Blade edge pinches middle finger on BH

[Michael Zhuang]

Recently I have been trying to get more wrist action on my BH and get more acceleration through the ball. When doing so, my natural instinct is to choke up higher on the handle and grip the blade face tighter. Also my instinct is to go into a more extreme "continental" grip.

All these put together causes my middle finger to be more pinched against the blade edge and causing pain. Any advice on how to deal with this?

Am I holding the racket wrong? or should I try shaving off the edge more than it already is?

 

[Zwill]

There are several type of head and wing shapes, but the 2 most common (important) are Butterfly and Stiga. I actually don't know who designed each first so I apologize for categorizing them this way.

Butterfly blades have a very steep wing width increase if you look closely while Stiga is much more "relaxed". If someone is holding the bat really close to the head BTY shape can cause the blade to reject itself out of your hand. Stiga shape allows you to hold much closer without this rejection. Of course this is very personal, since it depends on your hand anatomy and preference but maybe you should try both and figure out what do you prefer. DHS uses Stiga shape as well. Since Stiga shape has lower increase at that crucial spot I think it makes the blades a bit flexier, while BTY makes is stiffer.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Recently I have been trying to get more wrist action on my BH and get more acceleration through the ball. When doing so, my natural instinct is to choke up higher on the handle and grip the blade face tighter. Also my instinct is to go into a more extreme "continental" grip.

All these put together causes my middle finger to be more pinched against the blade edge and causing pain. Any advice on how to deal with this?

Am I holding the racket wrong? or should I try shaving off the edge more than it already is?

Last thing you said: file the wings so that they are more beveled; just the way penholders file the blade to fit the contours of their hand. File how ever much you feel you need for the blade to be comfortable on that shot.

 

[MOG]

i have a high grip

i can only use stiga or yaska blades out of the box.

if i use any other make i have to sand the wings a little to make the curve similar to stiga flared handle shape, but be careful doing this as you cant put it back on once sanded off, normally only needs 1/2mm or so, rounding the edges helps too, some blades have this added already, but this really helps.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Wiktor145, your comment was good. The photo showing the sanding on your blade was particularly useful. Even if the basic idea is the same, your comment still was useful.

 

[wiktor145]

I probably deleted it too quickly I was looking for the adequate picture (not my blade actually, but I wish it was mine ) and after I finished, I saw that in the meantime you added the comment with exactly the same idea

I can add, that I check, if the wings are sanded enough by holding the blade much firmer than normally, applying the pressure on those "critical points". Because if I do not feel any pain or discomfort when I hold the blade far too firm, I will probably not feel any pain while playing and holding it "normally".

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

I probably deleted it too quickly I was looking for the adequate picture (not my blade actually, but I wish it was mine ) and after I finished, I saw that in the meantime you added the comment with exactly the same idea

I can add, that I check, if the wings are sanded enough by holding the blade much firmer than normally, applying the pressure on those "critical points". Because if I do not feel any pain or discomfort when I hold the blade far too firm, I will probably not feel any pain while playing and holding it "normally".

I always sand the wings of my blades till they feel good to me as well.

 

[Doum]

You change your grip between your BH and FH? For me i add a little more pressure with my thumb on the BH stroke, but i don't change my fingers position. It help with the wrist action. I don't have time to change my grip during a match.

Changing your grip cause more problems. Practice your BH and FH with the same grip. It will increase your consistency.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

You change your grip between your BH and FH? For me i add a little more pressure with my thumb on the BH stroke, but i don't change my fingers position. It help with the wrist action. I don't have time to change my grip during a match.

Changing your grip cause more problems. Practice your BH and FH with the same grip. It will increase your consistency.

I don't change my grip. But my grip adjusts as I change the angle of my wrist. So, my grip changes. But I don't change my grip, it changes based on the shot I am taking and the angle I am holding my wrist for that shot. If you really examine closely, as you change the angle of your wrist for different shots, there is no way you can do that without the way you are holding shifting a little.

 

[Michael Zhuang]

Question about sanding off the wings: If you are sanding a outer-alc blade, should you try to avoid sanding the alc layer? If you sand that alc, will the threads of the weave come undone and become messy?

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

I know Zylon is very hard to sand. It is also hard to cut. I don't know about ALC, but what if you just sanded that top layer towards the ALC without sanding the ALC layer. I don't think what you are describing would happen. But it might be hard to file down.

 

[Doum]

I used a dremel tool to carefully sand the wing on my Pro 01. Then finished with fine grit sandpaper. Arylate is very hard to sand and if you do i t manually it makes bumps.

 

[Scarfed Garchomp]

I used a dremel tool to carefully sand the wing on my Pro 01. Then finished with fine grit sandpaper. Arylate is very hard to sand and if you do i t manually it makes bumps.

I second this, arylate/aramid needs to either be cut with a knife, or sanded with a power tool or very hard sanding block in the direction of the carbon layer, otherwise it will not be removed at the same rate as the wood and carbon.

 

[cucuonga1]

I am having similar (same?) problem with my middle finger on Petr Korbel.

I recently switch to Petr Korbel from Timo ALC for more control. I had no problems before on ALC, but I extensively used more forehand back then. I only push and block with my backhand.

When I switch to Korbel, I also practice my backhand more (flick, smash, and topspin). I am not sure if it's because of Korbel handle, or because I practice my backhand more. My middle finger is getting a callous in the possion holding the edge of the handle and feel numb until I stop playing for 2~3 days.

I probably will sand the wing (the blade is new, and I am a bit hesitate but I have no choice). But I wonder if anyone has the same problems. I googled this and it seems uncommon for shakehand players.

@UpSideDownCarl: since you always sand your balde, I wonder if you are a pendhold and shakehand player?

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

I am having similar (same?) problem with my middle finger on Petr Korbel.

I recently switch to Petr Korbel from Timo ALC for more control. I had no problems before on ALC, but I extensively used more forehand back then. I only push and block with my backhand.

When I switch to Korbel, I also practice my backhand more (flick, smash, and topspin). I am not sure if it's because of Korbel handle, or because I practice my backhand more. My middle finger is getting a callous in the possion holding the edge of the handle and feel numb until I stop playing for 2~3 days.

I probably will sand the wing (the blade is new, and I am a bit hesitate but I have no choice). But I wonder if anyone has the same problems. I googled this and it seems uncommon for shakehand players.

@UpSideDownCarl: since you always sand your balde, I wonder if you are a pendhold and shakehand player?

I am a shakehand player. I just like filing down the wings till they fit my hand nicely.

 

[cucuonga1]

I am a shakehand player. I just like filing down the wings till they fit my hand nicely.

Thank you. I finally sanded the wings of my new blade to make it rounded. I feel much better now as it doesn't hurt my middle finger, and the sanded part is actually very small. I don't think it's noticeable if I don't look carefully.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Thank you. I finally sanded the wings of my new blade to make it rounded. I feel much better now as it doesn't hurt my middle finger, and the sanded part is actually very small. I don't think it's noticeable if I don't look carefully.

Sanded wings looks cool anyway.