Importance of the blade handle (handle grip) over the actual blade

[Zwill]

I have tried probably 100 blades with different handles, be it FL, AN, or ST. Sorry for penhold players I will just add my comment on that, I wish every manufacturer gave you more choices. From my distant ovjective stance I think penace is the nicest but hey feel free to agree or disagree. Anyways I am on your side as well, more choice is better.

The point of this topic is which is more important, the actual blade construction, be it carbon vs all wood, cybershape vs round bat, head heavy or handle heavy, outer carbon vs inner carbon etc etc. Which is more important the actual handle/grip fitting yout hand or the the performance of the blade.

My point you can have the best possible blade itself, but with a non-fitting handle that blade will feel bad or you can have a perfectly fitting handle and have a mediocore blade but still that setup works so well for you.

And not to mention injury. Does a great handle prevent injuries? Or does a non-fitting handle promote them?

It's not a simple topic since all of us have different-sized palms, different lenght fingers, some have dry skin, some have more moist hands, all requires different shape and wood texture.
Just look at Timo (and now others) using some fake wood/rubber material for the handle or some Nittaku blades use metal handles.

I myself have a relatively bigger sized palm, so I like thick handles, my hand is also relatively dry so I like my handles to be like sandpaper. I do not mind if the handle sands my skin but I do mind if I need to adjust my grip a lot or need to use my own sweat to make the handle more grippy for my palm.

I do like FL handles, I think FL has the most benefits and least detriments since modern table tennis for men is about FH dominance and legs. And a good FL handle does not restrict one on backhand either too much.

I try to follow the Chinese philosophy since it's the most simple for absolute offensive, piercing through play.

I do have a mental ranking of handles that I have tried and for sure for me the best one is Stiga Inspira Plus FL, second is Yasaka Goiabao FL, and then there is a huge cliff like, lets say these previous handles are 10 and 9, the next is 5 with the Xiom Ice Cream Azx Pro. That is still a very good FL handle but the difference is night and day. Then there is the Primorac carbon FL at 5 too, the ST at 4, and then we get to W968 at 4, Cybershape FL at 4, Maze ALC AN at 4, etc etc, we get to Fang Bo 2 carbon at 2 and everything below is just really challenging to hold right. Not to play right, to hold right.

So I wonder what is more important, the blade construction or the handle?

 

[ToH]

The blade is probably more important. The problem is offcourse that i buy a blade and then change it after 3-4 weeks because i want a better handle. So i need both. I learned to play with smaller flared handles like Butterfly Franziska innerforce zlc and Tibhar AC Inside. A blade like Stiga Inspira CCF got a more comfortable handle and is much nicer than the Butterfly and Tibhar blade. But its to fast for me so leave it alone (for now).

 

[Vrael]

I have some amazing blades that I can't just settle with because of the handles. I took a bet and send them all to my friend recently and noz waiting for results. When handle is too big the fix is simple, but when it is too small then it is a gamble

 

[sebi]

I think both are very important, a all wood blade is totally different to a outer carbon blade. The blade should fit your playing style and the handle should fit your hand. To find both in the same blade is very hard.
I am on the waiting list for a blade made by Sergio. Right now I think alot about the handle design I even consider the donic dotec handle. But a bit thinner.

 

[al_111]

Both are important, obviously. It's just that the effects of construction can be more or less accurately predicted through the well-defined variables - stiffness, hardness, weight, balance and (arguably, to a lesser extent) frequency.

The handle shape, OTOH, also has quite a few covariates that affect how the racket will fit - at the very least, we should include wings height and width, the blades itself and both rubbers' thickness (here I must admit being very sensitive to these matters; e.g., even a half-mm difference in how the wings are sanded significantly affects how I feel the blade in my hand).

What this latter cluster of characteristics essentially does is affecting grip, and I think everyone will agree that even minor grip changes largely affect shot quality and, after an adjustment period, even tend to alter the required technique.

With all that said, the caveat here is that while the mechanical properties more or less understandably relate to how the blade will play, all grip-related aspects are so individual and so largely co-dependent on the player's hand size, arm length, height, stance, preferred game style and technique (all of which are themselves highly individual) that it’s hard to figure what use to make of the fact that someone else likes handle A more than handle B. Even if something is specified in a review, it is usually merely the "thin vs bulky" thing, and unless this is enough for you, it's next to impossible to know whether the blade will be a perfect fit without actually trying it yourself with your current set of rubbers.

P.S. And yes, to add insult to psychological injury😆: two blades of the same model will rarely play or feel exactly the same, so you can't reliably predict what you'll get after trying someone else's blade, either.

