Question for Blade-Builders

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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
IMG_1224.jpg

Koto-side:
IMG_1226.jpg

Up Close Edge:
IMG_1228.jpg

Handle Up-Close (please excuse the dirt and tiny threads):
IMG_1219.jpg

Mirror proof that it's not two different blades:
IMG_1247.jpg
 
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Der_Echte is gunna show George the pics tonite at the tt club... he will like it... he has no choice.

He must take what I give him and like it. :)

Well, I paid for them, but actually, since ttd member erm has given me 4 blades an a dozen rubbers the last 4 months, it is fair I buy George some blades.

The blades are unique and will be liked even without my Goon Squad style likess.

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The blade look great! Even i have been working on custom blades for over ten years.
 
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Those are my friend's word. He worked for a blades plant for more than ten years and now provide custom blade service in china. I show the blades you built to him. he was surprised and can't believe you just started several month ago.
Have you ever try ALC or ZLC?
 
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Those are my friend's word. He worked for a blades plant for more than ten years and now provide custom blade service in china. I show the blades you built to him. he was surprised and can't believe you just started several month ago.
Have you ever try ALC or ZLC?

I have made a few with an aramid-carbon weave, which I suppose would be most similar to ALC. My own personal blade is one of them. Composition: Limba-aramid/carbon - spruce - kiri - spruce - aramid/carbon - limba. Nittaku G-1 on both sides. :)
 
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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.
 
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BTW, one could say over 100 grams is way too heavy, but if you hold the blade in your hand without weighing it, you would think it was 87 grams, balance wonderfully low in handle... and handle is proper size for man sized hands. I got tiny paws, but prefer lumberjack sized handles. We got 'em on this shipment.
 
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BTW, one could say over 100 grams is way too heavy, but if you hold the blade in your hand without weighing it, you would think it was 87 grams, balance wonderfully low in handle... and handle is proper size for man sized hands. I got tiny paws, but prefer lumberjack sized handles. We got 'em on this shipment.

I'm glad they got there so quickly and safely. Nothing brings me more joy than knowing you and erm enjoyed the beefy handles I put on those blades! :)
 
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erm is even more a trouble maker than I am... and I am internationally renown for that !!

I am sure George is gunna have a small collection of the most unique purposed custom blades out there.

Nate, you really should talk more on the forums about your approach to problem solving and your rationale.
That kinda stuff is SO under-discussed.
 
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I'm for real, I ALMOST put George's second blade inside my shirt and was about to act like the pouch it came in was empty.

However, erm has done that trick before a few times in his career and he is a Pastor... I wasn't gunna do it... but you saw his text, he ended up confiscating the entire shipment !!
 
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Great work Nate, beautiful finish. I love the mirror too! Very clever. I presume that there was no warping problems? It can be a problem with different outers.

Thanks, Alan! I've made 3 now with asymmetrical plies and I haven't seen any warping yet. I think that might be due to 1)the rigidity of the poly glue I'm using and 2) I'm using the same veneer woods on both sides, just in differing order - so I think the forces that might come from differing woods is still balanced out between sides. If each side were entirely different, I might expect warping to be more of a concern with varying strengths and differential drying of each side. This is all speculative, however.
 
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George got his blades into action today at SITTA.

Quick hit short summary: George can really do his thing with the Balsa Core DEF Blade. I am waiting to see how the second blade with fatter handle works. If it doesn't. Der_Echte or erm will likely repossess that blade and use it extensively.

George won his group RR in league today if that is an indicator of how confident he is with that blade right away.

I will see what this weekend's team tourney will be like, since George is also a trouble maker on my team.
 
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George used the balsa blade and helped us get to finals. He went 3-2 in singles and had very close losses vs 2 players 100-200 rating points higher level players. There is a good chance George sticks with this blade. He does everything he wants to do to the ball using it.

That's great! Larch (the outer and medial ply in that blade, opposite to mahogany) is one of my absolute favorites. Glad to hear he's liking how it plays and winning some games.
 
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Played vs George with the Balsa blade... which is 100gr+... He is luvin' it.

George put me under pressure all match, he won the first two games. He was placing his medium fast punch shot with LP pips hardly missing. When he opened his stance and whacked a FH, it was blistering and rarely missed too.

vs me, he played 1-2 levels higher instantly using the custom balsa blade setup with inverted/OX LP
 
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