There are two methods to produce wood billets for bats; split and sawn. When wood is split, it follows the natural grain of the wood which ensures straight tangential grain. This strengthens the wood and significantly reduces the risk of slope of grain failure, which is one of the most common reasons for bat failure.
Sawn billets are more economical but do not produce straight grained billets at nearly the rate of splitting. Because of the lack of straight grain, the structural integrity of the wood is compromised. This makes a weaker bat which is more prone to violent fractures and breaks. In comparison, bats made from split billets are more likely to splinter opposed to fracturing, which reduces the chance of injury for everybody on the field.
Split billets are the superior option when it comes to performance, durability, and safety.
