Blade’s weight depending on humidity? How much?

[Larshos]

I ordered a Yinhe U2 on Aliexpress. I wanted to get one slightly above the average weight, and asked for this from the seller. The stated average weight for this blade is 89 g, +/- 5 g.
I received it, and after removing the plastic foil and included protective sheet, the blade weighed 91.1 g. Nice!

About three days later I decided to weigh it again, and it weighed "just" 88.3 g.
I assume that the air humidity in my apartment is lower than in the factory in China, and that’s what caused this?

Should I conclude that I have received a sample slightly above the average weight, because it was that right after unpacking it? Or slightly below the average weight, because this loss of weight would have happened regardless of the difference in humidity (remains of water in the blade from the lamination process, artificially high humidity in the factory etc etc)?

I know this is a nitpicky question. But again, I believe many of us here on TTD are.

 

[Lazer]

Check your scale, that’s too much difference.

Cheers
L-zr

 

[Larshos]

Check your scale, that’s too much difference.

Cheers
L-zr

I’ve checked it - it gives correct readings..

 

[PhoenixTT]

The difference would be 2.8gm = 2.8ml of water +/- depending on the temperature. Curious if that's a small enough volume to be absorbed by a blade. Anyway, the weight change is an interesting phenomenon, whatever the cause.

 

[pong99]

Oscar, the Nexy designer who posts here once in a while has stated that blades can lose a small amount of weight due to to the wood and glue drying out after manufacture. Your experience is consistent with this.

Consumer grade scales usually have a tolerance of +/- 1g.

Blade balance is more important than a gram or two in overall weight.

 

[longle]

I also wonder: does the blade's weight and properties changes after years of playing (my King 3 is 9 YO). It seems with blade lacquer it can retain it weight (mine is 89gr now - almost the same since unbox)

 

[lodro]

It seems with blade lacquer it can retain it weight

Yep, I was going to suggest just that.
when applying the lacquer one should make sure to cover the edges as well. After that , I don't think a blade will take on a lot of fluid.
I never cover my handles so any weight gain or loss will likely be there and makes no difference to my play.

 

[Zwill]

I also wonder: does the blade's weight and properties changes after years of playing (my King 3 is 9 YO). It seems with blade lacquer it can retain it weight (mine is 89gr now - almost the same since unbox)

I remember when I was young the highly ranked players always said old wood (like 20-30 year old) are dried out and feel the best. They were talking mostly about the old Stiga blades.

I don't know about dried out being the case, I suppose they are just worn in and become softer and maybe that gives them that "old Stiga feel" that everyone was seeking back then. (and maybe the old good quality wood too that no longer exists since they were all used back then)

So I think the blade's moisture content will change according to the weather more or less, but they will get softer to some point due to the mechanical wear.

I guess the climate is also a pretty big factory, surely south east Asia or Brazil etc with extremely high humidity has different effect than let's say middle Europe where it's much more dry.

 

[longle]

I remember when I was young the highly ranked players always said old wood (like 20-30 year old) are dried out and feel the best. They were talking mostly about the old Stiga blades.

I don't know about dried out being the case, I suppose they are just worn in and become softer and maybe that gives them that "old Stiga feel" that everyone was seeking back then. (and maybe the old good quality wood too that no longer exists since they were all used back then)

So I think the blade's moisture content will change according to the weather more or less, but they will get softer to some point due to the mechanical wear.

I guess the climate is also a pretty big factory, surely south east Asia or Brazil etc with extremely high humidity has different effect than let's say middle Europe where it's much more dry.

yes the humidity makes a huge changes in play, like in Vietnam in the most humid days the tacky rubbers becomes slippery. I guess the blade will absorb some. Let me try to dry out my blade to see if there is any changes in weight

 

[longle]

Yep, I was going to suggest just that.
when applying the lacquer one should make sure to cover the edges as well. After that , I don't think a blade will take on a lot of fluid.
I never cover my handles so any weight gain or loss will likely be there and makes no difference to my play.

many people I know lacquer their blade's handles for various reasons: sweaty hands, handle may become dirty, or easier to sell the blade. I don't because it will change my hand feeling

 

[Zwill]

yes the humidity makes a huge changes in play, like in Vietnam in the most humid days the tacky rubbers becomes slippery. I guess the blade will absorb some. Let me try to dry out my blade to see if there is any changes in weight

Same in China, when it's so humid table tennis becomes a different sport. And some balls slip more than others in humid weather too. Humidity is my enemy but I bet the LP pen "attackers" love it.

