We receive calls every day from customers that want us to roll and shave their alloy/aluminum bats. One of the key differences between my company and others is reputation and honesty. Let me be frank: it is absolutely pointless to roll or shave alloy/aluminum bats. To help you understand why, we go over the difference between composite vs. alloy bats and why rolling and shaving does more harm than good below.

#1

Aluminum bats are as good as they will get swing 1. I played baseball all the way through college, swung aluminum as that was all that was available back then, and can tell you from my own experience how aluminum bats hit. Aluminum bats go flat over time. The alloy weakens, stretches, and the bat goes flat. Anyone who has swung an aluminum bat for an extended period of time would attest to this. It does take a considerable amount of swings for this to happen, but it is the reality of owning an alloy bat. A big difference between composite and alloy bats is their "hotness" curves. Alloy baseball bats go from hot to cold, while composite bats go from cold to hot. A perfect example of this is today's USA baseball bats. Every review on the composite USA bats is largely negative. Why? Because the new composite USA bats are extremely stiff and take a lot of breaking in before they wake up (fibers / resin loosen). The aluminum USA bats largely get rave reviews. Why? Because the bat is already as good as it's going to get swing one and will outhit any composite bat pulled straight from the wrapper swing to swing until the composite bat breaks in.  

#2

Rolling aluminum.........simple logic here.........compressing aluminum does what to it? It distorts the shape. A bat roller compresses a bat to break down fibers (composite bats). Compressing aluminum will distort it if any amount of pressure is used and rolled over a period of time. I had a customer send me a YouTube video of a company rolling a Rawlings Velo, and he said here you go, it can be done. I said sure, I can do the same thing and take your $40 knowing I just ripped you off. As I have been in this business for 9 years, I know how to use a bat roller. This video depicted a company literally rolling this alloy baseball bat using no pressure. It was being pushed through the roller by holding the bat itself and using the bat roller handle as a guide. In laymen terms, VERY little pressure was applied. Why? Because the shape will distort or the bat will flatten.

#3

Shaving aluminum.............again, simple logic here. I’ve had multiple aluminum bats develop flat spots. Why? Because impacting aluminum over time will stretch the alloy, weakening it and allowing the bat to dent. Now, let's talk about shaving..........shaving thins down the inside of your bat. The end result is more rebound, which makes pushing the ball off the bat harder. Now, consider aluminum. Thinner, already prone to denting, and now you want to thin it down more which will only cause a more pronounced issue? Again, absolutely pointless. If you don't believe me, call up one of the companies who advertise they shave aluminum bats and ask for a video of it being done. Bet you the answer is no..........why is that you may ask? Because your bat is not being shaved.   

Bottom line, rolling alloy bats is a waste of your money and time. These bats should work great from the start, so just swing them! If you would like to have a bat shaved and rolled, a composite bat is the only way to go.