Question for Blade-Builders

says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
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Able to try all three blades. Surprise, I spent the most time with the one most similar to teh 105g 5 ply koto outer... the 104 koto outer blade with the more round ST handle. Absolute beast on top end when I bang it. Can spin slow. Can counter, can hit. Can serve and receive with touch (I am accustomed to both rubbers in my sig) Since this blade is similar enough to the original 105g 5 ply of similar construction, I was also familiar with it, and thus should be able and was able to most everything I did before with equal control. Hard to tell top end, this one felt juicier, but it could be due to all new rubbers - that tends to make any blade feel real juicy.

So of course it was resounding success could pull this puppy out of the bag anytime and function well ASAP.

Took of the D80 that did not cover the whole balde and slapped on a used sheet of T05... prolly increased overall weight to 210 grams... still, this blade felt same if nt the lightest bat of the three. Need to hit more with it, couldn't test the top end like I wanted, maybe the Koto outer baldes have better top end, who knows until I can really get teh balls to pound.

Need to spend more time with the oval ST handled koto outer blade to know it. but I think I can work with that one too. My initial 3 minute shot sequences tell me it is similar enough to the original 105 g 5 ply koto outer blade.
 
says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
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Need to spend more time to Get the TSOS, out friend Sergey to put down his favorite blade and play with any of Nate latest Koto blades. Sergey can adapt right away once he uses any of those Koto outer blades. It has been almost magical.

The other thing we all need to stepu our game is to get Sergey TSOS to register and start contributing to the forum. He has SO MANY H3 stories to tell.
 
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says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
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Had my hits today. Can confirm that the 104g rounder shaped handle Koto blade is the one I like better.

Could use some more time with the 110 g FL blade that really feels like it is 85 grams... still felt good enough to break out sight unseen and rock with it though.
 
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It is official. The Sergey Tsos unit luvs on the flatter, move oval ST Handle Koto outer blade.

Right away he did everything he wants... and he normally uses a slower, more vibraty blade with slightly faster and firmer rubbers.

Are there any big differences you notice between how the two different core woods play (Port Orford Cedar vs Sitka Spruce)?

 
says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
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Spent a few hrs wih the oval shaped koto outer blade... similar feel, not too different. Overall speed of this one maybe tiny slower. FH is a tad better with this blade, BH a little better with the round shape ZFL handle.

Liked it a lot. A real keeper.

I could pull this blade out with familiar rubbers ans be able to function right away if I was swapping out blades in a match for a valid reason like last tourney where I snapped a blade in two on a corner on a ball I thought was long, but wasn't.
 
says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
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The last 4 sessions, I have used the 110 gram Black Limba outer blade from Nate's last shipment. I now have a black sheet of T05FX that is very used and a newer sheet of Tibhar FX-P (I ordered a bunch of FX-P by mistake, but can still use those rubbers well). This is the blade in my Signature.

I named the blade the QUARTER POUNDER DELUXE which I will use for the next few sessions, until the blade challnge blades arrive, then I must test those.

I do not wish to become an EJ virus infected monster who is always switching gear looking for better or perfect setup. I never become that kind of dude. I have a very good idea of the kind of things that would work for me and can operate any of those. That means I have dozens of bats I could literally take out of the bat case and begin to function well almost right away. That isn't a bad deal.

I am prolly gunna blow $400-$500 USD for running the blade challenge, but it will be history and a good look for the custom blade makers. That isn't being EJ, it is promoting local business, local within our community.
 
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The last 4 sessions, I have used the 110 gram Black Limba outer blade from Nate's last shipment. I now have a black sheet of T05FX that is very used and a newer sheet of Tibhar FX-P (I ordered a bunch of FX-P by mistake, but can still use those rubbers well). This is the blade in my Signature.

I named the blade the QUARTER POUNDER DELUXE which I will use for the next few sessions, until the blade challnge blades arrive, then I must test those.

I do not wish to become an EJ virus infected monster who is always switching gear looking for better or perfect setup. I never become that kind of dude. I have a very good idea of the kind of things that would work for me and can operate any of those. That means I have dozens of bats I could literally take out of the bat case and begin to function well almost right away. That isn't a bad deal.

I am prolly gunna blow $400-$500 USD for running the blade challenge, but it will be history and a good look for the custom blade makers. That isn't being EJ, it is promoting local business, local within our community.

What do you think of the quarter pounder so far? It's got that redwood core that Carl has been eloquently describing in his EJ thread...but it also has my favorite medial ply (Spruce!).

 
says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
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What do you think of the quarter pounder so far? It's got that redwood core that Carl has been eloquently describing in his EJ thread...but it also has my favorite medial ply (Spruce!).

Well Nate, with softer modern dynamic rubbers, I can do what I want with it... and at 110 grams, the power shots surely have power.

BTW, the specs for the blade challenge are up in a new thread if you haven't seen it.
 
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Hello. My name is Nate....and I um....have a problem (spoken in the tone of an AA meeting, since this is about blade-addiction).

Since I started making blades a few years ago, I've been amassing what I call my "blade library", which is full of blades with specifications that I think I would enjoy trying (or blades I believe fit some ideal of mine). I've been trying to limit myself to 3 boxes full (12 blades per box). The image below is my box of my favorite 7 ply blades that I was categorizing today (I have another box of 5-ply blades, and another that's a mixture of very original compositions and some of the first blades I made that I'm fond of). COVID-19 has made it very difficult for me to try many of my blades, though I do believe I've settled on my ideal (for now)...

Hide-Glued, European Larch - Spruce - Alaskan Yellow Cedar - Kiri (core) w/ Tenergy 19 and Xiom Omega V Tour DF
PXL_20210411_200141820_2.jpg
 
says Spin and more spin.
says Spin and more spin.
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I wish RokPhish still posted on the forum. He had the best EJ photos ever. One time he posted a photo of about 20 blades all standing near each other and he wrote about how he had just sealed all of them and was waiting to test them all. Another time someone had asked about edge tape and he posted a photo of a TT table where one side was covered with a mountain of edge tape rolls that was well over a foot high. :)


For TT EJ photos, look for RokphishTT on Instagram. He has more blades than you could possibly imagine. :)


I say, if you are having fun and it fits in your budget, why not. Plus, the wood grain on all those blades looks great.
 
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