Question regarding rules of gluing rubber

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How much of the surface of the head of the blade has to be covered by rubber?

Can you save some weight by gluing the rubbers like a 1cm above the handle for example?
 
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Better off just adding some weight to the handle. It sounds funny. But you would be amazed how much lighter a blade will feel--regardless of the overall weight--when the setup is handle heavy.

One time Der_Echte gave me a racket he had doctored. I think it was a Nexy Qabod. Anyway, the blade was 120 grams with Der's maniacal machinations. The setup was way over 200 grams. But man it felt light. If I didn't know Der's tricks, I would have thought the blade was 84 grams. I got more whipping action from that sukka than you could imagine. And it was all because so much of the weight was in my hand instead of in the head. :)

Ask Der!
 
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I think OP has a legit question.

The answer is, yes, one could glue the rubber a cm or so higher than the handle per the Laws of TT>

2.4.3.2 Sandwich rubber is a single layer of cellular rubber covered with a single
outer layer of ordinary pimpled rubber, the thickness of the pimpled rubber
not being more than 2.0mm.
2.4.4 The covering material shall extend up to but not beyond the limits of the blade,
except that the part nearest the handle and gripped by the fingers may be left
uncovered or covered with any material.


As to what Carl said, I have added weight to the handle of so many blades I had Carl try, I cannot remember, but I did it once to a Qabod.

I would only move up a sheet of rubber on a blade if I had a tear right at the top of the blade and no replacement sheet of rubber. Legally for a tourney, I could do that... but there would be a cost... the balance is now affected to be more head heavy as I lost weight down low.

Adding weight to the handle, especially if you wrap grip tape the right way, can really increase legerage and whipping action using fingers and wrist.

That counts for a lot in low energy situations like a flip... or big power shots. Having the ability to make 5-10 more power is huge. You get easier power from a bat with the weight balance lower. Also a good feel at impact.
 
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Once could move up the sheet of rubber and glue some cork to make the shakehand bat look like a weird C-Pen Hybrid...

I say one COULD do that, but I wouldn't be caught alive doing it like that... unless I was playing a practical joke on a certain friend... With friends like me, who needs enemies?
 
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Chinese penhold players regularly leave a 1cm strip next to the handle uncovered, as is allowed for in the rules.

I don't buy into the handle ballasting - even if you are using your wrist muscles to move the bat (which you should not be doing), you're not reducing the bat's moment of inertia by adding weight to the handle. And you are adding overall weight, which needs to be swung at the end of your arm. I suppose I could try it with some coins and some gaffer's tape.

Iskandar
 
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I have slipped many such a blade in the hands of friends, who immediately like them, but when asked days later, are solid on the side of head heavy under 180 gram total weight.

They would pee in their shorty shorts if they knew they luvd on a 212-218 gram setup.
 
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Better off just adding some weight to the handle. It sounds funny. But you would be amazed how much lighter a blade will feel--regardless of the overall weight--when the setup is handle heavy.

One time Der_Echte gave me a racket he had doctored. I think it was a Nexy Qabod. Anyway, the blade was 120 grams with Der's maniacal machinations. The setup was way over 200 grams. But man it felt light. If I didn't know Der's tricks, I would have thought the blade was 84 grams. I got more whipping action from that sukka than you could imagine. And it was all because so much of the weight was in my hand instead of in the head. :)

Ask Der!

I remember now, that day WAS the Qabod and it was 208 grams total... an OFF+ blade made 15+ grams heavier. Smash Fan liked it so much, he was gunna buy a new Qabod from me on the spot.

Carl was spinning it up. He luvd on that setup.

It did feel real light and had great leverage.
 
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says Spin and more spin.
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I remember now, that day WAS the Qabod and it was 208 grams total... an OFF+ blade made 15+ grams heavier. Smash Fan liked it so much, he was gunna buy a new Qabod from me on the spot.

Carl was spinning it up. He luvd on that setup.

It did feel real light and had great leverage.

Yup. That was the one Smash_Fan wanted to buy.
 
says I would recommend all wood. Samsonov Alpha sgs is the...
says I would recommend all wood. Samsonov Alpha sgs is the...
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K Thanks.

I'm aware of the idea of balance point and how important it is since I also have an interest in swords and medieval weaponry in general, where it's probably one of the most important factors in the design. And of course it's a trade-off. A weapon balanced towards the handle is swift and precise but lacks power (generally stabbing swords etc), and vice versa (say, a battle axe).


Personally I just wanted to see how fine I can cut it.
I now have a Liu Shiwen setup that overall weighs 155grams and feels like a feather. Butterfly balance their blades amazingly well, especially the premium ones, so indeed it feels great in the hand.
Man, I love these AK47 rubbers. Feather weight, low throw, spinny as heck due to the thinness of the topsheet (though no bite to the topsheet like euro rubbers, I guess that explains the low throw) and totally spin insensitive.
 
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