When Should I Re-Handle My Cricket Bat?

For many cricketers, their bat becomes a part of their identity, tied to their performance, style, and memories on the pitch, it's the same for me.

So, when the handle of your bat breaks or loosens, it can feel like a minor disaster, especially if you are mid-season and smashing the runs for fun.

But is this the end of the road for your bat? Absolutely not. A broken handle doesn’t mean your beloved bat has to be retired. In fact, re-handling is a simple and effective way to breathe new life into your bat, allowing you to continue enjoying it for many more games and hopefully seasons.

When should you rehandle a cricket bat?

Re-handle a cricket bat when the handle is cracked, broken, or feels loose. If the blade is in good condition, re-handling restores the bat's stability and performance. It’s cost-effective and ideal for preserving a bat you love, ensuring you can continue playing with confidence.

In this post, we’ll explore when and why you should re-handle your cricket bat, what to expect from the process.

So, let's dive in and get all the details.

Why Does a Cricket Bat Handle Break?

The handle is the most stressed part of a cricket bat. It absorbs the vibrations from every shot, whether you’re driving powerfully down the ground or fending off a sharp bouncer.

Over time, these stresses can weaken the handle, causing cracks, splitting, or even a complete break.

Handles typically break due to:

• Wear and Tear: Regular use over many games and practice sessions.
• Excessive Moisture or Dryness: Prolonged exposure to wet or dry conditions can cause the handle to become brittle.
• Poor Maintenance: Lack of proper care, such as not oiling or cleaning your bat, can shorten its lifespan.
• Impact Damage: A mistimed shot or edge that hits the bat handle can create weaknesses - have you ever mistimed a shot and your hands start hurting due to the vibrations?  It really hurts....

When your handle breaks, it’s natural to feel frustrated—especially if the bat was performing exceptionally well.

Why Choose Re-Handling Over Buying a New Bat?

If you’re scoring runs and the bat feels perfect in your hands, it’s hard to let go of that partnership.

Buying a new bat might seem like the obvious choice, but if it happens mid-season you have to knock it in, get it ready, the chances of that happening before the next training session or match are slim, but here’s why re-handling often makes more sense:

1. Preserving Performance: If the blade of your bat is still in good condition, re-handling ensures you can continue to enjoy the balance, pickup, and overall feel you’re used to. Many cricketers find that once their bat is perfectly “knocked in” and has had some use, it delivers an ideal mix of power and control. A new bat might take time to reach that same level of performance.

2. Cost-Effective Solution: Re-handling is significantly cheaper than purchasing a brand-new cricket bat (we do it for £75), particularly if your bat is of high quality. This makes it an ideal choice for those who don’t want to spend extra or don’t need a full replacement.

3. Sustainability: Re-handling extends the life of your bat, reducing waste and supporting a more sustainable approach to cricket gear.

4. Sentimental Value: Cricketers often have a deep attachment to their bats (I know I do), especially if they’ve scored memorable runs with them. Re-handling allows you to hold onto a bat that has personal significance.

What to Expect From a Re-Handled Bat

While re-handling is a fantastic way to extend the life of your bat, it’s important to understand how it may slightly alter the feel and performance.

Here’s what you can expect:

A Stiffer Handle:

When a bat’s handle starts to loosen, it often develops a slight flex or “whip” that can enhance its performance, giving it a responsive feel when striking the ball. Many players notice this just before the handle breaks. After re-handling, the new handle will feel stiffer initially. While this might take some adjustment, it won’t take long before the handle softens slightly and the bat feels natural again.

Have you ever seen the video of Marnus Labuschagne trying to create that whip, have a look at the video.

Minor Adjustments in Balance:

Re-handling can cause subtle changes in the bat’s weight distribution. However, we try to ensure the new handle matches the original design as closely as possible, minimizing any noticeable difference.

Improved Durability:

A new handle provides a stronger, more reliable grip, restoring your confidence in the bat’s performance. It will also be more resistant to future stress and damage if properly maintained.

When Should You Re-Handle Your Bat?

Deciding when to re-handle your bat depends on a few key factors.

