Just curious how many Penholders are on TTD?

This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Well-Known Member
Aug 2016
2,573
1,747
4,543
Read 3 reviews
brought a new jpen

10mm thick, yasaka hasha V

its about 88g, maybe a tad too light? there was a discount and it was the only blade left in stock, so i just nabbed it. kinda worried about how it'll perform though, since normally heavier jpen blades are preferred

grains look similar to my rorin, slanted on the left and tightly packed on the right, but once again i do not really care about grains ;)

ill just stick an old sheet of bluefire m1 i had on it after putting baby oil on it and see how it goes

or maybe ill stick a yinhe mercury 2 on it instead? decisions, decisions :p


View attachment 22500

Is this the old stock? Apparently it is as good as Butterfly's
 
says former JPEN, now CPEN
says former JPEN, now CPEN
Member
Aug 2019
218
115
443
Is this the old stock? Apparently it is as good as Butterfly's

not sure if its an old stock or not

stuck my yinhe mercury 2 on it cuz my m1 is shrunk to the point that its too small to fit the entire face of the blade

first impressions, my rorin has more power, but that could be because of the rubber ive put on hasha (its a soft chinese rubber after all). it does have good speed when i hit it hard, though. probably faster if i put an eurojap rubber on it.

i felt that blocking with it is really solid, much more stable than my rorin, but that could be because of the way i shaved my hasha. one could say that i shaved a bit too much on my rorin for me to have a tight enough grip.

smells good too, my rorin doesnt give off the hinoki smell out of the box :D
 
This user has no status.
Hello:

Just curious how many Penholders are on TTD? I know of a few already (JeffM, Liten, suds79) , not sure if site has a create thread/poll option... didn't think i see it.

Are you a modern penholder? Are you a JPen player? Is there a RPB for JPen?

Or are you like me an oldschool one-sided CPen penholder?

Me: I am currently using MX-P on my FH, will add a LP Ox to my BH soon, more for weight and protect the racket than actually using the LP in play. My whole game is one-sided oldschool PH (FH smashes, sucky FH loops, FH blocks, BH blocks, no BH smashes and use a BH punch (aka 'push-block'). At some point, may try to use the LP and/or add short pips - but my concern is that the added short pips is too heavy for my liking.

Also, seems like PH is dying out on the world-class level. Recent Ask the Pro video, Wong Chun Ting said PH is dying out. SO wanted to check out on the non-world-class level how many PH are on here :)

Thank you in advance.

Next :)

Hi! I am back to the sport of table tennis and play penhold single sided, short pips. I am also from NYC and hope after Covid I can meet some cool people to play with and get better as I never played any tournaments. I've been a basement player all my life but recently bought a table and a robot so I'm practicing everyday from home.

I also collect old double happiness bats as I play an old PF4 bat. It's an old 32, 5-ply...fell apart a bit but I reglued the handle. Some pictures of my collection are here if anyone is interested:

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/fo...-Getting-back-in-the-game&p=335357#post335357
 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Well-Known Member
Aug 2016
2,573
1,747
4,543
Read 3 reviews
Hi! I am back to the sport of table tennis and play penhold single sided, short pips. I am also from NYC and hope after Covid I can meet some cool people to play with and get better as I never played any tournaments. I've been a basement player all my life but recently bought a table and a robot so I'm practicing everyday from home.

I also collect old double happiness bats as I play an old PF4 bat. It's an old 32, 5-ply...fell apart a bit but I reglued the handle. Some pictures of my collection are here if anyone is interested:

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/fo...-Getting-back-in-the-game&p=335357#post335357

Awesome. Those blades have some of the best feel
 
  • Like
Reactions: OldschoolPenholder
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Well-Known Member
Aug 2016
1,841
2,808
13,658
Hi! I am back to the sport of table tennis and play penhold single sided, short pips. I am also from NYC and hope after Covid I can meet some cool people to play with and get better as I never played any tournaments. I've been a basement player all my life but recently bought a table and a robot so I'm practicing everyday from home.