 

[rbtitco]

Id play a w968 if that handle was t so thin and lame. I guess ST ones exist. But theyre unicorns. I feel like if you can palm a basketball this sport is almost not for you, unless u want to custom handle things.

 

[TareqPhoto]

I tried several blades but to my own choices, not all or most of them are the common or popular one, but i tried, and i ended up with DSH blades, i liked the handle of DHS more than other brands such as Butterfly Stiga Nittaku and Yasaka, the best handle from Butterfly i had was of Primorac EX, but that racket was stolen from me, and only used FL and AN before until i came across a ST blade and i felt it was more comfortable in my hand but not stable, so it was like either i sacrifice comfort or stability, so i decided to have both handles ST and FL and gave up AN forever, and DHS handle either ST or FL all are comfortable but ST is more, and when i converted to defense style i only use ST as i can flip the racket easier or better with that, it helped my game, but now i became a defensive player less dangerous and less offensive which made me easier opponent to those who are more consistent or good enough against defensive, it helped me against players who i mostly suffer with offensive style as they only get used to offensive players and not good against defensive, i lost my fitness too, somehow i changed over the year and the handle of the blade kind of involved.

 

[TareqPhoto]

Id play a w968 if that handle was t so thin and lame. I guess ST ones exist. But theyre unicorns. I feel like if you can palm a basketball this sport is almost not for you, unless u want to custom handle things.

I bought two Long 5x blades in ST, before i had FL but i sold it without regret, then i bought W968 but i sold it to a friend who wanted it very badly and paid me almost original price and i didn't regret surprisingly, i wished if i can have this model in ST, i saw it somewhere but the price was almost too much than FL which is also expensive, so i went with W968 cheap clones with ST.

 

[rbtitco]

I bought two Long 5x blades in ST, before i had FL but i sold it without regret, then i bought W968 but i sold it to a friend who wanted it very badly and paid me almost original price and i didn't regret surprisingly, i wished if i can have this model in ST, i saw it somewhere but the price was almost too much than FL which is also expensive, so i went with W968 cheap clones with ST.

I might try to have one rehandled. Or pull off the handles and glue 1mm thick balsa veneers in between the blade and handles on each side to fatten it up. I cant stand tape.

 

[golden_son]

I might try to have one rehandled. Or pull off the handles and glue 1mm thick balsa veneers in between the blade and handles on each side to fatten it up. I cant stand tape.

The balsa is an interesting idea. Very lightweight so it shouldn't add too much weight. Might affect hand feeling, though?

My problem is usually not the vertical thickness as it is the horizontal direction/width. I find most FL handles taper too much in the middle, but the flared bottom still makes them feel more secure than a ST handle so I gave up on the ST experiment.

I found an AliExpress store selling just a variety of handles for like $4 apiece. If I weren't too afraid of ruining an expensive blade I'd go that route. Maybe I can test it on a blade I've semi-retired... @SDC All of your blades have beautiful custom handles, and I understand you do some re-handling work, too. Any advice for someone wanting to try replacing a handle at home (glue, method)?

 

[rbtitco]

The balsa is an interesting idea. Very lightweight so it shouldn't add too much weight. Might affect hand feeling, though?

My problem is usually not the vertical thickness as it is the horizontal direction/width. I find most FL handles taper too much in the middle, but the flared bottom still makes them feel more secure than a ST handle so I gave up on the ST experiment.

I found an AliExpress store selling just a variety of handles for like $4 apiece. If I weren't too afraid of ruining an expensive blade I'd go that route. Maybe I can test it on a blade I've semi-retired... @SDC All of your blades have beautiful custom handles, and I understand you do some re-handling work, too. Any advice for someone wanting to try replacing a handle at home (glue, method)?

Nothing could screw up the feeling worse than putting a rol of tape all over the handle, which is what i have to do now to play it. I might wait till the limba starts perling off to get the confidence to try this.
I remember trying to email some blademakers recommended here about rehabdling, but no one got back to me. I think one was no longer operational. I get it tho, who wants to rehandle dhs blades when u could sell people your own blade. Might have to find a woodworker.

 

[lodro]

even a half-mm difference in how the wings are sanded significantly affects how I feel the blade in my hand).

I was going to mention this as well. Just a few days back i looked at and old TSP blade that i knew was a good blade but it never quite fitted right in my hand. So I did some "skillful" grinding and sanding just on one side and this let my hand now sit just right on the blade. Prefect fit now, perfect blade

 

[TareqPhoto]

I might try to have one rehandled. Or pull off the handles and glue 1mm thick balsa veneers in between the blade and handles on each side to fatten it up. I cant stand tape.

