Blades

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Hey guys!

I was wondering how much a blade makes an influence. Through the years that i have played i tried different rubbers and felt their effect, but always just have had an all around + blade like the donic senso. I know rubbers have a huge influence, but i wonder sometimes if i'm using the wrong blade just because i don't know any better. Right now I have a donic senso blade with tenergy 05 max fh and donic coppa x3 bh. Somebody that maybe knows more than me that can explain the influence of the blade a bit?

Thanks in advance! Love the help from you guys.
 
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As simply, there are 6 types of blade used generally which are listed below:

-5 ply all wood soft -> ex: acoustic, bty korbel
- 5 ply all wood hard -> ex: yasaka extra offensive, rosewood 5
- 7 ply all wood soft -> ex: clipper, long 3, samsanov force pro
- 7 ply all wood hard -> ex: rosewood 7, hurricane hao
- 5 + 2 carbon soft -> ex: long 5, bty innerforce
- 5 + 2 carbon hard -> ex: viscaria, tb alc

Ff course there are other factors but commonly accepted effects:
Harder surface -> bouncier -> faster;
more ply, or carbon -> more stiff, faster;
softer surface > more dwell -> more spin;
harder -> quicker contact -> lower trajectory;

or vice versa for all.

Your blade is soft 5ply wood, for example if you want more speed you can go either harder, 7 ply, or carbon blade.
Or any other alternatives which makes sense for you.
 
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Thanks for the detailed response! Is the difference in changing blades as big as rubbers, or is it more subtle?

you are welcome, of course it depends on the change for example: difference between 5 ply soft blade (senso) and 5 + 2 hard blade (tb alc) is more noticeable than changing rubbers in similar specs hurricane neo 3 vs hurricane 2 or rakza 7 vs rakza soft or rasanter 45 to 48 or different sponge thickness.
But let's say difference between dignics 80 to (unboosted) hurricane 3 change will be much more significant than any blade difference IMO. But each category has slightly distinct. you can notice what type of blade is that without looking after couple hits, if you have tried each of them.

there is a comparison made by Timo Boll, they change blade and rubber together this could be misleading
https://youtu.be/9whZOxwBZJM
and also more "scientific" articles
https://ttgearlab.wordpress.com/202...orac-carbon-from-other-fiber-blades-lab-test/

disclaimer: of course my writings are not equipment advice, I don't mean a blade will improve your game.


20. The correct number of blades to own is n + 1 where n is the number you own now. An exemption can be made for players in committed relationships, in which case the correct number is s-1, where s is the number of blades that causes your spouse or partner to leave you.

27. While it is allowed and perhaps even mandated to own an insane number of blades (see rule 20), it is not allowed to believe that the next one you buy will appreciably improve your level.

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/showthread.php?21991-New-quot-Rules-quot-for-Table-Tennis&p=290725&viewfull=1#post290725

 
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NDH

says Spin to win!

Thanks for the detailed response! Is the difference in changing blades as big as rubbers, or is it more subtle?

It’s a subtle change, and certainly no magic thing that will make you play better shots.

Good players will be able to hit better attacking shots with a defensive blade, vs someone who isn’t as good using an attacking blade.

Certainly when you start looking at fast(ish) All+ blades right the way through to your out and out attacking blades (like the TB ALC)….. The difference on paper is huge…. In reality, not so much.

The questions I’d ask yourself are….

1. What are your most common mistakes?
2. What do you want to be better at?

If you have the ability to get lessons, or play with better players AND you want to improve your attacking shots, then you could conceivably opt for a quicker blade.

As long as you realise that the real world return from the quicker blade will be negligible, and probably not worth the cost of the blade!

 
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You already got all the technical advise, good advise it is too.
I would like to add that you should avoid buying new blades because it might start a most horrible
phase of trying and trying and trying some more and can lead to confusion and a cupboard full of blades.

Try out other peoples blades and if you do find a combo that you think is "just right" , only then buy
the new blade..

from somebody who has got the cupboard full of blades and rubbers 😁

 
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You already got all the technical advise, good advise it is too.
I would like to add that you should avoid buying new blades because it might start a most horrible
phase of trying and trying and trying some more and can lead to confusion and a cupboard full of blades.

Try out other peoples blades and if you do find a combo that you think is "just right" , only then buy
the new blade..

from somebody who has got the cupboard full of blades and rubbers 😁

+1

Also I think every blade we tried lowers the chance of finding "perfect" blade for us on contrary to find perfect because they have minor/major things we like and dislike. Maybe It could be said that ignorance is bliss.

 
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The blade has the biggest effekt on speed. The rubber on spin. The blade has almost no effect on spin at all. The only thing is that a slower blade lets the ball stay in contact with the rubber longer and thus generate more spin. The rubber has little effect on speed except for the bounce that some rubbers (Euro style mostly) generates. An inner carbon blade also has a kind of both wolds effect. Due to that it takes more power to get in contact with the Carbon layer.an inner bleed is relatively faster on hard hits than soft. This way your short game will be easier to control.

Cheers
L-zr
 
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The blade has the biggest effekt on speed. The rubber on spin. The blade has almost no effect on spin at all. The only thing is that a slower blade lets the ball stay in contact with the rubber longer and thus generate more spin. The rubber has little effect on speed except for the bounce that some rubbers (Euro style mostly) generates. An inner carbon blade also has a kind of both wolds effect. Due to that it takes more power to get in contact with the Carbon layer.an inner bleed is relatively faster on hard hits than soft. This way your short game will be easier to control.

Cheers
L-zr

Welp. I agree with you. The key takeaway for me would be that, using too fast of a blade will have a big impact the spin one produces, because without good racket speed and proper contact the rubber might not be able to do its work.

 
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Welp. I agree with you. The key takeaway for me would be that, using too fast of a blade will have a big impact the spin one produces, because without good racket speed and proper contact the rubber might not be able to do its work.

Yes, there has to be a balance between the two.

 
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