I grow up in Greece during my childhood and thereafter never had a need for a bat. We used our knuckles in my athens neighborhood. I live with Italian from Staten Island, and she doesn't have a bat. My understanding is italians from staten island use other tools to straigthen things out. The shop I store and work on my car is owned by an italian from Naples... again no bat as he 'claims' to play soccer and uses MMA to straighten things out. I do NOT have a bat! My paint will crack, chip and peel off if I use a bat. I am vein (for my car) and want it to continue to be perfect... after all, it is a Honda.