1980s Stiga Allround blade - worth reusing ?

[Veryrusty]

Hi Everyone,
I’m returning to table tennis after 40year break. In the 80s I played in a club as a kid with a Stiga Allround blade with Mark V rubber. The rubber has now perished so I’ve taken it off, but the blade seems ok after filling a few small chips round the edges.

Is it worth getting new modern rubber for this old blade or just start again with a stiffer modern blade ? I’m also not sure how much difference modern balls make to the set up you need on a bat.

I’m not gonna win any tournaments, just looking to get back into playing, improve and have fun. So I’d rather not spend loads.

So, keep blade or start again ?
If I keep it, what would be a good mid speed inexpensive rubber to put on this for modem ball and an all round style ? Any thoughts ?

Thanks !

 

[Choosikick]

Hi Everyone,
I’m returning to table tennis after 40year break. In the 80s I played in a club as a kid with a Stiga Allround blade with Mark V rubber. The rubber has now perished so I’ve taken it off, but the blade seems ok after filling a few small chips round the edges.

Is it worth getting new modern rubber for this old blade or just start again with a stiffer modern blade ? I’m also not sure how much difference modern balls make to the set up you need on a bat.

I’m not gonna win any tournaments, just looking to get back into playing, improve and have fun. So I’d rather not spend loads.

So, keep blade or start again ?
If I keep it, what would be a good mid speed inexpensive rubber to put on this for modem ball and an all round style ? Any thoughts ?

Thanks !

To resume the game, this blade is fine, but there is one drawback with it - this is its size, it is smaller than modern standard blades. This is due to the transition from a ball with a diameter of 38 mm to a ball with a diameter of 40 mm. To resume games after a long break, this will not be a big problem, but if you continue to develop actively, you will need to replace it. I wouldn't change blades if I were you.
Perhaps with it it will be easier for you to remember your past game, especially if you buy new equipment in the future, you will have something to compare with, and this is important. The fact that the rubber glued to this blade will be a little smaller when re-glued to another blade is not a problem - just lift the rubber up a little and everything is ok.

 

[hclnnkhg]

Hi Everyone,
I’m returning to table tennis after 40year break. In the 80s I played in a club as a kid with a Stiga Allround blade with Mark V rubber. The rubber has now perished so I’ve taken it off, but the blade seems ok after filling a few small chips round the edges.

Is it worth getting new modern rubber for this old blade or just start again with a stiffer modern blade ? I’m also not sure how much difference modern balls make to the set up you need on a bat.

I’m not gonna win any tournaments, just looking to get back into playing, improve and have fun. So I’d rather not spend loads.

So, keep blade or start again ?
If I keep it, what would be a good mid speed inexpensive rubber to put on this for modem ball and an all round style ? Any thoughts ?

Thanks !

I have a Banda Virgo which I think is an ALL blade in the 38 mm ball era. It is quite slow (well, I put Yinhe Mercury II on it so that didn't help). I need to put some effort in it even when I block.
Getting a faster blade would be better than trying to find new rubbers that works. If you prefer Stiga, maybe consider getting the Clipper.

 

[Choosikick]

I have a Banda Virgo which I think is an ALL blade in the 38 mm ball era. It is quite slow (well, I put Yinhe Mercury II on it so that didn't help). I need to put some effort in it even when I block.
Getting a faster blade would be better than trying to find new rubbers that works. If you prefer Stiga, maybe consider getting the Clipper.

Perhaps you have different levels of play with the author. After Mark 5 it will be difficult to switch to sticky Mercury 2 from both sides, especially from the backhand, I think it's better to put non-sticky European or Japanese rubbers in a thickness of 2 mm for backhand, and forehand, in principle, you can take Mercury 2.

 

[merlin el mago]

Hi Everyone,
I’m returning to table tennis after 40year break. In the 80s I played in a club as a kid with a Stiga Allround blade with Mark V rubber. The rubber has now perished so I’ve taken it off, but the blade seems ok after filling a few small chips round the edges.

Is it worth getting new modern rubber for this old blade or just start again with a stiffer modern blade ? I’m also not sure how much difference modern balls make to the set up you need on a bat.