Here are some scenarios where re-handling is the best choice:

The Handle is Cracked or Broken:
This is the most obvious reason to consider re-handling. A cracked or broken handle won’t provide the stability or grip you need during play. Ignoring this issue can also lead to further damage to the blade especially around the tabs area, which are the most important joint (only joint) area on the bat.

The above images shows how the 'tabs' are the part of the blade from the shoulders upwards that connect to the handle.

The Handle Feels Loose:
If the handle starts to feel wobbly or moves slightly when you play a shot, it’s a sign that the joint between the handle and the blade has weakened. Addressing this early with a re-handle can prevent a complete break, or major cracks appearing down from the shoulders.

The Blade is in Good Condition:
If the blade of your bat is still performing well, there’s no need to retire it just because the handle is damaged. A re-handle will allow you to continue using the blade you’re comfortable with.

You Love the Bat’s Performance:
If you’ve found a bat that feels perfect for your playing style and is delivering consistent runs, don’t rush to replace it. Re-handling will let you preserve the qualities you value in your bat.

The Re-Handling Process

Re-handling a cricket bat is a skilled process that requires expertise and precision and most importantly the correct jigs with the correct angles.

Here’s how we typically approach it:

1. Removal of the Old Handle:
   The damaged handle is carefully removed without harming the blade. This step ensures the bat’s integrity remains intact.

2. Preparation of the Blade:
   The blade’s splice (where the handle fits into the blade) is cleaned and prepared for the new handle. Any old glue or debris is removed to create a secure fit - although 90% of the time we try and cut out the debris with the old handle, but this does depend on how the original handle was fitted.

3. Fitting the New Handle:
   A replacement handle is inserted into the blade’s splice.

4. Securing the Handle:
   High-quality adhesive and binding are used to fix the handle firmly in place and then we clamp for a minimum of 24 hours.

5. Finishing Touches:
   The bat is inspected, and minor adjustments are made to ensure the balance and pickup are as close to the original as possible.

The below two images show the new handle being cut to shape on our custom made jig which enables us to hit the correct angle.

The below image shows us cutting the raw cleft, again using our custom made jig to hit the correct angle which is the direct opposite cut from the above handle.

Once we have fitted and glued the new handle, we use our custom made lathe to apply the handle binding.  You can see videos of this our out Youtube page.

Maintaining Your Re-Handled Bat

After your bat has been re-handled, proper care is essential to maximize its lifespan and performance. Here are a few tips:

• Regularly Check the Handle:
  Inspect the handle for signs of wear or loosening after every few games.

• Protect Against Moisture:
  Avoid leaving your bat in damp conditions, as moisture can weaken the handle and blade.

• Oil the Blade:
  Regularly oil the blade to keep the willow in optimal condition. However, avoid oiling the handle.

Why Choose Trogon Cricket for Re-Handling?

At Trogon Cricket, we understand how important your bat is to your game. Our team of skilled professionals specializes in re-handling cricket bats, ensuring that your bat is restored to its best possible condition.

With years of experience and a commitment to quality craftsmanship, we can have your bat ready in just a few days.

Whether it’s a minor handle crack or a complete break, trust Trogon Cricket to give your bat the care it deserves. After all, a bat that has helped you score runs deserves a second chance.

Final Thoughts

A broken handle doesn’t have to mean the end of your favorite cricket bat. With re-handling, you can restore its performance, save money, and continue enjoying your trusted companion on the pitch.

So, if you find yourself with a damaged handle, don’t hesitate—give your bat the attention it needs and get back to scoring runs in no time.

Buying With Confidence from Trogon

If you've reached this point, I sincerely thank you for reading it all through. Your interest and support mean the world to me and the team at Trogon Cricket, and it's greatly appreciated.

Whether you're here to learn more about our cricket bats or other products or just out of curiosity, your engagement makes a real difference. Thank you for being part of our Trogon journey.

Trogon Product Guarantee

6-month guarantee on all cricket bats. That means if you purchase a bat through us and it breaks, as long as it has been knocked in properly, we will replace it like for like. This is our commitment to you on top of your statutory protections when buying products online.

 Here at Trogon we have a couple of options for rehandling your cricket bat.  1 is a simple rehandle and the other is a rehandle and full cricket bat service.  Click on the below and see the differences between the two options.