 

[longle]

Same in China, when it's so humid table tennis becomes a different sport. And some balls slip more than others in humid weather too. Humidity is my enemy but I bet the LP pen "attackers" love it.

there is one player I know who plays pimples on 2 sides, SP and LP, and he has very sweaty hands... you know how the game looks like

 

[lodro]

Same in China, when it's so humid table tennis becomes a different sport. And some balls slip more than others in humid weather too. Humidity is my enemy but I bet the LP pen "attackers" love it.

......and we don't have to go into the tropics to suffer from this effect. Last night at the club I played like the first human ever to grab a TT blade. It was hot and humid enough to especially make my BH useless.
Tack ? what tack ? My H3 had turned into antispin 😁

 

[Zwill]

@longle @lodro I know exactly hhhhh

there is one player I know who plays pimples on 2 sides, SP and LP, and he has very sweaty hands... you know how the game looks like

Actually I like playing against such players if there is no humidity. And I like when a very trained sports university player loses against them too hhhhh it's so funny to see their face. All the great multiball training and can't beat some junk rubber player hhhh
But the best is when two of these kinds of players meet eachother and none of them can play. That is comedy gold.

 

[Arkady]

I ordered a Yinhe U2 on Aliexpress. I wanted to get one slightly above the average weight, and asked for this from the seller. The stated average weight for this blade is 89 g, +/- 5 g.
I received it, and after removing the plastic foil and included protective sheet, the blade weighed 91.1 g. Nice!

About three days later I decided to weigh it again, and it weighed "just" 88.3 g.
I assume that the air humidity in my apartment is lower than in the factory in China, and that’s what caused this?

Should I conclude that I have received a sample slightly above the average weight, because it was that right after unpacking it? Or slightly below the average weight, because this loss of weight would have happened regardless of the difference in humidity (remains of water in the blade from the lamination process, artificially high humidity in the factory etc etc)?

I know this is a nitpicky question. But again, I believe many of us here on TTD are.

I can confirm that humidity does affect blades.
I have an AJH TMXi and an AJH TMXi Pro (both brand new and unplayed) which I bought last summer.
Both of them are now about 1 to 1.2 grams heavier now and I'm pretty sure about that, because I had noted the weight when I bought them.

 

[Larshos]

Oscar, the Nexy designer who posts here once in a while has stated that blades can lose a small amount of weight due to to the wood and glue drying out after manufacture. Your experience is consistent with this.

Consumer grade scales usually have a tolerance of +/- 1g.

Blade balance is more important than a gram or two in overall weight.

My scale have a tolerance of +/- .1 g. Its more specifically a coffee scale, not a kitchen scale per say.

I can confirm that humidity does affect blades.
I have an AJH TMXi and an AJH TMXi Pro (both brand new and unplayed) which I bought last summer.
Both of them are now about 1 to 1.2 grams heavier now and I'm pretty sure about that, because I had noted the weight when I bought them.

Ok, good to know! But I thought Korea would have a higher humidity than Greece..?

 

[haggisv]

It seems with blade lacquer it can retain it weight (mine is 89gr now - almost the same since unbox)

The irony is of course that the lacquer has added weight, and this weight may be as much as the increase in weight from moisture. Still worth it though I agree.

 

[Arkady]

My scale have a tolerance of +/- .1 g. Its more specifically a coffee scale, not a kitchen scale per say.

Ok, good to know! But I thought Korea would have a higher humidity than Greece..?

Yes, the tolerance of my scale is the same.
Don't know if the humidity in Korea is greater than Greece, but where I live is somewhat forested area and the humidity is very due to the trees, especially during wintertime.

 

[zeio]

Above the average weight.

 

[longle]

Okay I succeeded in drying my wood - put it in Airfryer at 80oC in 2 mins (don't put in microwave oven or the carbon fiber will catch fire) - and it reduced the weight by 0.8gr !