking in the bat, but still requires small knocking and playing in, concentrating on knocking in the toe a and edges, and when you have a first net with it, not to go at the bal hard, just try to find the middle of the bat and check for seam marks regulary etc indicating if it has been knocked in?

How long should you knock your bat in for ?

If the bat has not been factory knocked in at all, then i reckon 4 hours, if it has i think one hour

And with what instrument should you use ?

A bat mallet is the easiest way, you can use a old cricket ball in a sock, but i personally think that is useless, and very annoying on the hand!

Where on the bat should you knock in ?

edges and toe, but i tend give a bat knocking in everywhere, except near the splice,

Does different grades require different knocking in ?

Yer defiantely i think, the top grades tend to be softer with the overall mix of properties in the willow being better, thats why you can make bigger profile bats out of the top grade willow, so a top grade bat would need more knocking in if you wanted it for durability, the low grades like indian willow etc are much more dense so the willow is compacted more reducing a chance of a dent or crack.

Does different willow require different knocking in ?

point above

Does soft or hard pressed bats need different knocking in ?

yer a hard pressed bat like a baronet or hawk made by bernie facer ( you know who im talking about bill) these bats are very hardly pressed, and i did not need to give mine any knocking in at all, the inly problem is, yes it provides good durability, but takes a while for the bat to perform at its best

And how can you tell if your bat has been knocked in ?

if you have not knocked in the at, you will proabably see seam marks and maybe slight surface cracks.

 

i reckon that is all wrong!

Edited by henjam

ive been told that alot of supposed 'factory knocking in' from many big companies, is simply where the press the bat an extra time, so that it doesnt dent, or dents less when you first use it! i dont like the idea of this as it could ruin the bat, but im sure most custom made bats that come 'ready knocked in' are actuallly done by hand!

I spent quite a bit of time doing extra knocking in for a pre-knocked in Slazenger V600, then used it in the nets with old balls etc. Then in the 1st game of the season this year after I'd already hit a couple of boundaries I had a go at square-cutting a ball which didn't seem to come off the bat right and ballooned up. I thought I'd edged it but afterwards when I looked at the bat I had hit it slightly high on the middle and there was a noticeable dent in the bat that hadn't been there before. I know Flintoff doesn't knock-in his bats and seems to get more power that way but I can't understand how!

I once used a "pre knocked in"bat and it cracked.

It said on the label it had been oiled it was kookaburra pre prepared.It cracked in the middle,luckily it wasnt my bat.

I don't think a pre-prepared bat equals pre knocked in. Think of it as a part knocked in. I recently bought a GN Longbow pre - prep and I emailed GN and got the response that I would still have to do at least 2-3 hours work on it before it's ready. Luckily we've had a couple of games rained off So i sat for a few hours just bashing the mallet off it. Got a game tonite so it will get it's first airing then.

And oiling bat allows the fibres in the bat to stay soft and form like an elastic barrier on the bat. A bat will break if it's not been olied due to the fibres in the wood hardening. Thats why you shouldn't ever put a bat in an airing cupboard over the winter or near a heat source as it will dry the bat and make it susceptible to cracking.

Anyway a cracking (no pun intended!) article on the laver and wood website:

http://www.laverwood.co.nz/html/batcare/knockingin.htm

or go to this http://www.vks.com/cricket_bat_care.htm

 

Very funny i can only knock my bat in for about 10 mintues at a time because the sound is so annoying

another technique you could use to help 'knock' a bat in, is to run the face up and down the edge of a bath, as this is a very weak form of pressing, and helps with the process, but apparently can only be done if there is no antiscuff on the bat!

Well my bat was supposedly 'pre knocked-in' but i oiled it and knocked it in for another 2 hours but it still broke after 4 shots in the nets.

grrr

i think the best way to knock your bat in is on a bowling machine or if you dont have one get someone to give you throwdowns with old balls

ronnie