I also collect old double happiness bats as I play an old PF4 bat. It's an old 32, 5-ply...fell apart a bit but I reglued the handle. Some pictures of my collection are here if anyone is interested:

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/fo...-Getting-back-in-the-game&p=335357#post335357

Hi KarlP4001! Welcome to TTD and also the PH thread!

~osph
 
  • Like
Reactions: UpSideDownCarl
This user has no status.
Awesome. Those blades have some of the best feel


I didn't know that! I would have no idea on what to choose now a days. I did see that DHS has a 032 cpen in their line up...maybe that's their modern replacement? Who knows...I think I have enough in my collection to mess around. I'm just curious to try new rubbers and different short pips...and practice!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: OldschoolPenholder
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Well-Known Member
Aug 2016
1,841
2,808
13,658
PHers!

Hope all are healthy and safe!

I didn't update on my gear change. I don't recall the exact name(s) and when I have a chance I will post pix.

Stopped using my Taksim carbon blade and went to a Stiga wood CPen. Don't recall name, it had a hollow handle. Some kind of technology making it faster or something like that. I used it maybe since Feb 2020 until mid-March. Started gettting used to it. Using BigDipper as FH and one of the Nittaku sheets for RPB ("SpinArt" ... "Spin" ...???) Put my new blade in temporary storage. Out of sight, out of mind, spare me the agony of missing TT :(

~osph
 
  • Like
Reactions: KarlP4001
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Well-Known Member
Aug 2016
2,573
1,747
4,543
Read 3 reviews
PHers!

Hope all are healthy and safe!

I didn't update on my gear change. I don't recall the exact name(s) and when I have a chance I will post pix.

Stopped using my Taksim carbon blade and went to a Stiga wood CPen. Don't recall name, it had a hollow handle. Some kind of technology making it faster or something like that. I used it maybe since Feb 2020 until mid-March. Started gettting used to it. Using BigDipper as FH and one of the Nittaku sheets for RPB ("SpinArt" ... "Spin" ...???) Put my new blade in temporary storage. Out of sight, out of mind, spare me the agony of missing TT :(

~osph

We are lucky that we clubs are up and running in New Zealand. I recently got a 2nd hand Dynasty Carbon Cpen with H3 BS 41 degree on fh, TG3 boosted on BH.
 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
May 2021
56
9
92
there was a discount and it was the only blade left in stock, so i just nabbed it....

Y'know I don't know anyone buying Jpens brand new. Can't even find reviews of any composite Jpen blade even if they do exist based on BTY and Nittaku's catalogs.
Maybe it's a different story in Korea.
I personally own six 1 ply hinokis plus another one on the way as well as one composite Jpen. All 2nd hand.
I feel like most Jpens out are from people who bought it to try because it was on sale unsold for a decade and decided it wasn't for them

 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Active Member
Aug 2016
869
1,202
2,883
Got a tournament coming up in a week. Thankfully I'm playing some of my best TT I think I ever have so I'll be ready.

Been a long journey but what has helped me the most as of recent are these things.

1) Stop switching styles & equipment. Yes I know this should be obvious but I've played just about every style under the sun. Single winged J-pener both inverted & short pips. Twiddler with cpen in long pips & inverted, duel inverted, etc.

Well I currently have 2 blades. Both Cpen. 1 is super flexy and one is an 8.9mm stiff monster. I like the 8.9mm one more but it basically felt dead when I'd hit with it in trying to make spin. Finally I put away the flexy blade and stopped hitting with it all together. Now spinning with my stiffer blade feels normal and it blocks & counter hits great. So this shouldn't have to be said but if it helps 1 person it'll be worth it. Don't switch equipment. Stop EJing.

2) Settled in stop switching styles, stop using primarily TPB and focusing on RPB. The RPB is coming along and I can tell I have much better feel for it than say a month ago. Every week or so I discover how to do another shot better and it's fun to learn something new that works. Been playing weekly for 12+ years so there really isn't much new I haven't already learned or done a million times by now. But with this RPV in seeing it get better, it's been fun to go back to a time where I'm learning a new skill again.

So I'm playing duel inverted and I think honestly I realize now when I've played with some weird style or pips in some fashion, it actually takes more work & time to get good with a weird style than simple duel inverted duel winged attacker. There's a reason why that's the most popular style. It's the most optimal.

