How to Knock in Your Cricket Bat

Bat Care & Knocking-In Service

Every English Willow cricket bat needs to be oiled and knocked in before use.  A summary of the process is as follows:

Oiling

Oiling stops the willow from drying out and therefore greatly reduces the risk of cracking.  If you are buying a covered bat, or one fitted with an anti-scuff sheet, there is less oiling needed as these bats are able to retain their moisture – but please don’t overlook the exposed areas around the edges and toe of the bat.  For natural faced bats, apply a light coat of linseed, or specialist bat oil, to the blade and edges, using a soft rag or your finger.  You can also oil the back, but this isn't essential.  Be careful not to oil the splice, handle, stickers and never stand the bat in oil.  It is also very important not to over oil the bat as this can increase the weight and cause ‘wood rot’.  Indeed, under oiling is better.  Once the oil is applied, leave in a horizontal position – bat face up – so the oil can soak through the blade.   Allow the bat to stand for twenty-four hours.  Covered bats can then move on to the “knocking-in” stage, while uncovered bats will need to be oiled again at least once (but we would recommend twice), repeating the process exactly.

DKP Cricket "Knocking-In" Service

3 Steps we do to ensure the bat is near enough match ready as possible:

  • Two coats of linseed oil

  • 3-4 hours of hand knocking in

  • Apply a scuff sheet (clear or mesh)

We believe that once you have purchased your cricket bat the next stage is the most important aspect in attaining the most out of your bat, in terms of performance and longevity. We will firstly apply two coats over 48 hours of high quality Bat Wax which is linseed oil in solid form.

The knocking in process is a labour intensive process so if you would like this done by us we will make sure that it is done thoroughly and the bat pings when you receive it so you can clear the boundaries effortlessly.

Knocking in a cricket bat is a noisy, laborious process that we realise is not for everyone, especially if you don’t want to upset your housemates or neighbours! So if you don’t have the time or inclination to knock in your own bat, don’t worry – we’ll gladly do it for you.  The service will include oiling, knocking-in and, if required, the application of edge tape and an anti-scuff sheet.  Unlike various other cricket shops, we do not rely on a machine for our handiwork.  No, no, no - we do it the old fashioned way, by hand - using a wooden bat mallet.  This way the most vulnerable areas of the bat, like the toe and edges, get full attention and are properly knocked in, not just the sweet spot.  So, if you get your bat knocked in with us, it should last you a lot longer than one that's been done by a machine.

If you buy a bat from us, we will include this “Knocking-In” service for £25.00 which is half the price of what many competitors will charge.  We simply ask that you allow an extra five days for us to carry out the service. 

The lifespan of a cricket bat varies, and is dramatically effected by how well the bat is knocked in and how regularly it is oiled.  If you have a covered bat, we recommend that you oil the exposed areas during the off season, or any other period of significant non-cricketing activity – on average once a year. If your bat has a natural face it should be oiled on a monthly basis to ensure consistently high levels of performance.  We would also recommend applying fibreglass tape to the inside and outside edges as this will reduce the risk of cracking in these vulnerable areas.  The “knocking-in” process will not need to be repeated, however, unless you start noticing seam marks appearing on the face, in which case we recommend another coat of oil and one more hour of “knocking-in”.