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  1. My experience with Chinese rubbers

    Any updates on how the Loki 3 Pro performs? I'm a big fan of the R3 Blue myself and I'm looking for a good quality black rubber to team it with at around the same price point. :)
  2. Hello from Australia

    Welcome!
  3. Need Advice on Dealing with Nervous Tension During Crucial Table Tennis Matches

    Learn to laugh at yourself, and do so before any key moments arrive in a game. I used to tense up hugely whenever I was approaching key points in a match (eg: 10-all in the fifth and final game). This invariably led to me making silly mistakes. Then this one time during a match I right royally...
  4. Alternatives to Yasaka Valmo

    Hi folks. Tried out a second hand sheet of Yasaka Valmo on the weekend, and absolutely bloody loved it -- but apparently it's been discontinued 🙄🙄 Anybody know of another, preferably non-discontinued rubber, that's genuinely close to it for playing feel? (No idea how long it's been...
  5. SDC Handmade Blades

    Ooooohhh now that IS lovely. Brilliant bit of handle design there - Respect! 😎👍
  6. Cheap alternative to D05?

    If you want something fast, hard, cheap, non-tacky, Chinese and durable, I think it's gotta be a Loki T3. The spin is nowhere near dignics.level (actually it's downright average most of the time) but on some occasions if you get your technique *just right* the spin can surprise you (especially...
  7. Is it possible to improve with only robot training?

    Robots are only ever one side of the coin. Robots provide repetition, and that's basically all they provide...but they provide it extremely well, and on demand. You need repetition to improve - no question there. But you also need guidance, feedback, and real-word implementation -- none of...
  8. Victas Koki Niwa ZC quality control problem?

    Actually (putting on his wood-geek hat), there's always a residual amount of moisture present in dried wood, which typically varies anywhere from 8 to 15 percent or more by weight, depending on your location on the planet and its climate. It's only relevant because the playing properties of...
  9. Victas Koki Niwa ZC quality control problem?

    Wow! Yeah, that wouldn't be the shrink-wrapping. Shrink wrapping shouldn't put that much stress on a blade normally. That being said, shrink-wrapping requires application of heat, and if badly done it might cause one side if the bade to dry out, which could conceivably cause the cupping you...
  10. Victas Koki Niwa ZC quality control problem?

    Mmmm - yeah, blade twist is a bugger. There's a lot of possible causes for that - it could be anything from misaligned grain in the core, to uneven gluing or drying, to movement in the wood after manufacture due to changes in humidity. Only thing you can really do with a blade like that is...
  11. Most reliable and long-lasting non-tacky rubbers other than Butterfly.

    Long lasting *and* non tacky? If the AK47 had better longevity I'd recommend that one every time. Far closer to the mark is the 729 Focus 3 in hard sponge, or else go with a classic Mark V in Max sponge. Those who say the Mark V is too slow are probably using an ALL to ALL + rated blade (or...
  12. Tips on protecting top veneer ?

    As for the OP, any decent polyurethane based finish will do the job just fine. Either water based or oil based poly will do the job (with oil-based being that tiny bit tougher). Wipe on one thing coat with a clean, lint-free rag, and then wipe off any excess with another. Leave it to dry fully...
  13. What other rubbers different than Rozenas on all wood blade?

    For what it's worth, I find that with all wood blades, differences in blade speed have a greater effect than differences in rubber speed. This is less the case with composite blades, as regardless of what type of reinforcing fabric you use, it all puts a solid "floor" under the blade's speed...
  14. Aesthetically, what’s the most beautiful blade in your opinion?

    Choosing my *one* favorite attractive blade? Jesus - now there's a challenge. I'm a bit of a woodgrain purist when it comes to aesthetics - I love the look of beautiful timber grain, and while brilliant graphic design and artwork will always be a love of mine, I tend to admire more minimalist...
  15. Thoughts on External Carbon blades?

    There's also a formal requirement that any external coating on the playing surface (paint lacquer etc) be less than 0.1mm thick. I would imagine this necessitates the epoxy coating the fibers must ALSO be less than 0.1mm thick (as the epoxy is there to secure and protect the carbon fibers...
  16. Thoughts on External Carbon blades?

    That's certainly how I've interpreted the rule myself. Also seems pretty clear that carbon fiber is meant purely *as a reinforcement* and not as a casing, external playing surface, or outermost protective layer for the wood. Only way carbon fiber could be an outer layer, is if it were...
  17. I'm currently in full EJ mode. What other rubbers should I try?

    https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32877103069.html
  18. I'm currently in full EJ mode. What other rubbers should I try?

    I know you said you don't want to try any Chinese rubbers, but the Palio AK47 Red is a kick-arse rubber that is both completely non-tacky, and totally european in all its playing characteristics. It's also arguably the best value for money rubber currently out there -- tensor-like performance...
  19. Which glue is more safe for the wood?

    I think it's possible yeah - though at the same time, people do all kinds of crazy stuff with boosters and speed glue. The delamination damage I've seen isn't confined to one brand, though that said, I have seen a couple DHS blades with this sort of delamination lately. This is no reflection...
  20. Which glue is more safe for the wood?

    Thanks for the clarification 🙂 To clarify myself, I was actually saying IMO no products containing VOC solvents should be put on your blade at all -- including speed glue. I also made the point that during the speed glue days, blades were made using glues that were highly VOC resistant (ie...
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