DHS W968 Gold Slam, poor layer thickness uniformity

[JC69]

Hi Folks,
I just bought the W968 Gold Slam from a reputable store here in Canada, and noticed on one side of the blade, the outer layer is thinner than the outer layer on the other side (Images below). This is not normal right? Did I receive a dud or defective blade? Have any other W968 owners here noticed such bad layer thickness uniformity on their blade?

I just received the blade yesterday, and this morning I called the shop, and they said their table tennis specialist who deals with DHS products and the one who is in contact with DHS is not in yet and that they will contact me later. Hopefully I can get an exchange or refund, especially when the blade is so expensive.

I have marked up the thickness in red to show the difference even more clearly:

Other side looks OK:

 

[Migzkulit]

My Q968 had a difference in thickness in both sides (mostly from the outer layer), but mine wasnt as apparent as yours.

 

[igorponger]

No two hairs alike all over head

 

[Rao01]

This is the case with most blades that we buy from the market from any seller. The quality is not consistent at all. I see this difference in top layer thickness across all brands of blades Butterfly, Joola, Andro, DHS to name a few. Since these are market versions, unless something is way off, this is how we get our blades.

 

[Tyce]

This is the case with most blades that we buy from the market from any seller. The quality is not consistent at all. I see this difference in top layer thickness across all brands of blades Butterfly, Joola, Andro, DHS to name a few. Since these are market versions, unless something is way off, this is how we get our blades.

Weird. I've never seen anything like that.

 

[TensorBackhand]

Hi Folks,
I just bought the W968 Gold Slam from a reputable store here in Canada, and noticed on one side of the blade, the outer layer is thinner than the outer layer on the other side (Images below). This is not normal right? Did I receive a dud or defective blade? Have any other W968 owners here noticed such bad layer thickness uniformity on their blade?

I just received the blade yesterday, and this morning I called the shop, and they said their table tennis specialist who deals with DHS products and the one who is in contact with DHS is not in yet and that they will contact me later. Hopefully I can get an exchange or refund, especially when the blade is so expensive.

I have marked up the thickness in red to show the difference even more clearly:
View attachment 36900

Other side looks OK:
View attachment 36901

I've never seen this problem with Stuor or Lemuria

 

[dingyibvs]

No, it's not normal. I would return it and get an exchange.

 

[Jslick89]

I've never seen this problem with Stuor or Lemuria

Can you send me AliExpress link to a good W968 clone?

 

[lodro]

Can you send me AliExpress link to a good W968 clone?

highlight and rightclick W968 clone, then
"""search google for..... several Aliexpress adverts will come up.

p.s don't listen to TBH, Stuor make good stuff but of course also not perfect and I have seen horrible rough stuff from lemuria

 

[John_]

This is the case with most blades that we buy from the market from any seller. The quality is not consistent at all. I see this difference in top layer thickness across all brands of blades Butterfly, Joola, Andro, DHS to name a few. Since these are market versions, unless something is way off, this is how we get our blades.

Never seen this before, not even with cheap blades.

 

[Topspinslinger]

Can you send me AliExpress link to a good W968 clone?

https://a.aliexpress.com/_EuMJ3t4

This one is really good, I have a light weight one but it is still good. A heavier one is your best bet😌. Balance is quite good, as the handle is bigger then usual.

 

[TensorBackhand]

Can you send me AliExpress link to a good W968 clone?

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809254974750.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.3.70635A8m5A8mHT&algo_pvid=f50a8665-465f-4bbe-b74b-be9ab14a21ae&algo_exp_id=f50a8665-465f-4bbe-b74b-be9ab14a21ae-2&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%221%22%2C%22eval%22%3A%221%22%7D&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%2113.26%2113.26%21%21%2194.68%2194.68%21%402103201917528803526195014ec84b%2112000049109272508%21sea%21US%211644340096%21X&curPageLogUid=EVLmVal2tbsf&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A&tblci=GiCMk2bJcECEwY9iSoCFcWuXp0Y8exFXDEB7n-dIEYp-AyDA9m4oktSItMzg2dNtMJvbXg

 

[Grahf]

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809254974750.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.3.70635A8m5A8mHT&algo_pvid=f50a8665-465f-4bbe-b74b-be9ab14a21ae&algo_exp_id=f50a8665-465f-4bbe-b74b-be9ab14a21ae-2&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%221%22%2C%22eval%22%3A%221%22%7D&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%2113.26%2113.26%21%21%2194.68%2194.68%21%402103201917528803526195014ec84b%2112000049109272508%21sea%21US%211644340096%21X&curPageLogUid=EVLmVal2tbsf&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A&tblci=GiCMk2bJcECEwY9iSoCFcWuXp0Y8exFXDEB7n-dIEYp-AyDA9m4oktSItMzg2dNtMJvbXg

Hoooly crap, how is that cheap?