So about 2 weeks ago I finally learned how to soft/opening loop various long serves to my backhand. I'm left handed and it was no secret that right handers would stand opposite corner and serve long to my BH all day. If I dare step around to FH loop that serve, a serve down the line is an easy winner. So it's a gamble to step around. When I use to play TPB I would largely just block or more likely push dang near any serve. But I found that to be too passive. I needed to learn to open up loop with my RPB. However I found I would often send those long. They were too fast or more of power shots. Needed to learn that soft opening loop instead. Well I finally learned to hit on the side of the ball (vs the back so much) which takes off a lot of forward momentum and actually adds quite a bit of side. This gives the ball more time to drop on the table. This is basically a soft loop similar to my forehand loop vs serves I learned back in the day. Now a days long serves to my FH I don't even think about that. I can soft loop or go for power. It just depends. Perhaps in time my RPB will get there too. But learning that soft loop is vitality important.

Then this last week at practice I finally got the simple backhand block with RPB. It was hard to commit to that because I could block TPB much more consistent. Well these two blocks are so different I see now. Where as the TPB is very forward, (it really is. Your arm is like this going in this motion like the arm of a train engine as pushes forward. Watch Ryu's instructional videos on TPB. It's incredibly forward) thinking about the RPB block as a much more upward movement is working for me. The blade is so naturally closed, you need to come much more up on the ball and you can feel the spin carry it over. The more confidence I get with this thing the less likely I'll be to want to go to my TPB for a block vs TPB.

I'll try to post some video in the coming weeks of my upcoming tournament.
 
Hi peeps,

I know this is a relatively old thread, but I see the last comment was only a few hours ago, so I thought I'd say hi and "put my hand up". I'm a traditional cpen player - really dreadful at RPB and didn't find a need for it when I played regularly whilst in my school days as I was made to drill backhand pushes all the time by our coach due to me being a cpen player. I still favour playing my backhand over my forehand, strangely!

Just getting back into TT again after an absence from regularly playing of about 10 to 15 years, but certainly feels good to get back into the swing of things - pun very much intended.

I used to play with a light Yinhe T11+ with 729 Focus 3 Snipe on my forehand, and DHS C8 on the backhand as a "just in case". I am now trying a Neo H3 on the same blade, and a Winning NP-8 for my "just in case" rubber. The 729 was very forgiving of my laziness in terms of proper techniques coordinating footwork, weight transfer etc. Having had a few sessions of playing the Neo H3 and shadowplay, I find I'm slowly getting the coordination back, but will have to play a bit more and see how things go before I can comment more.

Looking for people to have casual knockabouts with for now.

Howie
 
  • Like
Reactions: jbvttcc
Got a tournament coming up in a week. Thankfully I'm playing some of my best TT I think I ever have so I'll be ready.

Been a long journey but what has helped me the most as of recent are these things.

1) Stop switching styles & equipment. Yes I know this should be obvious but I've played just about every style under the sun. Single winged J-pener both inverted & short pips. Twiddler with cpen in long pips & inverted, duel inverted, etc.

Well I currently have 2 blades. Both Cpen. 1 is super flexy and one is an 8.9mm stiff monster. I like the 8.9mm one more but it basically felt dead when I'd hit with it in trying to make spin. Finally I put away the flexy blade and stopped hitting with it all together. Now spinning with my stiffer blade feels normal and it blocks & counter hits great. So this shouldn't have to be said but if it helps 1 person it'll be worth it. Don't switch equipment. Stop EJing.

2) Settled in stop switching styles, stop using primarily TPB and focusing on RPB. The RPB is coming along and I can tell I have much better feel for it than say a month ago. Every week or so I discover how to do another shot better and it's fun to learn something new that works. Been playing weekly for 12+ years so there really isn't much new I haven't already learned or done a million times by now. But with this RPV in seeing it get better, it's been fun to go back to a time where I'm learning a new skill again.

So I'm playing duel inverted and I think honestly I realize now when I've played with some weird style or pips in some fashion, it actually takes more work & time to get good with a weird style than simple duel inverted duel winged attacker. There's a reason why that's the most popular style. It's the most optimal.

