“Numbers” for blades? Since even with carbon blades, most of the blade is wood and wood density varies, if you tested 20 Viscaria and they were all different weights, each one would give you different numbers. [emoji2]
With rubbers of the same kind and thickness, there are also variations. This is because, sometimes, the sponge weighs a little more, sometimes the sponge weighs a little less, some the sponge is very slightly harder or softer.
So you can have a T05 2.1 that is harder/softer and or weighs more/less within a range.
This is why some companies even list a range for the hardness of the sponge rather than an exact figure. And why pros often choose not only a specific rubber but that rubber in a specific hardness AND weight.
And then there is the point Tony made: with different qualities of contact (deeper, thinner, more brush, more direct impact), and lower level players whose quality of contact is inconsistent and different every time. And higher level players whose quality of contact is much, much more consistent and who have the skill to vary the kind of contact for different kinds of shots.
As a result of all these factors, it would be hard to regulate these things. Especially since there are no stated limits on the things being measured.
And then there is the issue that a number for something like “control” is totally misleading. A rubber that is able to spin the ball more will be easier to control for someone who is highly skilled at spinning the ball. Because spin allows you to control your shots and land them on the table more consistently. However, in the hands of someone who is not so skilled at spinning the ball, a very spinny rubber will also be more reactive to incoming spin and will therefore be harder to control.
Or, another example: from a certain standpoint, antispin type rubbers are easy to control for people who don’t read and compensate for spin well. And for a looper, antispin would make looping much harder to control.
So, perhaps there is a flaw in how we want to understand TT equipment rather than a flaw in the equipment or the way it is “rated”. I mean, what do those numbers actually mean? [emoji2]
Sent from The Subterranean Workshop by Telepathy