I have only tried stuor´s before, gonna buy this lemuria one so I can know this brand as well.

 

[TensorBackhand]

Hoooly crap, how is that cheap?

I have only tried stuor´s before, gonna buy this lemuria one so I can know this brand as well.

I think they save money by not doing the logo.

I have this blade and it is better than w968 national. But I don't think every blade will be the same as mine

 

[Julzig]

Those clones all seem to have smaller headsizes tho. Atleast the measurements in the description says so: 156x150

 

[TensorBackhand]

Those clones all seem to have smaller headsizes tho. Atleast the measurements in the description says so: 156x150

I think the sellers don't really know and just put up a random number.

My Lemuria 968 clone is large, either 159 or 160mm.

 

[Julzig]

I think the sellers don't really know and just put up a random number.

My Lemuria 968 clone is large, either 159 or 160mm.

Yeah sounds right then

 

[SFF_lib]

My friend used to play for Tianjin in China. He recently moved to New Zealand. With one ankle twisted, he still beat the hell out of our club.

He told me only 968 blades with player's name AND with a number less than 20 are worth buying. Even you have the money (~800-1000 USD) you still need a reputable connection.

Hence why I stay with Butterfly.

 

[JC69]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

An update,
The store contacted DHS for me and help with a few exchanges, they said it's within their margins of error, and the store said I peeled the wrapper already, so I can't exchange or return since DHS is saying it's not a defect...

But after, I glued on a new sheet of H3N BS, and it feels great at least, but that maybe because it's a new sheet of rubber with fresh boost, and I am comparing it my other 2 rackets which both have older sheets that hasn't been re-boosted in months.

This is the case with most blades that we buy from the market from any seller. The quality is not consistent at all. I see this difference in top layer thickness across all brands of blades Butterfly, Joola, Andro, DHS to name a few. Since these are market versions, unless something is way off, this is how we get our blades.

I have 2 Butterfly blades and a Nittaku, and checked some Butterfly blades of other people where I play, they were not perfect, but they were all good enough where I couldn't confidently say one side was thicker than the other.

My friend used to play for Tianjin in China. He recently moved to New Zealand. With one ankle twisted, he still beat the hell out of our club.

He told me only 968 blades with player's name AND with a number less than 20 are worth buying. Even you have the money (~800-1000 USD) you still need a reputable connection.

Hence why I stay with Butterfly.

The one I bought was 21 sadly. Do you know if they number them from best to worst?
I don't even know how it works, are there batches and each starts from 1 again? or I am suppose to be the only person with 21?

Yeah, I was sticking to Butterfly and Nittaku for blades, but read so much good things about the W968. Also a long time ago I was sticking to Butterfly rubbers, and took the chance on H3N, and never turned back, so I thought it would be ok :S

 

[RefereeNumber2]

Crazy to me that it's within their margin of error -- the top ply on one side is literally twice as thick as on the other!

I'm not sure what it says about DHS's manufacturing process that this is even possible. For every Butterfly blade I've owned, it's been clear from examining the grain patterns/spacing on the blade faces that the two top plies were taken from right next to each other in a single piece of wood, along the same grain. Obviously I can't see beneath the top ply, but I assume they do the same for the inner plies as well. More knowledgeable blade-makers/wood-workers should correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd imagine this helps minimize cupping/warping from temperature/humidity fluctuation since the the blade expands/contracts symmetrically on both sides. It also guarantees that the two plies are virtually the same thickness.

If DHS is taking plies from completely different pieces of wood for the outer plies in their blades, it's hard to imagine their blades could be made to that consistent of a standard. Which makes sense given their reputation for poor QC, but it's frustrating for such an expensive product.

All that said, I have no idea whether that would necessarily make this particular blade play poorly. Maybe it is a bit more vulnerable to warping/cupping, but that could be true for any DHS blade even if the top plies happened to be the same thickness.