Some tools used to make Cricket Bats

Drawknife

The drawknife is used to remove mass from the cleft for the initial part of the shaping of the cricket bat. The knife is drawn towards you and you can either take a thick or thin shaving out of the willow.

It is a very versatile tool and can be very precise but also very dangerous!!!!

Travishers

The travisher is used for creating concave shapes in the back of the cricket bat. You can yet various different radi of travisher. In the picture you can see a No4 and No5 travisher, the larger the number the more curved the concave is that it creates. Also in the bottom corner you’ll see a couple of Spokeshaves these are used to shape the shoulders and the handle of the cricket bat but can be used anywhere on the cleft. [A drawknife can also be used for shaping the shoulders and the handle of the cricket bat]

Planes and stuff

In the picture below you can see two wooden planes. The one in the far end is a round bottom plane, this is used for concave shaping the back of the cricket bat. It is in fact a pattern plane and the wooden bottom [plate] and cutting blades can be changed to get different shapes. The one closet to you is a normal flat bottom plane used on the front, back and sides of the cricket bat. Wooden planes are used because they are in general lighter and therefore your arm aches less after shaping a few cricket bats.

You will also see a Clifton Spokeshave used for concaving and other bits of general shaping on the cricket bat and a good sturdy vice with soft jaws to hold the cricket bat willow whilst working on it.

Final Overview

To give you an idea if you are thinking of making your own cricket bay a quick list of things….

- Something to shape shoulders and handle if required [spokeshave,rasp / subform / careful use of draw knife]
- Something to sharpen tools with [you'll see some EZE-Lap files in yellow packet on the second picture]
- Good vice & soft jaws [protective vice jaw things]
- A good sturdy bench - when you start shaving with your draw knife the bench will move
- Sanding solution [hand sanding / power sanding / how are you going to sand the concaved back without pneumatic sanding drums]
- Sandpaper various grades to suit solution
- Binding material [& possibly how you are going to do it, you can hand bind]
- Something to shape shoulders and handle if required [rasp / subform / careful use of draw knife]
- Something to sharpen tools with
- Good vice & protective vice jaw [thingys]
- A good sturdy bench - when you start shaving with your draw knife the bench will move
- Sanding solution [hand sanding / power sanding / how are you going to sand the concave without pneumatic sanding drums]
- Sandpaper various grades to suit solution
- Binding material [& possibly how you are going to do it, you can hand bind]
- Grips
- Some soft lead pencils if following lines [an eraser :-)]
- A few lint free cloths for oiling
- An idea of what weight of bat you are going to make
- Cricket bat grips
- A few lint free cloths for oiling
- An idea of what weight of bat you are going to make

Andy
Podshaver for San Andreas Fault Cricket Bats
Handmade Cricket Bats

Have a Cricket Bat related question email me