Older blades are better

guni4you · Dec 20, 2019

Hi,

Is this true that the more you use a blade the better it gets in terms of feeling and control? And is this is the reason that pros don’t change blades for a long time. Please let me know.

Thanks.

lasta · Dec 20, 2019

The more you use it, the more YOU get used to it. The blade doesn't change much.

I sincerely hope this doesn't turn into a "wood drying over time", or "glue layers stabilizing", or "magical bond forming between blade and user" thread...Although the latter might be true!

lVegita · Dec 20, 2019

It's because of the wood drying over time and glue layers stabilizing. Also, there is a magical bond forming between blade and user... Although the latter might be debatable.

zeio · Dec 20, 2019

Well, it flexes more and becomes slower. Past a point, it takes more energy than ideal to get the same speed and spin.

In the old days, one could compensate for that with another layer or two of speed glue. In effect, you could tweak the speed/spin/feel ratio on the spot.

That doesn't really work anymore nowadays with water-based glue, but old habits die hard.

Brs · Dec 20, 2019

No. And no.

zeio · Dec 20, 2019

Another factor is psychological effect. As the blade breaks in, the ball-blade interaction becomes more stable, and your internal physics engine would get used to it. You're essentially mapping the inputs to the outputs. So people tend to become attached to a blade after spending a long time with it because they've built an internal model for that blade, such that they feel comfortable with it and could rely on it since they know it inside out and could predict how it will behave.

Brs · Dec 20, 2019

That and pros know changing their blade will not make them a better player.

zeio · Dec 20, 2019

And then through a lot of hearsay, it becomes the placebo effect and halo effect.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health...ebo-effect-could-boost-an-olympic-performance
https://phys.org/news/2016-12-scientists-uncover-stradivarius-violins-special.html

v100ev · Dec 20, 2019

There are a couple of moments when the blade gets better: when it's brand new, then when you give it a name, and the third power up is when it aknoledges you as it's master and shows you all of it's abilities!

Brs · Dec 20, 2019

zeio said:
And then through a lot of hearsay, it becomes the placebo effect and halo effect.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health...ebo-effect-could-boost-an-olympic-performance
https://phys.org/news/2016-12-scientists-uncover-stradivarius-violins-special.html

LOL I have cheap knockoff KT tape from aliexpress on my ankle right now. IDC if it is only placebo effect as long as it lets me keep playing through minor injuries.

But then I also buy lottery tickets and use a blade "made according to the principles used in making string instruments."

Baal · Dec 20, 2019

Just letting a couple of my Viscarias in a closet for five years seemed to improve them. But all the stuff Zeio said is true also.

Is what I just wrote real or placebo? I wish I could say for sure.

Search

Search

Older blades are better

guni4you

guni4you

Active Member

lasta

lasta

Well-Known Member

lVegita

lVegita

Active Member

zeio

zeio

Well-Known Member

Brs

Brs

Well-Known Member

zeio

zeio

Well-Known Member

Brs

Brs

Well-Known Member

zeio

zeio

Well-Known Member

v100ev

v100ev

Member

Brs

Brs

Well-Known Member

Baal

Baal

Well-Known Member

Similar threads