Handle choice for Cybershape: Flared, Straight – or slight sanding down?

[Doppelschlag]

Moin y’all from a Swede in Germany,

Coming back to TT after ~20 years off. Just joined a club again – most of the movements are still there, just rusty. Amazing feeling, feel very happy!

I need new gear, and after testing a few blades in shops I’m set on getting the Stiga Allround Classic Cybershape.

What I can’t decide on is the handle shape:

• Flared (concave) – feels intuitive in the hand, but also a bit narrow and makes me grip very high up towards the rubber.
• Straight – feels solid and comfortable, but a bit “blocky/stiff” in comparison.
• Option C: buy the straight version and carefully sand it down to create just a slight concave waist.

About me:

• 181 cm, medium hands (glove size 8), slim fingers
• Used to play Stiga anatomic handle back in the day (closest to straight in thickness, but with curves)
• Posted a couple of photos of a blade identical to my old one below, for size reference. Feels a bit thin in circumference.

Questions:

• Has anyone here tested both flared and straight on the Cybershape (or other Stiga allround blades)?
• In your experience, does handle shape really matter for developing solid technique, or is it mostly preference?
• Has anyone ever tried lightly sanding a straight handle to create a very subtle concave? Did it work in practice, or did it turn out to be a bad idea? (My impression is that straight already feels almost right, but just needs a touch more contour, whereas flared seems nice in shape, but pretty thin.)
• And if not diy:ing – which one would i better get used to? I see that truls plays ST but Jarvis FL (then again, they are probably custom anyway?).
• Is either handle type generally considered better for learning good fundamentals?
• I saw a video claiming that flared handles can give more power, since you can hold the grip looser and then “squeeze” for a kind of turbo effect. Is there any truth to this in principle, or is that way beyond my current level?

Both handles feel “okay but different” to me – and before you say “just go with what feels best” – I genuinely have no gut feeling here. I’d love to hear your experiences, especially in terms of developing proper technique.


PS. The seller also recommended Donic Bluefire (M2, I believe) for forehand and a slightly slower Xiom rubber for backhand. Do you think that’s a good pairing for this blade?

 

[Doppelschlag]

I’ll ping @DG89 directly: I saw in a post you have both – maybe you could weigh in?

 

[Tyce]

Hi, you are super overthinking this.

If you pick either of them and just use it, you will get used to it.
If you sand the straight handle, you will also be OK.
If you get the flared handle and use a bit of sidetape to improve the shape, you will also be OK.
If you decide to pick a different brand that does still offer a good feeling handle? Also OK.

All of the options are good. Don't worry about any of the so called performance differences between shapes, the best shape is what makes you feel comfortable and confident so you don't have to think about it during your games.

 

[golden_son]

From the photo you already seem to be holding your racket pretty high with the AN handle. Why not go with the flared style? Your hands look almost identical to mine (side note: not something I've ever noticed before and a weird thing to experience lol); I've tried a multitude of both FL and ST handles and I like how sturdy ST feels but for me it makes the forehand-bankhand transition a little less easy. By and large I've settled on FL. I will admit not all FL handles are comfortable though.

I do like the idea of buying a ST handle and sanding it to a flared-esque shape. It's more effort, but it's also more personalized. If you have the patience, go for it.

 

[Marcelo Augusto]

Eu uso no momento Cybershape Aura, com Jeckyll Hyde C57 no fh e C52 no bh.
Optei pelo cabo FL, que achei mais anatômico e ficou ótimo pra mim.
Na minha opinião o cabo não tem toda essa relevância que você está imaginando, e lixar o cabo é totalmente necessário.
O que eu fiz foi colocar um grip no cabo, pois percebi que o cabo da Stiga absorve muito o suor, e com o tempo a lâmina tende a ficar mais lenta.
Muito mais importante que o cabo é conseguir ajustar uma boa pegada, com os dedos polegar e indicador formando uma pinça e os outros dedos bem relaxados, apenas dando suporte ao cabo.
Com a Cybershape eu acho que é melhor uma pegada baixa para ter mais rotação do pulso, e manter o pulso reto para conseguir o melhor ponto de contato, que fica mais próximo da cabeça da lâmina.

 

[Tembel]

Stiga flared are quite narrow. Too narrow for my taste. I would recommend either getting the flared version and put some grip tape on or buy the straight handle and get used to it. Don't bother with trying to sand it into a custom flared.

 

[Doppelschlag]

Hi, you are super overthinking this.

If you pick either of them and just use it, you will get used to it.
If you sand the straight handle, you will also be OK.
If you get the flared handle and use a bit of sidetape to improve the shape, you will also be OK.
If you decide to pick a different brand that does still offer a good feeling handle? Also OK.

