The willow clefts obtained from the willow trees here are being fashioned to manufacture quality cricket bats. Kashmir willow is largely utilized by cricket bat manufacturers as a substitute for English Willow. The trees are chopped into logs and are then split into wedges called clefts. The clefts are then cut into the basic shape of a cricket bat with the correct width and length.
Step 1 - Cricket Bat Willow
Trees are cut down
Cricket bat willow is a cultivated timber which grows in large plantations in wetland areas . Each tree is individually planted by hand and during its natural life-span, the willow will be tended by the grower to ensure that the tree will be suitable for bat making. For each willow that is felled, two new trees are planted. In this way the industry, countryside and the actual species are protected. Cricket bat making is a craft based on protecting the environment and ecosystem.
Step 2 - Timber Selection
Willow ready for grading and machining.
All timber is sourced either from local trees or from willow specialists. Choosing mature trees (between 15-35 yrs old), cutting them into rounds, then splitting out the clefts is an occasional luxury, as the majority of time is dedicated to the actual making processes.The cleft has already been split from the round (section of the trunk), rough sawn, the ends waxed and then air or kiln dried to reduce the moisture content. The waxing is essential as it prevents quick moisture loss from the end grain which could cause cracks or drying cones. Any clefts suffering from these cones are filtered out of production.
Step 3 - Machining the Bat
Machining a cleft to width.
Once in the workshop, the cleft undergoes various machining processes to be cut into the basic blade shape.The skills involved in machining, and its importance to the integrity of bat production is why we have invested so heavily in our workshops.Many companies sub-contract machining and pressing.
Step 4 - Pressing the Blade
Blades ready for pressing.
Once the blade has been correctly graded and machined, the next stage is the pressing. The willow fibres have to be compressed in order to strengthen the timber sufficiently to withstand the impact of a cricket ball.
Step 5 - Fitting the Handle
Handle being spliced into a blade.
The handle, a laminated construction of cane and rubber strips , is fitted through the precise splicing of the handle into the blade. The craftsman will set the handle slightly forward of the blade ensuring a perfect pick up once the bat is made. The handle is secured using a water resistant wood glue and left overnight to dry.
Step 6 - Hand Shaping
The blade is shaped by pulling off the willow with the draw knife. The bat makers will leave maximum wood in the driving area whilst working the blade to establish the balance that is associated with the finest handmade bats.
Step 7 - Sanding
Once shaped, the bat will be both course and fine sanded. Like the shaping, the sanding is dependant upon the eye and skill of the craftsman.
Step 8 - Binding, Polishing & Labelling
Binding a handle.
The handle is bound using the finest quality twine. The bat is mounted in a lathe which is controlled using a foot treadle; the handle is brushed with glue and whipped with the twine which provides strength at the top of the splice and throughout the length of the handle. The blade is then finely burnished using a compound wax which polishes and flattens the wood leaving a satin finish.
The blade of a cricket bat is a wooden block that is generally flat on the striking face and with a ridge on the back which concentrates wood in the middle where the ball is generally hit.
The bat is traditionally made from willow wood.
Cricket bat willow is a cultivated timber which predominantly grows in large plantations in wetland areas.
This variety of willow is used as it is very tough and shock-resistant, not being significantly dented nor splintering on the impact of a cricket ball at high speed, while also being light in weight. The face of the bat is often covered with a protective film by the user
The blade is connected to a long cylindrical cane handle, similar to that of a tennis racquet, by means of a splice. The handle is usually covered with a rubber grip. Bats incorporate a wooden spring design where the handle meets the blade.
When first purchased, most bats are not ready for immediate use and require knocking-in in order to allow the soft fibres to strike a hard new cricket ball without causing damage to the bat, and allowing full power to be transferred to the shot.
Knocking-in involves striking the surface with an old cricket ball or a special mallet. This compacts the soft fibres within the bat and reduces the risk of the bat snapping. The bat may also need raw linseed oil, which fills in the gaps between the fibres.
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5 сен 2024
