Finally finished another blade for Der_Echte's friend, George. The goal was to provide George with a blade that has two speeds (depending on which side he is using). My tactic to meet this request was 1) asymmetrical ply layers, and 2) using a different glue between the outer limba and medial koto plies to help slow the ball down further on that side. In past blades I've made, using Poly glue on the core and medial plies helps to provide stiffness and resistance to warping so that you can use softer (but still waterproof) PVA glues on the outer ply. This blade is also different from most of the asymmetrical ply blades because it's a 7-ply composition. George should have it in a few days, so maybe we'll get some impressions on whether or not it accomplished my goals and suits his playing style. Blade Specs:
Blade Composition: Koto (vertical grains) - Limba (horizontal grains) - Spruce (vertical grains) - Kiri Core (vertical grains) - Spruce (vertical grains) - Koto (horizontal grains) - Limba - (vertical grains)
Handle: Black Walnut
Weight: 103 grams
Thickness: 7.35 mm
Limba-side
View attachment 17501
Koto-side:
View attachment 17502
Up Close Edge:
View attachment 17503
Handle Up-Close (please excuse the dirt and tiny threads):
View attachment 17504
Mirror proof that it's not two different blades:
View attachment 17505
I handed both blades to ttd member "erm" today, since he will see George before I do.
We both opened the box and blades. They were very securely packed. I did not even hold the blades first, just used two fingers on blade face to give to erm to inspect. At one time he had a few thousand blades in his collection, now, ONLY 400-500 blades.
I saw the second blade with kiri core... one look at the handle and I said it might be the only blade I would never need a grip tape. After erm held it and gave it to me, I gripped it. I concur. The handle on the second blade should be the world standard. Real beefy handle it is.
We were at the USA youth national ranking tourney venue in Sacramento... I left to go about other chores... erm quickly sent a group text to me, George, and another stating that erm has the blades, there is a sanction on them, and it is too tough too late for George.
You do not see it so often a blade impress both me and erm on the same day that way. Even if George goes another way, I KNOW I could pick up either and go to work on the table no problem. Feel of those two blades in hand is something you have to hold yourself to know.
I should know more Monday night... which would be Tues AM in Europe.