Old Stiga Blade

[Magic_M]

Yes, before Stiga began tu use the black lenses, they sold there blades with several stickers on the handle, the biggest sticker with the face of a player. All competition paddles had this classic construction, but the thickness was between 4,8 mm (AR-) up to 6 mm (clear Off).

Besides this classic construction Stiga sold a cheap "junior-blade" with basswood outer.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Of course Stiga still sells a blade with this construction and it is still the bestseller: the Allround Classic, but the actual version has more flex than the old blades.

The current Stiga Allround Classic is:

Limba-Ayous-Ayous-Ayous-Limba

Not Limba-Limba.

That is why I made the assumption that the old ones would be that.

Stiga has a bunch of blades with the Limba-Ayous-Ayous-Ayous-Limba construction. It is crisper and harder than Limba-Limba would be. But Limba-Limba would have better touch and dwell.

But I don't know of any blades they currently make with Limba-Limba. Allround Evolution and Energy Wood are also Limba-Ayous-Ayous-Ayous-Limba. So is Allround NCT. So were the Tube Allround and Tube Offensive when they used to make them.

 

[Magic_M]

why should limba - ayous - ayous be crispier than limba - limba - ayous ! If you compare these two woods, ayous is the lighter abd softer wood and limba is harder.

Ayous = Janka 430
Limba = Janka 670
Koto = Janka 940

https://stervinou.net/ttbdb/lexik.php

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

why should limba - ayous - ayous be crispier than limba - limba - ayous ! If you compare these two woods, ayous is the lighter abd softer wood and limba is harder.

Ayous = Janka 430
Limba = Janka 670
Koto = Janka 940

https://stervinou.net/ttbdb/lexik.php

Not sure. But if I take my Primorac Off-, my OSP Virtuoso Off- and Plus and a whole host of other blades I have tried with Limba-Limba, they feel very different from the Limba-Ayous blades I have felt.

It is true, it could be something Stiga is doing when they make the blades. But Ayous feels more springy and when the blade is Limba-Ayous it feels crisper. More snap.

Since I think there are harder and softer versions of Limba it could be that Stiga uses slightly harder versions of Limba in those top plies. I also know they make those top plies in the blades I listed pretty thin. That and gluing process could have something to do with it as well. I just know what I have felt in my hand.

[edit]: an interesting quote from the section on Limba in Magic_M's link:

"although Limba wood is soft, it can’t give a soft feeling to the blade by itself, and when used with other veneers, a Limba blade can give a hard feeling;".

It could be this that I am feeling. I never bothered looking at the Janka rating for Ayous. It is a really good point that it is softer. And I should have looked at the hardness ratings. But it is interesting to me that, all of the Stiga blades I have felt with the Limba-Ayous-Ayous-Ayous-Limba blades have a crisp feeling and feel harder to me than all of the Limba-Limba-Ayous-Limba-Limba blades I have felt. And the Limba-Limba blades seem less springy and feel like they hold the ball on the blade face longer: less bounce even though not necessarily less speed.

 

[Suga D]

The current Stiga Allround Classic is:

Limba-Ayous-Ayous-Ayous-Limba

Not Limba-Limba.

That is why I made the assumption that the old ones would be that.

Stiga has a bunch of blades with the Limba-Ayous-Ayous-Ayous-Limba construction. It is crisper and harder than Limba-Limba would be. But Limba-Limba would have better touch and dwell.

But I don't know of any blades they currently make with Limba-Limba. Allround Evolution and Energy Wood are also Limba-Ayous-Ayous-Ayous-Limba. So is Allround NCT. So were the Tube Allround and Tube Offensive when they used to make them.

I think I've read the same somewhere else and guess you could be right.

What could also be is that STIGA first started out with Limba-Limba-Ayous-Limba-Limba and after a while changed it to Limba-Ayous-Ayous-Ayous-Limba.

But anyhow i was told that the locking veneer isn't as important as the core and the top ply, so no need for argueing, guys.
[Emoji6]

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

I think I've read the same somewhere else and guess you could be right.

What could also be is that STIGA first started out with Limba-Limba-Ayous-Limba-Limba and after a while changed it to Limba-Ayous-Ayous-Ayous-Limba.

But anyhow i was told that the locking veneer isn't as important as the core and the top ply, so no need for argueing, guys.
[Emoji6]

Agree. No need for arguing. I was actually accepting that I just assumed the older blades were L-Ai-Ai-Ai-L but did not realize they were L-L-Ai-L-L. I don't know the specifics of the old blades. I think Magic M knows more than me on that subject. So, I am assuming he is correct on the ply construction of the older blades.