It is an idea but i don't like to do it really, i always prefer the handle shape came as it is from factory, but it is not a big deal, i won't die if i can't have that ST of W968, also i am not doing it as a collecting challenge or playing serious, in fact i have a lot of blades or rackets i really have to get rid of first, and i think i better have a combination of handles so i can adjust to anything, i had one AN handle before but the blade was a junk from a well-known brand [guess], and i never felt like i miss that handle at all really.

 

[TareqPhoto]

Also, someone just mentioned something i really don't know if he is right about it or it is just a philosophy talk mostly, he said that if someone want to have a nice backhand playing he should use ST handle, while if he wanted a better FH experience then he better use FL, i couldn't digest what he said or understand it, so i never debate with him or ask, after all once i turned into defensive style and using LP i lost my BH consistency using ST, while i felt better doing FH with ST handle blade, i am not sure if i should go back to FL and no LP and no defense to regain back my backhand or it is too late for me now, i don't feel that my problem is in the handle shape really.

 

[sebi]

Also, someone just mentioned something i really don't know if he is right about it or it is just a philosophy talk mostly, he said that if someone want to have a nice backhand playing he should use ST handle, while if he wanted a better FH experience then he better use FL, i couldn't digest what he said or understand it, so i never debate with him or ask, after all once i turned into defensive style and using LP i lost my BH consistency using ST, while i felt better doing FH with ST handle blade, i am not sure if i should go back to FL and no LP and no defense to regain back my backhand or it is too late for me now, i don't feel that my problem is in the handle shape really.

Probably more philosophy then facts. If you like it, its good for you.

 

[TareqPhoto]

Probably more philosophy then facts. If you like it, its good for you.

Today i played with ST two or three rackets, i was playing nice, and last game only i played against someone without LP, i got my backhand back, so i agree it was philosophy more.

 

[CyNyC]

The point of this topic is which is more important, the actual blade construction, be it carbon vs all wood, cybershape vs round bat, head heavy or handle heavy, outer carbon vs inner carbon etc etc. Which is more important the actual handle/grip fitting yout hand or the the performance of the blade.

Sharing my opinion on this one with 3 blade experience. I have small hands.

Clipper FL: Clipper-like flare handles suit me really well; grip feeling is loose enough to have relaxed wrist (BH loop) and feels solid on hard forehand shots with firm wrist. I tried also a Korbel and feeling is similar.

BSS1 FL: It has bigger/wider handle than Clipper and I needed few hours to get used to. Now it's ok on FH, wrist movement on BH is a bit slower anyway, but shots quality now is like Clipper.

Old 3+2 carbon blade: never really used because of its chunky handle. Transitions between FH and BH grips have always been difficult. Also FH feels less natural. Racket angle on BH shots/block is very different from BSS1 and Clipper.
Also with soft rubbers I didn't feel the ball at all, no dwell time, no vibration, no feedback from the blade.

As I wanted to give carbon blade a last try, I recently adpated its handle, sandpapered to copy Clipper shape and....Boom! Dramatically changed!
Now BH loops feel natural, wrist is free, I receive feedback from the blade and I feel where and how I hit the ball.
Geometry on BH block is ok.

Really seems that changing blade shape, and then the grip, improved overall sensation in term of comfort, shot quality and blade feedback.
Maybe handle shape is not the "most" important aspect, but definitely one that can enhance or ruin a blade experience

 

[Egon]

I might try to have one rehandled. Or pull off the handles and glue 1mm thick balsa veneers in between the blade and handles on each side to fatten it up. I cant stand tape.

It's best to use 0.5-0.6 mm thick ayоus veneer. In my experience, this thickness is usually enough. If it's not, you can easily add second layer of veneer. Balsa is very soft and will definitely change the overall feel of the blade.

 

[rbtitco]

It's best to use 0.5-0.6 mm thick ayоus veneer. In my experience, this thickness is usually enough. If it's not, you can easily add second layer of veneer. Balsa is very soft and will definitely change the overall feel of the blade.

Thanks, thats good advice

 

[andymagata]

I could be wrong, but I have this feeling that the handle plays a much more important role then any of the replies so far have suggested. How long it is, how thick it is on bh and fh, alignments and cuts and angles. Or maybe - did I fall for the info on Soulspin’s site? To buy one of each would be a very expensive endeavor, but I wonder how much thought blademakets put into this? They do not even offer blades for lefties or righties which could be very odd when I think about it.