Cricket Bat Willow

Cricket bat willow (salix alba, var. cærulea) is a cultivated timber which predominantly grows in large plantations in wetland areas throughout East Anglia. All our timber is sourced either from local trees or from willow specialists. Choosing mature trees (15-30 yrs old), cutting them into rounds, then splitting out the clefts is an occasional luxury, as the majority of our time is dedicated to the actual making processes. The bulk of our willow therefore comes from willow specialists but each cleft is still selected by Andrew Kember by hand. 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.

Timber Grading

For Salix grading of timber is an ongoing process throughout bat manufacture. Traditionally willow is graded according to the sapwood, i.e. grade one: sapwood right across the blade with clean straight grain, grade two: some heartwood and twig marks, grade three: more prominent marks and more heartwood. The heartwood is the red coloured timber from the centre of the tree which is drier as the sap has moved out into the sapwood (whiter wood) towards the bark. Sapwood is more desirable as retention of the tree's natural moisture (sap) contributes to durability; logically drier wood is more brittle and hence more vulnerable to damage.
These are not hard and fast rules - with correct maintenance, oiling and protective facing, bats of any grade should offer durability. But these are basic facts about willow which should enable players to make an informed judgment when selecting a bat and of course looking after it properly in use. Heartwood on the inside edge for example should be given extra protection with facing and glass tape. Some players prefer heartwood and deliberately choose grade threes for this reason, but to do so involves accepting these properties and looking after the bat accordingly. Wood must be used in cricket bat making to comply with the laws of the game, but it does not lose its fundamental characteristics when made into a cricket bat.

Machining

Once in the workshop, the cleft undergoes a multitude of specialist machining processes: it is resized in length, depth and width using planers and circular saws to achieve the best part of the timber as the driving playing area. Even at the machining stage, the craftsman's expertise is essential as the blade must be continually evaluated in order to maximise the natural potential of the willow. There are no shortcuts as every willow cleft is unique and must be assessed throughout the production processes if quality, strength and honesty of grading are to be guaranteed.

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. But as pressing is a delicate balance between hardening the willow for strength and leaving the blade soft enough to play well, Salix presses each blade individually. Generally, we press the blade up to 4 times at up to 2,000lb per square inch. Again, inherent understanding of the wood is essential to determine the right amount of pressure. Our presses have both been custom built and are unique to Salix: we use a second press later during hand making to achieve the bow in the blade and to increase performance. The pressing is constantly adapted and adjusted according to the various models within the range - it is the most crucial part of manufacture and in skilled hands turns a good piece of wood into a great bat.

Fitting

The handle, a laminated construction of cane and rubber strips, is fitted through the precise splicing of the handle into the blade. A splicing saw is used to cut the deep V into both blade and handle, using special jigs, so that the handle and blade fit together perfectly. The two pieces are then fitted together by hand using a pva wood glue then clamped and left to dry overnight. Traditionally handles are set slightly forward of the blade, although the Pod benefits from a unique new setting which opposes the bow to create greater control when the bat is in use.

Shaping

The blade is shaped by 'pulling off' the willow with the draw knife. We leave maximum wood in the driving area whilst working the blade to establish the balance that is associated with the finest handmade bats. The coarse cuts of the draw knife are smoothed using wooden planes and the shoulders and handle are seamlessly blended with the spoke-shave. The toe is very carefully shaped to a distinctive angle for strength and protection. As with all the other stages of production, the hand shaping is absolutely unique to each bat. During the shaping, the bat will be removed from the vice and tested for balance and form by the bat maker, using his knowledge of the game as a point of reference for balance and pick-up.

Sanding

Once shaped, the bat will be both coarse and fine sanded. This is achieved through various drum and belt sanding machines, but as with the shaping, the sanding is dependant upon the eye and skill of the craftsman. The characteristic finish of a Salix bat can be attributed to very fastidious sanding, which has always been a point of pride. We are often asked what wax or coating we use to achieve the glass like polish on the wood but the answer is simple – it is the sanding processes which achieve the finish, the wax merely seals it.

Rasping

Once the bat has been shaped and sanded, the last element in blending handle and blade together seamlessly is to rasp the handle. This again is a very skilled process and is essential in obtaining the right feel to the bat. The handle naturally becomes subtly oval and the shape is set before binding and gripping. If the handle is not shaped correctly at this stage then no amount of binding or gripping will make the bat feel good.

Binding

The handle is bound with Irish linen thread which is applied on a custom made binding lathe. The bat is mounted in the 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 handles are then left to dry before polishing.

Polishing

Once the glue on the binding has fully dried, the bat is burnished using a compound wax which polishes and flattens the wood leaving a satin finish. Traditionally bats were 'boned' instead of polished - the use of a bone or piece of cane to compress the fibres giving both the final finish and a final pressing. With Salix and any good bat production, if the pressing and sanding are correct, then the finish is obtained though burnishing, so 'boning' is never necessary. Again, the key to our finish is the quality of the sanding.

Labelling

The bound and polished bats are then brought through into the finishing room to be very carefully labelled. As with most of the components in the bats, the labels are again a specialist product manufactured for us in England but which we design ourselves up to print. The labels truly express us as a brand and our in house design enables us to develop ideas and artwork throughout the season. The labels are sub surface printed onto durable polycarbonate to avoid damage to the designs from impact of the ball. The adhesive is always Scotch 3M which is strong enough to affix the labels to dramatic bat profiles. Labelling is time consuming and must be precise to emphasise the profile and finish of each bat.

Gripping

Finally, English made latex rubber grips are fitted to the handle. These are made for us in a specialist factory near Manchester which produces traditional rubber grips – these look and feel totally different from imported grips, with a depth of colour which is essential to the final finish. All our bats then undergo a final quality inspection, before being packaged and distributed to shops around the country. With each bat is carried the hope that the time and effort we expend will be rewarded by the owner's care and attention, and great success at the wicket.