Before first being played, a bat should be “knocked in”.
Knocking a bat in compresses the surface wood fibers and allows it to be ready for use, as most brand-new bats will crack or badly dent if used in competition without being knocked-in.
The process begins with the application of a layer of linseed oil to the surface of the bat, after which a worn-down ‘soft’ leather cricket ball or a specialized mallet may be used to repeatedly hit the face of the bat.
After three to four hours of knocking in, another layer of linseed oil may be applied.
At this stage, the bat may be used in light practice but should not be used in competition without another few hours of knocking-in. The splice of the bat should not be knocked as this will cause the bat to “jar”.
After being properly knocked in, the wood will make a slightly higher-pitched sound when hitting the ball and will feel softer to use.
During the knocking-in process, a fingernail is pressed into the front face of the bat to check if the bat is properly knocked in.
If an indentation is left on the bat during this process, it shows that the wood is still not fully compressed, and should be knocked in for longer.
We use special machines to knock in the bats for customers.