How many reglues before the TB ALC outer ply becomes softer?

[Arson]

I have read several articles about the TB ALC outer ply getting softer when using waterbased glue. As the OCD'ing person that I am, how many reglues does it take for the ply to actually become softer and thus, become slower? I beg your pardon for my massive OCD.

 

[cakezxc280]

I have read several articles about the TB ALC outer ply getting softer when using waterbased glue. As the OCD'ing person that I am, how many reglues does it take for the ply to actually become softer and thus, become slower? I beg your pardon for my massive OCD.

If water based glue actually softens the outerply, it wont just be applying to TB ALC's Koto surface veneer. I dont think it will actually affect the feel that much if you apply the correct amount of water based glue and actually wait for it to completely dry off before sticking.
And I dont think ANYONE actually counts the number of time they glue their blade at all lol.

 

[Der_Echte]

That is about the same magnitude a question as the eternal "How many LICKS does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?"

www.tootsie.com/how-many-licks

Viral vid that started it before U waz born...

 

[sebas-aguirre]

it's peculiar that pros don't like soft feel that's why they change blades as they soften, while forum members pay huge amounts of money for older blades which according to them have a better feel.
of course this "better feel" is just a softer feel, because of time passed and use of the blade.
I think today if you want to buy an old viscaria you may end up paying 300 or 400 dollars.

I understand the desire for a sharp feeling blade, like a new alc blade for example.
when you are in control your shots have more spin, better placement, more power.

but when you are in defensive mode it's much harder to put the ball in the table than with a 20 year old 5ply blade.

 

[Argothman]

I recommend sealing the blade. It doesn't change the play much, but it protects the wood from water in glues.

 

[cakezxc280]

it's peculiar that pros don't like soft feel that's why they change blades as they soften, while forum members pay huge amounts of money for older blades which according to them have a better feel.
of course this "better feel" is just a softer feel, because of time passed and use of the blade.
I think today if you want to buy an old viscaria you may end up paying 300 or 400 dollars.

I understand the desire for a sharp feeling blade, like a new alc blade for example.
when you are in control your shots have more spin, better placement, more power.

but when you are in defensive mode it's much harder to put the ball in the table than with a 20 year old 5ply blade.

Eh, dont think pros really switch around on their blades all that much lol.
look at ZJK for example, when he finished with his grandslam he was still using his same old Vis thats all beaten up and crumbling on the sides.
Or Patrick Franziska, still using his A.Mazunov and a lot of other bundesliga players using butterfly's old blades.
Ofc there are some exception like XX, changing a different model of blade like every half a year or so....but on the most part, i dont think they change it all that much.

 

[Tinykin]

Eh, dont think pros really switch around on their blades all that much lol.
look at ZJK for example, when he finished with his grandslam he was still using his same old Vis thats all beaten up and crumbling on the sides.
Or Patrick Franziska, still using his A.Mazunov and a lot of other bundesliga players using butterfly's old blades.
Ofc there are some exception like XX, changing a different model of blade like every half a year or so....but on the most part, i dont think they change it all that much.

True. I've seen the blades of some professionals that would not pass any blade inspection. It's just that all the umpire sees is the complete bat with rubbers.

 

[Tommy16]

Eh, dont think pros really switch around on their blades all that much lol.
look at ZJK for example, when he finished with his grandslam he was still using his same old Vis thats all beaten up and crumbling on the sides.
Or Patrick Franziska, still using his A.Mazunov and a lot of other bundesliga players using butterfly's old blades.
Ofc there are some exception like XX, changing a different model of blade like every half a year or so....but on the most part, i dont think they change it all that much.

Well you aso must know what kind of glue does those players with old blade uses. Wbg does destroys the blades and all pros who uses wbg change their blades regulary. It´s quite common among the pros to use old glue with voc. Some players have one blade which they saves only for big tournaments.

I also believe (don´t know this for a fact) that Butterfly has a stock of old tag blades reserved for some players like Fransizka who likes to play with them.

 

[cakezxc280]

Well you aso must know what kind of glue does those players with old blade uses. Wbg does destroys the blades and all pros who uses wbg change their blades regulary. It´s quite common among the pros to use old glue with voc. Some players have one blade which they saves only for big tournaments.

I also believe (don´t know this for a fact) that Butterfly has a stock of old tag blades reserved for some players like Fransizka who likes to play with them.

Well I know for sure that they cant use VOC based glue in tournaments. Its way too easy to get caught with it. One magnifying ruler and you're done. Don't even have to go through the machine.
Most sponsored pros i know doesn't have any more than 2 blades on their hand at once. Well they are lower ranked entry level Pros but still....
Yea I too believe BTY does have a cache of old products. You look at Jun Mizutani, still wearing a nearly brand new Energy Force V, which was discontinued a few years back, for his all japanese championship. But then again you see one of the bundesliga player's Power 7- FL, that thing looks like its older than me! So.....

 

[sebas-aguirre]

check here

http://saletabletennis.com/sharing-all-table-tennis-information/

there are 4 or 5 top players saying they change their blades often.

 

[cakezxc280]

check here

http://saletabletennis.com/sharing-all-table-tennis-information/

there are 4 or 5 top players saying they change their blades often.

Well yea they are top level players, so you have to factor in a few things:
1. They change rubber like every week. So for the case of Dima, its 12 re-glues for the 3 month period when he needs a blade change
2. Top players are looking for that 1-2% difference their equipment make to their game. So ANY slowing down of their game is unacceptable for them.
3. They are obviously heavily sponsored. They get to change a blade whenever they want.

So putting those factors in, they simply do not apply to us enthusiasts do they?

A top level amature/semi-pro player who trains everyday for about 4 hours, at most, changes rubber every 1 and half month or so. So for 12 reglues its gonna take like what? 1 and half year? Also, is that 2% difference really notable in amateur level play? And most importantly, do we have what it takes to change a blade, dont even mention 3 months, say, every half a year? I dont think so.

I am even going to be cynical here and say most of you here who are so used to carbon blades that have little feel to the ball, and probably even have problems handling the blade correctly, wont even feel that change in speed.

So why worry about this at all?

 

[Tommy16]

Well I know for sure that they cant use VOC based glue in tournaments. Its way too easy to get caught with it. One magnifying ruler and you're done. Don't even have to go through the machine.
Most sponsored pros i know doesn't have any more than 2 blades on their hand at once. Well they are lower ranked entry level Pros but still....
Yea I too believe BTY does have a cache of old products. You look at Jun Mizutani, still wearing a nearly brand new Energy Force V, which was discontinued a few years back, for his all japanese championship. But then again you see one of the bundesliga player's Power 7- FL, that thing looks like its older than me! So.....

Well when I said old glue I didn´t mean speed glue. There are many pro players at least in Elitserien and Bundesliga who uses regular voc glue to attach their rubbers. It´s just basically that they want´s to protect their blades. If you use normal voc-glue it takes only few days and there is no more voc to be detected so they are good to go.

But as you said most of us use so few pairs of rubbers that this is not something that we should worry too much.