How are table tennis blades classified in your country?

[LeBallski]

Hey, I’m conducting a small survey as part of a research project, and I’d really appreciate it if you could answer these questions. At this stage, I need input from the international table tennis community.​

1. When you shop for a table tennis blade in your country, what grip categories or labels do stores usually use? Please list the terms you normally see.

2. Are Japanese penhold and Chinese penhold usually sold as separate categories in your country?

• Yes
• No
• Sometimes
• I don’t know

3. Is there a separate local name or category for a chinese penhold blade with rubber on both sides? If yes, what is it called?

4. What do you think of a Japanese penhold blade with inverted rubber on both sides?

 

[mightymouse]

Hey, I’m conducting a small survey as part of a research project, and I’d really appreciate it if you could answer these questions. At this stage, I need input from the international table tennis community.​

1. When you shop for a table tennis blade in your country, what grip categories or labels do stores usually use? Please list the terms you normally see.

The most popular grip is Flared (FL) and I don't even know the word of FL in my language. It is practically given that FL is the one you need. But they sometimes offer Straight (ST) as well, but limited in quantity. Very rare, I find Anatomic (AN) in the store.
So we basically use the English words: Flared, Straight and Anatomic.

2. Are Japanese penhold and Chinese penhold usually sold as separate categories in your country?

• Yes
• No
• Sometimes
• I don’t know

Penhold blades are usually in separate display from Shakehand blades, but in the penhold display, they are mixed together (although organized in groups of CH and JPN penholds, but the name of the display is "Penhold" only). Chinese penhold is the norm. Seldom people use Japanese penhold nowadays. Back in my youth, Japanese penhold (hinoki one-ply) is quite popular. I even owned one back then: Butterfly Senkoh-Z.

So, answering your question: YES. There are separate categories of Shakehand and penhold blades. But not within the Penhold category itself.

3. Is there a separate local name or category for a chinese penhold blade with rubber on both sides? If yes, what is it called?

Again, I don't know the words in my language. Basically when you buy a penhold blades (and buying rubbers as well), they will ask whether it is traditional (one rubber) or RPB style (2 rubbers). So, I don't know the words in my language, basically they go by "one rubber or two rubbers?" or "FH side only or both sides?"

Once I met a JPN penholder with rubbers on both sides (so RPB is not limited to Chinese penhold blades).

4. What do you think of a Japanese penhold blade with inverted rubber on both sides?

It does not matter, I have seen few players do that and they play fine with it. Although the shape of JPN penhold is not that suitable for RPB (my opinion only).

Sorry, I can't help you much here as I don't know local words for TT terms. Basically we use English words to describe them.

 

[ZSQ]

Hi, I'm a Chinese person who just registered as a new member of TTD. Before that, I had been quietly learning from the knowledge in various threads.

1. When you shop for a table tennis blade in your country, what grip categories or labels do stores usually use? Please list the terms you normally see.

Generally, for the following three types of blades, stores directly use the English abbreviations, for example:

• FL
• ST
• CS (Chinese Penhold / 中式直拍 / 中直)

When we say "penhold", we usually mean "Chinese Penhold".
There are also some less common handle types that are not often seen in brick-and-mortar or online stores, such as:

• AN (Anatomic / 葫芦柄)
• JP (Japanese Penhold / 日式直拍 / 日直)

2. Are Japanese penhold and Chinese penhold usually sold as separate categories in your country?

Yes, Chinese Penhold and Japanese Penhold blades are two completely different products. Just as FL and ST are not lumped together and sold simply as "shakehand".

3. Is there a separate local name or category for a chinese penhold blade with rubber on both sides? If yes, what is it called?

When we say "penhold", we usually mean "a Chinese penhold blade with rubber on both sides". Due to the development of the RPB technique, single-sided rubber penhold blades have become a niche, traditional style of play in today's era. If we come across one, we'll think to ourselves, "Oh, he's using a single-sided penhold blade with no rubber on the BH. He might be a player who sticks to the traditional style."

4. What do you think of a Japanese penhold blade with inverted rubber on both sides?

Sorry, I don't play penhold blades. As I said earlier, there are very few JP blade players in China, so I can't give a meaningful reply on this point.