MBR bat-making process.
Every bat is made by hand by Raj Kumar Gurung, who is self-taught and turned a lifelong love of cricket into a business, and each one is customised to the player from clefts we get direct from the willow supplier with no middleman.
Willow
We start with English willow, sourced direct from the supplier, so there is no middleman between the tree and your bat.
Cleft pressing
Each cleft is carefully pressed on our own press and ping-tested, for the perfect balance of performance, durability and feel.
The profile
Raj grades the cleft and chooses its profile for you, reading the grain, the weight and the pickup you want.
Pre-shaping
The cleft is rough-shaped on the band saw and planer to bring the blade close to its final form.
Cutting the splice
An industrial machine cuts the splice, the V-joint where the handle marries into the cleft and the heart of a strong bat.
Handle types
Top-range cane handles, imported from a leading supplier in India, are shaped to your feel: oval, round or semi-oval.
Hand shaping
From here every cut and curve is finished by Raj's own hands, so each bat is fully hand-crafted.
Toe shape
The toe is shaped, and can be rounded, to guard the bat against moisture and the knocks of a long season.
Sanding
The blade is worked through progressively finer sanding machines until the surface is smooth to the touch.
Binding
Twine is wound around the handle for extra strength and to help keep the bat nicely balanced.
Polishing
The blade is buffed and polished back to a clean, finished surface, ready for stickers.
Stickers
Choose from the full range of MBR sticker designs.
Laser engraving
We personalise the bat with free laser engraving, whether that is a name, your initials or a short message.
Grip
We fit the grip and oil the bat by hand.
Knock-in
The face is knocked in by machine, while the toe and edges are knocked traditionally by hand, so your bat lands match-ready.