Learn from Professionals how to Oil a Cricket Bat and Knock it in
We've come a long way since i originally published this blog back in 2010. This is now an updated edition.
In the video above you will see me explain in great detail on the methods of oiling and knocking in cricket bats we use these days.
Knocking in your cricket bat is still very very important, perhaps more these days than it was about 10 years ago. Cricket bats these days are quite dry and brittle and extra care is needed to make sure your bat will last more than 1 season. ( which is the norm these days
1: Which Oil Can Be Used For Cricket Bat?
2: How much oil to use.?
Normally you just need about 1 or 2 caps full ( 1-2 teaspoons ) of the Raw Linseed Oil.
3: How to Apply Linseed Oil to a Cricket Bat?
Make sure you have removed any type of protective scuff sheets from the cricket bat and cleaned the surface of any leftover goo, debris or dirt. You may need to use sandpaper to clean it off. The face should either look like new or it should actually be new. Then simply pour the Raw Linseed Oil onto the wood and spread it around with your fingers making sure the oil is spread around evenly. Make sure to clean any excess oil off with a paper towel.
4: Once Oiled When do I Start Knocking in?
Once the cricket bat is oiled make sure to leave the bat "face up" for at least 24 hours. The reason for this is so that the oil can gently soften the wood fibers on the face and edges of cricket bat. It is actually recommended with todays style of dried out cricket bats that you oil it 2 or 3 times each time leaving it for 24 hours before applying another coat or beginning with the knocking in process.
5: Tell me more about Knocking in a Cricket Bat
The reason we oil cricket bats is to gently soften the wood fibers of the bat so we can knock it in BUT we also oil bats to seal any moisture that’s in the wood inside. The moisture mentioned is water within the wood fibers. This water is actually the glue that holds these fibers together. Without that moisture the wood will break so sealing it in is very important. Once the fibers are nice and soft we can then begin the knocking in process. Knocking in a cricket bat is simply compressing the wood fibers on the surface so that the damage from a cricket ball is limited. If this process wasn't done cricket bats would break and crack very easily.
6: How do you knock in a cricket bat?
There are 2 different ways to knock in a cricket bat.
A: knock in a cricket mat manually with a cricket bat mallet.
B: Use a knocking in machine ( not to be confused with a bat press )
Knocking in a cricket bat with a bat mallet is how bats have been knocked in for centuries. This is the process of "knocking" the wood thousands of times ( very carefully ) until the surface is nice and hard so that the cricket bat is ready for match use. You can properly and effectively knock in a bat like this in your own home. The downside of doing this is it could take weeks to properly do it. Your arm and hand will get tired after 10-15 minutes & you may have to put it down till later in the day or even the next day. Your family may also get very annoyed with you as its loud, very loud.
You could also let a professional do it with a knocking in machine like we have here at Cricket Store Online. We are so accustomed to doing this for customers we in fact now have 2 machines and could easily handle 1000's of cricket bats a year.
The benefit of using a machine ( under the watchful eye of our very professional well trained staff ) is that we can have your bat completely knocked in and ready for match use within an hour. We watch over the entire process and do 10-20 000 knocks to the face of the bat within that time. We actually also do still use the hand knocking method. We do this to the toe, edges and shoulders to make sure the bat is properly done before sending it back to our valued customers.
7: What about pressing the Cricket Bat?
Pressing a cricket bat face is something done in the shed, barn or factory where your cricket bat is made and its the process of hardening the face of the bat which is the start of the life of your cricket bat. Pressing should never be used as a method of "knocking in" your cricket bat. Its an ineffective method of doing this and should never be mistaken for proper knocking in of a cricket bat.
Best of luck to you this coming season for when you purchase your new cricket bat. Remember ALL cricket bats need pressing. I have yet to find one single company on the planet who has properly pressed / knocked in ( direct from the factory ) cricket bats that are ready to play in match situations agains new balls.
Many companies like CA, IHsan, GM etc etc all say their bats are "Ready To Play" please note this is in fact not the case. GM bats are probably the best but the bats are still not ready to use against current balls.
Contact us here at Cricket Store Online & talk with one of our in store professionals on what bats will suit you and also to find out more about our professional bat knocking in service. Don't worry if you didn't buy your bat from us, we will still knock it in for you.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
The address for you to ship your bat to is
Cricket Store Online - Bat Knocking
402 Maplehill Drive
Woodbridge, NJ 07095
Please make sure your package has insurance on it and there is no need to pay extra to get a signature at the door.
