Composite or all-wood

[XariuzCruz]

One more piece of information. A lot of the top pros from China use all wood blades and do not use composite blades. They are very powerful and they are just using all wood. I don't think you need Carbon.

All wood 5 ply is just perfect for me! Carbon is too stiff though

P.S: Zhang Jike uses Arylate Carbon....

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

P.S: Zhang Jike uses Arylate Carbon....

It is interesting. He has touch and spin, it seems like he would use an all wood blade. He plays like he would use an all wood blade. A few months ago I saw an enlarged view of the profile of his blade. Where the Arylate/Carbon ply would be, it looked like there was a wood ply. It looked as if it might be Spruce. I can't be sure because it is a photograph; I did not have his blade in my hand. So I don't know. But, Butterfly could be making him custom blades. I am not sure why they would not market and sell that. But, perhaps they get more money for the composite blades so they are not.

 

[XariuzCruz]

http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=39269

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=39269

Good find. I saw a different photo that made me think the same thing as they think. If you enlarge that photo, it really does not look like ALC. It looks like some dark wood ply. Way too thick for ALC. Can't be sure though. Because photos can distort things.

 

[agold]

Good find. I saw a different photo that made me think the same thing as they think. If you enlarge that photo, it really does not look like ALC. It looks like some dark wood ply. Way too thick for ALC. Can't be sure though. Because photos can distort things.

I use Viscaria. I think it looks like Viscaria. Someone said it might be a sweat stain, and I know that when I get water on my viscaria, it turns that color. I don't know, but that's my guess.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

I use Viscaria. I think it looks like Viscaria. Someone said it might be a sweat stain, and I know that when I get water on my viscaria, it turns that color. I don't know, but that's my guess.

I really don't know, but, my problem with this thought is, how did he get a sweat stain that goes from the handle all the way the wing of the blade face to where the edge tape starts and underneath the bottom of the handle? Also, how did the ply become so much browner and so much thicker? If you enlarge that photo enough, the ply viewed from the bottom if the handle is much lighter brown but just as thick and there, it really looks like it is just wood.

That photo is a different one than the one I remember seeing. But it also makes it look like that may be an all wood blade to me. I used to have a Viscaria too until I sold it. I know what they look like. Again, it is a photo. But it would have to be a lot of distortion to make it look that much like a wood ply that is 5-8 times thicker than the ALC of a Viscaria.

 

[XariuzCruz]

Hmm a mystery.
But an all-wood blade has a dull sound but if you watch Zhang Jike's matches, the pitch of the sound is quite high.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Hmm a mystery.
But an all-wood blade has a dull sound but if you watch Zhang Jike's matches, the pitch of the sound is quite high.

That would depend on the wood, the contact of the player and sometimes, if they are boosting their rubbers. A speed glue corking sound from a rubber happens on a wood blade as well as a carbon blade. A koto outer ply would have a higher pitch than a limba outer ply. And a Stiga Clipper can make a pretty loud sound with a very nice pitch.

 

[hopper]

At UpSideDownCarl (or anybody else with identical experience on below mentioned blades):

I play for already some time with the Butterfly Spark (combined with Bluefire JP01/03 2.0 mm), that you referred to before/above as a good frame, and I also really like it.
However I miss a little bit of "Umphh" (not sure whether to call it speed, power or kick) and playing with the thought to change to either the OSP Virtuoso-, the TB ALC or the TB ZLF.

You seem to be the person with experience on all of these blades, so could you please help me by providing some info by means of a comparison (you al ready partly did for the TB ZLF and ALC but my prime focus is on the comparison of the Virtuoso with all of these blades).
And in addition; Which one would you advice to me?, knowing I'm a 43 year old "intermediate" 2-wing looper", close to the table, training 3 times a week.

Your thoughts on this are highly appreciated.

 

[weiren_lim]

Modern defender... all wood for the consistency and power absorption. Willow wood for the win!

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Well, if you want more pop or umph, the you probably want the TB ZLF. It is a lot like the TB Spark but faster and the Zylon is not quite as soft as the Arylate. If you want more umph than the ZLF then the TB ALC or TB Spirit.

All those blades are rated at as Off (speed). The fastest is TB ALC/TB Spirit. The slowest is the TB Spark and the TB ZLF is in between the Spark and the ALC in terms of speed.

The Virtuoso Off- is a blade with an Off- speed rating. So it is noticeably slower than all the ones you are talking about.

The Virtuoso Plus might be better for you. The Plus is Off rated and is probably a bit slower than the Spark but really close in speed. The advantage to it: you should have more dwell time, more spin and much more wood feeling. Also more control but the only one of those that would be noticeably different would be the amount of extra feeling because the the Arylate in the Spark and the Zylon in the ZLF do give it a lot of dwell time, spin and control.

Another idea if you want more pop would be the V'King. That one is pretty fast. About the speed of the TB ALC. But it is all wood so it has a lot of wood feel and feedback. The V'King would have less dwell time than the Butterfly blades but there are some interesting benefits.

A few things I would say if you did get one of the blades from OSP: take your time to get used to it. If you play with it for a few weeks you will really start feeling how it helps your game. At first it will feel odd because it is handmade and all wood and you have been using a composite blade that is well made but mass produced. Also, since OSP really makes the blade after you order it, it will take a week or so of play time before it actually breaks in. Both my Virtuoso Off- and my V'King played well at first but then played much better after about a week.

For what you say you want (more umph) I would recommend the TB ZLF. For what would in all likelihood be best for you I would recommend a Virtuoso Plus.

Also, if you order from OSP I would take what they call a "small" sized head: 150mm x 157mm. That is the same sized head as the the TB blades. The other sizes offered are actually oversized. I would also ask for it to be 88-90 grams. It will play better if it is on the heavier side of the weight range.

If you end up thinking seriously about the V'King let me know and I will tell you my thoughts on details for weight, head size.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BeGo]

Another vote for willow.

You must add ‘tofu’ between woods if you want it to be slower. ;P

 

[hopper]

Thanks Carl for your advice

I've given it some thougths and looked at some user reviews with your perspective in mind.
In the end I share your recommendation to pick up a Virtuoso Plus. Somehow I think the stiffer outer plies will contribute to the type of game I play.
At least I have to give it a try to find out.

Having a pretty good feeling what the TB ZLF is all about, I can always change to that blade at a later stage.
Don't worry; whenever I change blades, it will be at least for a year but most likely longer, so I will give the Virtuoso Plus a fair chance.

 

[NextLevel]

All wood is always good - just ask Samsonov .