Once all cricket bats were hand crafted, painstakingly shaved from English willow.

But now machines and mass production have taken the place of skilled artisans.

Most bats these days are imported from India or Pakistan, but one Fremantle factory is still shaping them the old way.

It has been a labour of love for Paul Bradbury and his wife Sally for the last 25 years.

"I get satisfaction out of personally seeing, whether it is a little kid or a top-end player, really liking a bat and saying this is fantastic," Mr Bradbury said.

"There have been times when I think what else would I do? But I think this is what I am good at."

There is no production line — just passion, care and attention to detail.

Big hitters smuggle in local bats

Test all-rounder Hilton Cartwright has used the Bradbury's bats for the last six years.

"Sometimes here in the middle of summer it is genuine sweat going into the bats, so I can see the love being put into them and you can tell the difference in a bat when you get them from here," Cartwright said.

"I always get to pick belters and the boys love it when I take it down the WACA."

Cartwright is one of many cricketers to have used Bradbury's blades at Test level, although most have done it in secret.

Back when players found it harder to get good quality bats from their sponsors, some would use the superior bats made by the Bradburys, with another brand's stickers placed on them.

"Blokes like Ricky Ponting [did] for a long time," Bradbury said.

"Steve Waugh for a long time and most of the Aussie guys to be fair.

"Justin Langer, Adam Gilchrist would say privately they used ours."

Paul Bradbury crafts his bats in a small factory in Fremantle. ( ABC News: Clint Thomas )

Finding the 'sweet spot'

The factory now turns out about 12 bats a week.

The willow is sourced from Essex in England and imported to Australia.

Then it is a painstaking process that involves carving, shaving and pressing the bat, which is the key to developing the blade's "sweet spot".

"The pressing is a bit of an art form, everyone does it differently," Bradbury said.

"I think that might be one thing that has escaped the MCC with these rule changes.

"They have given little pat on the back to the bat makers around the world to the increased attention to pressing.

"I don't think it is necessarily the size of the bat that makes the difference."

Big bats, such as the one used by David Warner, are set to be banned from October this year, with a size limit to be introduced.

International cricket authorities believe this would help redress the balance between bat and ball.