Butterfly Innerforce ZLF

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Okay, I got to hit with a Butterfly Innerforce ZLF last night. I have to say, it was amazing. Some of you have heard me say that I like all wood blades and am not such a big fan of carbon blades because of the lack of feeling from them. This blade is probably the best blade I have ever felt. I have tried the ZLC blades and I do not like them. the Timo Boll ZLF feels okay but it lacks a certain pop and loses power away from the table. It feels good but is missing something. The Photino I did not like. It felt almost mushy and too springy.

I think I know why this is: the Photino is Hinoki-Zylon-Kiri-Zylon-Hinoki

I don't think combining a soft springy wood like Hinoki with the soft springy Zylon seemed like too much of that effect, and the Kiri core was not enough to help it.

I think the Timo Boll ZLF has this construction: Koto-Zylon-Limba-Kiri-Limba-Zylon-Koto

I think the Kiri core is not enough because of the slower Limba plies on either side of it inside the Zylon even though the fast Koto outer ply is nice.

But the Innerforce ZLF actually seemed and felt perfect to me. It has a ton of dwell time so you get a lot of spin and it is great for looping and short game touch. But it has a ton of power so you are not losing speed to get that extra touch and dwell time. The racket holds the ball on it for long enough for you to adjust while spinning the ball. Very cool. And it has great feeling. The thing I have not liked about the ZLC blades that I have felt is that you don't get the feeling and then end up feeling like it is not enough dwell time because I cannot feel the ball on the surface well enough.

This is what I think the construction for the Innerforce ZLF is: Limba-Limba-Zylon-Ayous-Limba-Limba [Edit: should read: Limba-Limba-Zylon-Ayous-Zylon-Limba-Limba]

Same construction as a Primorac or a Korbel but with the Zylon added under the Limba. So the Limba gives you a lot of dwell time for extra spin and control with touch stuff, the Zylon makes it springy and have snap and does not interfere with you feeling the ball, and the Ayous inner ply is fast enough to give it that extra pop you need for when you take a full swing and rip the ball.

This is the first blade I have felt that is actually better than an all wood blade. The one drawback, the price tag. In my opinion $185.00 USD is a lot of money for a little piece of wood. :) But Butterfly seems to have gotten something very very right with this blade.

Since everyone feels things differently not everyone will agree with me on this. And I know that my favorite blades are all combinations of Limba and Ayous. Those woods, in combination feel better than anything else to me. The only exception to that is one of those really nice one ply Hinoki blades like the Darker Speed 90. They feel great but the drawback to them is that: 1) they can split since it is only one ply, so they are very delicate, 2) they are too heavy since they have to be thick, 3) they are a little too thick for serving shakehand (9mm is a very thick blade most multi-ply blades are between 5.5-7mm). 4) they are expensive ($150.00 USD and then a huge shipping fee). But when you hit with one, they feel amazing for doing drills and grooving your strokes.

All that said, if money were no object, I would run out right now and get myself a Butterfly Innerforce ZLF.
 
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says Spin and more spin.
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Oh, yeah, the rubber on the Innerforce ZLF was Yasaka Razka 7. It felt pretty good. Fast and spinny. But I think I have gotten so used to Hurricane on my forehand and Tenergy on my backhand that it felt a little more bouncy than I like. But if I was used to it, it felt like it would be very good rubber, because it had great speed and spin; great for looping.
 
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says Spin and more spin.
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sounds nice Carl :) Was it really that good? Butterfly is claiming to be world leading on blades, so I hope you are right. This prooves it all, hehe :)

I have to admit, I really do not like Butterfly as a company. Not my favorite. I do admit that they do certain things well. But I don't really like them. But if money is not an issue, this is the best blade I have hit with. With the price tag, I will stick to all wood blades. But if someone wanted to give me an expensive present....I would not argue. :)
 
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I have to admit, I really do not like Butterfly as a company. Not my favorite. I do admit that they do certain things well. But I don't really like them. But if money is not an issue, this is the best blade I have hit with. With the price tag, I will stick to all wood blades. But if someone wanted to give me an expensive present....I would not argue. :)

So, when is your birthday buddy?? I heard in the grapevine that the Guvnor Dan will be organizing a competition with the blade as the prize...hahahaha
 
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Hey Carl is there only 1 layer of Zylon in the Innerforce? I just saw it was 6 ply as opposed to 7. As for wood blades that are too expensive try Jack Miller. He makes custom blades all from 65-100 with pretty much whatever you need in it.

Good Catch, I will edit that. There are 7 plies. I forgot to put one layer of Zylon. I wrote this: Limba-Limba-Zylon-Ayous-Limba-Limba

It should have read this way: Limba-Limba-Zylon-Ayous-Zylon-Limba-Limba

I am pretty sure those are the plies.
 