So about 2 weeks ago I finally learned how to soft/opening loop various long serves to my backhand. I'm left handed and it was no secret that right handers would stand opposite corner and serve long to my BH all day. If I dare step around to FH loop that serve, a serve down the line is an easy winner. So it's a gamble to step around. When I use to play TPB I would largely just block or more likely push dang near any serve. But I found that to be too passive. I needed to learn to open up loop with my RPB. However I found I would often send those long. They were too fast or more of power shots. Needed to learn that soft opening loop instead. Well I finally learned to hit on the side of the ball (vs the back so much) which takes off a lot of forward momentum and actually adds quite a bit of side. This gives the ball more time to drop on the table. This is basically a soft loop similar to my forehand loop vs serves I learned back in the day. Now a days long serves to my FH I don't even think about that. I can soft loop or go for power. It just depends. Perhaps in time my RPB will get there too. But learning that soft loop is vitality important.

Then this last week at practice I finally got the simple backhand block with RPB. It was hard to commit to that because I could block TPB much more consistent. Well these two blocks are so different I see now. Where as the TPB is very forward, (it really is. Your arm is like this going in this motion like the arm of a train engine as pushes forward. Watch Ryu's instructional videos on TPB. It's incredibly forward) thinking about the RPB block as a much more upward movement is working for me. The blade is so naturally closed, you need to come much more up on the ball and you can feel the spin carry it over. The more confidence I get with this thing the less likely I'll be to want to go to my TPB for a block vs TPB.

I'll try to post some video in the coming weeks of my upcoming tournament.

Good luck for the tournament, Suds!

 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Well-Known Member
Aug 2016
2,573
1,747
4,543
Read 3 reviews
Hi peeps,

I know this is a relatively old thread, but I see the last comment was only a few hours ago, so I thought I'd say hi and "put my hand up". I'm a traditional cpen player - really dreadful at RPB and didn't find a need for it when I played regularly whilst in my school days as I was made to drill backhand pushes all the time by our coach due to me being a cpen player. I still favour playing my backhand over my forehand, strangely!

Just getting back into TT again after an absence from regularly playing of about 10 to 15 years, but certainly feels good to get back into the swing of things - pun very much intended.

I used to play with a light Yinhe T11+ with 729 Focus 3 Snipe on my forehand, and DHS C8 on the backhand as a "just in case". I am now trying a Neo H3 on the same blade, and a Winning NP-8 for my "just in case" rubber. The 729 was very forgiving of my laziness in terms of proper techniques coordinating footwork, weight transfer etc. Having had a few sessions of playing the Neo H3 and shadowplay, I find I'm slowly getting the coordination back, but will have to play a bit more and see how things go before I can comment more.

Looking for people to have casual knockabouts with for now.

Howie
One of the best players in my club plays TPB only. He's so successful because his control of short game puts a lot of pressure on his opponents. He plays very precise placement. TPB still has a place nowaday.
 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
May 2021
56
9
92
One of the best players in my club plays TPB only. He's so successful because his control of short game puts a lot of pressure on his opponents. He plays very precise placement. TPB still has a place nowaday.
Just to be clear when we say "TPB" we're talking about the standard minimal spin backhand punch/drive.
Pushing short balls close to table on your backhand side with your forehand rubber is just that for penhold because how else would one push otherwise.
Short game would be 10x better with a Chinese rubber too but would result in slow balls for standard TPB drive with that rubber because of the tackiness.

TPB will always have a place: a 1 dimensional substitute for a real versatile backhand stroke.
Not that it's not possible to have a spinny RPB-like TPB drive but one would have to accept carpal tunnel ruined wrist in a few years.
 
  • Angry
Reactions: jbvttcc
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Active Member
Aug 2016
869
1,202
2,883
Well here it is. The recap of all my singles matches from 8/14. Win or lose. It's in here. What happened? Guess you'll have to watch to find out.

All matches condensed down to a 8:45 video.
PS - Still trying to gain confidence with my RPB. I've been committed to it for probably 2 months not. Most my life prior I've been a TPB guy. I'm sure you'll be able to tell in the video. ;)
 
Top