I’m not gonna win any tournaments, just looking to get back into playing, improve and have fun. So I’d rather not spend loads.

So, keep blade or start again ?
If I keep it, what would be a good mid speed inexpensive rubber to put on this for modem ball and an all round style ? Any thoughts ?

Thanks !

How do you play?

Stiga current production hasn't the same quality like your old Stiga AR blade. If you play defensive or all round & not too agressive the blade will be fine. If use Chinese not boosted rubbers you have to do strong hits to get a quality shot, better if you use ESN or Jap rubbers, for AR style 1.8 or 2.0mm will be fine.

Enjoy your blade & wish a great comeback to table tennis.

 

[Lazer]

Hi Everyone,
I’m returning to table tennis after 40year break. In the 80s I played in a club as a kid with a Stiga Allround blade with Mark V rubber. The rubber has now perished so I’ve taken it off, but the blade seems ok after filling a few small chips round the edges.

Is it worth getting new modern rubber for this old blade or just start again with a stiffer modern blade ? I’m also not sure how much difference modern balls make to the set up you need on a bat.

I’m not gonna win any tournaments, just looking to get back into playing, improve and have fun. So I’d rather not spend loads.

So, keep blade or start again ?
If I keep it, what would be a good mid speed inexpensive rubber to put on this for modem ball and an all round style ? Any thoughts ?

Thanks !

Definitely keep the blade, it’s better quality than the new blades. For playing you can use it or get a new one it doesn’t matter much. About the slowness that can be fixed by using a faster rubber. My guess is that a MarkV will be really slow on that blade and I suggest a Yasaka Rakza 7 instead. You can use the same rubber on a modern all - all+ blade as well… good luck.

Cheers
L-zr

 

[hclnnkhg]

After Mark 5 it will be difficult to switch to sticky Mercury 2, I think it's better to put non-sticky European or Japanese rubbers in a thickness of 2 mm at the choice of the author.

I am not recommending the Mercury 2 at all...

 

[Choosikick]

I am not recommending the Mercury 2 at all...

I have corrected the comment. In fact, for the price, this is a great forehand rubber for beginners.

 

[Veryrusty]

Thanks all
Ok - I’ll keep the blade and buy some inexpensive fast rubber to compensate for the blade. Will check out Raksa 7 and Mercury 2.
Any others recommended ?

 

[merlin el mago]

It all depends your budget & your taste, let us know?

 

[Veryrusty]

£20-30 rubbers for Allround / attack.
Not crazy fast rubber though as I will lose control.

 

[hclnnkhg]

£20-30 rubbers for Allround / attack.
Not crazy fast rubber though as I will lose control.

Yinhe Moon or Palio AK47 (the new versions). If they aren't fast enough then you can upgrade to intermediate level tensors. I was going to recommend Xiom Vega's but they are slightly higher than your budget.

 

[Veryrusty]

Thanks will check them out !

 

[ttarc]

This could be an interesting blade for some collectors e.g. https://www.ebay.de/itm/295377574239
I would keep that blade and get a new Stiga Allround Evolution. Upgrade from Mark V could be either the Rakza 7 or the more controlled Rigan and Rigan Spin.

 

[Veryrusty]

 

[Veryrusty]

Mine isn’t quite the same, and has a few minor chips that I’ve filled with wood filler.
Will take a look at these rubbers.
Thanks !

 

[Veryrusty]

 

[boltnut]

Through a couple of sheets of G-1 on it and everything will be just fine.

 

[Tiz]

Here's the Captain saying that he still uses his old Stiga AllRound with Tibhar MX-P, he's definitely not slow

 

[turbozed]

There's a good deal on Aliexpress now if you want to try out some Chinese rubbers. Search for the "Chinese PingPong" store.

Palio AK-47 is $11 a sheet on sale. You can get the Red (not the color but version) for your FH and Blue or Yellow for BH (slightly softer). That's $22. Really quite cheap for a rubber that is somewhere in between your Mark V and tensor rubbers.

While you're there, you can pick up a Sanwei M8 blade for $10 too. With your total over $30, you get a $5 store savings. So $32-$5 = $27 for a blade and two pretty good rubbers.