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And, yes, those custom blades sound cool. I actually have a friend in NYC who also makes custom blades.

I was just surprised with this blade at how much I liked it since I feel that all the Butterfly blades I have tried, even the really good ones, there always feels like there is something missing. This one did not feel that way. Too expensive but really good.
 
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Hi Carl,
I am having a Rosewood NCT VII paired with Rakza 7 . Although i love the blade for it's properties, i find that the grip ( the curved part where basically the head and the handle meets) is wider than usual .
Due to this i have to force myself to change my grip while immediately switching from FH to BH during the game.

1. How is the grip of the ZLF ?
2. How is the speed compared to NCT VII , do you feel it's the same speed / control ?
 
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Hi Carl,
I am having a Rosewood NCT VII paired with Rakza 7 . Although i love the blade for it's properties, i find that the grip ( the curved part where basically the head and the handle meets) is wider than usual .
Due to this i have to force myself to change my grip while immediately switching from FH to BH during the game.

1. How is the grip of the ZLF ?
2. How is the speed compared to NCT VII , do you feel it's the same speed / control ?

Interesting. I am not sure what to say. With most Stiga blades, those edges--from where the rubber ends and the handle begins--are very squared and sharp. I usually use a file and file them so that they are how I like them, sort of the many penhold players do this to make their blades more comfortable to hold. If it is that, it is easy to file those edges. If it is something other than that, I am not sure. I only hit with a Rosewood VII NCT once. It was a while ago. It felt like a decent blade. The seven plies makes it a little thick. But it is a good blade.
 
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Interesting. I am not sure what to say. With most Stiga blades, those edges--from where the rubber ends and the handle begins--are very squared and sharp. I usually use a file and file them so that they are how I like them, sort of the many penhold players do this to make their blades more comfortable to hold. If it is that, it is easy to file those edges. If it is something other than that, I am not sure. I only hit with a Rosewood VII NCT once. It was a while ago. It felt like a decent blade. The seven plies makes it a little thick. But it is a good blade.

How do you find the grip of the ZLF though, do you have to dynamically change the grip while playing between FH/BH. Also, how's the speed & control with ZLF
 
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How do you find the grip of the ZLF though, do you have to dynamically change the grip while playing between FH/BH. Also, how's the speed & control with ZLF

Not entirely sure what you are asking about dynamically changing the grip.

I have not used an Innerforce ZLF since the day I tried the one I tried that made me feel it was such an amazing blade. Some day I will get one. It really felt like the best blade I have ever felt. I like ZLF blades though.

It does not feel much different in terms of holding it, than a TB ALC, or a TB ZLF.

I do switch my grip from backhand to forehand. That switch is a seamless process that would be affected by the blade I am using so I don't think that is what you mean. I have my thumb on the rubber for my backhand and I have my thumb on the top of the handle on my forehand and my wrist in a completely different position so that I can come over the ball with either stroke. But no racket would affect my ability to do that unless it was one of those 9mm or 10mm 1 ply Hinoki blades that are good for penholders but not good for shakehand players. A 7mm blade is okay for me even though I like 6mm better.
 
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Whats the difference between timo boll zlf and innerforce zlf

Well, lets see. Here are the plies of the Innerforce ZLF:

Limba-Limba-Zylon-Ayous-Zylon-Limba-Limba

Here are the plies of the TB ZLF:

Koto-Zylon-Limba-Kiri-Limba-Zylon-Koto

Koto, as an outer ply is a sort of hard wood. Limba is a softer wood for the outer ply. The Zylon is one ply deeper in the Innerforce ZLF which means you feel more wood. The TB ZLF is 2 mm thinner and about 2 grams lighter.

Innerforce has a softer feel and you feel the wood more. Innerforce should get more dwell time which means you should be able to get more spin. Innerforce has a little more power from farther. The TB ZLF loses power as you are farther from the table.

They are both great blades though.
 
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did you play both of them or it is just your idea by composition?

I have played both. My experience of what they play like came first. Examining the plies only told me why I felt what I felt. I could have just told you what I felt. However, I figured the extra info might help you understand it better. I know my mind works that way. So, for some people, that kind of info can help them understand why the two blades feel different.
 
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A comparison between TB-ALC & IF-ZLF:

IF-ZLF is less powerful and has less spin in mid-distance power loops.

It is much better than TB-ALC in the short game (spinnier low-speed loops as well as less bouncy in return of serve). This impact is significant. In fact, low speed bounciness is also the defining difference between the ZLF blades in the IF vs TB series. Limba vs Koto & 2 wood outer layers before ZLF (IF) as compared to one before ZLF (TB) achieve this.

Contrary to my expectations, IF-ZLF's blade balance with heavier rubbers is excellent & not head heavy at all (I used T-05 max (72g uncut) & T-80 max (70g uncut) with 84g blade for a total weight of 182g).
 
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