All of the options are good. Don't worry about any of the so called performance differences between shapes, the best shape is what makes you feel comfortable and confident so you don't have to think about it during your games.

Yes, I am!

I guess you’re right. But of course, I really do not know what i feel comfortable with yet.
A bit reluctant to put tape on a flared, might have less feel in the hand.
Maybe I’ll try the slight sanding – making thinner is possible, thicker not so much.
Thanks!

 

[Doppelschlag]

From the photo you already seem to be holding your racket pretty high with the AN handle. Why not go with the flared style? Your hands look almost identical to mine (side note: not something I've ever noticed before and a weird thing to experience lol); I've tried a multitude of both FL and ST handles and I like how sturdy ST feels but for me it makes the forehand-bankhand transition a little less easy. By and large I've settled on FL. I will admit not all FL handles are comfortable though.

I do like the idea of buying a ST handle and sanding it to a flared-esque shape. It's more effort, but it's also more personalized. If you have the patience, go for it.

You recommend both variants, confusing me even more! Seriously though: I though FH/BH-transitions were supposed to be easier with straight?

Is holding it high a good thing, you mean?

 

[Doppelschlag]

Stiga flared are quite narrow. Too narrow for my taste. I would recommend either getting the flared version and put some grip tape on or buy the straight handle and get used to it. Don't bother with trying to sand it into a custom flared.

Thanks for taking time to answer. Not super into tape, so will probably try the ST, and maybe ofer time hand sand one mm off the waist over time if it keeps feeling clunky.

 

[Doppelschlag]

Eu uso no momento Cybershape Aura, com Jeckyll Hyde C57 no fh e C52 no bh.
Optei pelo cabo FL, que achei mais anatômico e ficou ótimo pra mim.
Na minha opinião o cabo não tem toda essa relevância que você está imaginando, e lixar o cabo é totalmente necessário.
O que eu fiz foi colocar um grip no cabo, pois percebi que o cabo da Stiga absorve muito o suor, e com o tempo a lâmina tende a ficar mais lenta.
Muito mais importante que o cabo é conseguir ajustar uma boa pegada, com os dedos polegar e indicador formando uma pinça e os outros dedos bem relaxados, apenas dando suporte ao cabo.
Com a Cybershape eu acho que é melhor uma pegada baixa para ter mais rotação do pulso, e manter o pulso reto para conseguir o melhor ponto de contato, que fica mais próximo da cabeça da lâmina.

Thanks!

• Are you saying that sanding it is important?

• What did you put on your handle? Do you have a picture?

• With low grip – do you mean close to the rubber?

 

[Marcelo Augusto]

Desculpe, foi um erro de escrita. Não sei porque saiu assim. Estou dizendo que lixar o cabo é totalmente desnecessário.
Na verdade você pode pensar em lixar a asa (ou ombro) da raquete, para apoiar melhor o dedo médio, se achar que está incomodando um pouco.
Eu coloquei no cabo o grip da Xiom. Segue a tudo abaixo.

 

[golden_son]

You recommend both variants, confusing me even more! Seriously though: I though FH/BH-transitions were supposed to be easier with straight?

Is holding it high a good thing, you mean?

I personally would choose FL. Straight handles give a little more stability on the BH (debatably) but, for me, don't shift as easily to the FH grip. Perhaps other people aren't as bothered.

Sanding a ST handle to fit exactly how you want would potentially give you the most comfortable fit, but it's extra work.

Holding it high is fine as long as it's comfortable for you.

 

[Egon]

Yes, I am!

I guess you’re right. But of course, I really do not know what i feel comfortable with yet.
A bit reluctant to put tape on a flared, might have less feel in the hand.
Maybe I’ll try the slight sanding – making thinner is possible, thicker not so much.
Thanks!

You can make the handle thicker. To do this, remove the two handle halves and glue a sheet of veneer to each. Veneer is standardly 0.6 mm thick, so you'll add 1.2 mm. This is often enough.
To remove the handle without too much trouble, heat it up with a heat gun and a utility knife. If you do everything carefully, the handle's original appearance will remain intact!

 

[Doppelschlag]

T

You can make the handle thicker. To do this, remove the two handle halves and glue a sheet of veneer to each. Veneer is standardly 0.6 mm thick, so you'll add 1.2 mm. This is often enough.
To remove the handle without too much trouble, heat it up with a heat gun and a utility knife. If you do everything carefully, the handle's original appearance will remain intact!

That is very interesting indeed! I only considered the width of the waistline, not the thickness. Have you done anything like this yourself?

 

[Egon]

T

That is very interesting indeed! I only considered the width of the waistline, not the thickness. Have you done anything like this yourself?

Yes and not just once. This helps even when a narrow waist. And if you use light veneer, such as ayous, it adds very little weight and does not change the balance of the racket.