Oops ! Der_Echte did it AGAIN.

[Der_Echte]

By now everyone knows I prefer heavier blades with weight lower than most and a solid feel at impact.

Sometimes, that means I gotta take matters into my own hands. For me and TT blades, recently, that seems to be a LOT !!!

I liked my Nexy Kanaph at 85 grams... but what the heck !! I can LOVE it 10-15 grams heavier down low with a more solid pleasing feel at impact, plus improved balance and top end pace. Did I forget to mention the nice impact feel ??!!

So since I promised Carl I would do this to the Kanaph, here she goes. My goal was to add 10-15 grams of weight down low. I assumed (correctly) that this blade is like every manufacturer making room in the handle for this mod. I thought it would be a little tricky to exactly measure the glue weight, so I tried not to over do it. I did measure out the re-enforcing material - PAPER CLIPS !!! at a grand total of 5 grams. I added in the glue to less than the full amount since I was worried about over-doing it. I ended up on the low end of my goal. (adding just 10 grams) I expect it to be weight well spent.

Pic 1... The Heavyweight candidate advertised in stock form as a middleweight 85 grams.



Pic 2... Tale of the tape shows Kanaph weighing in at a modest 84.7 grams.



Pic 3... Gotta go slow and careful to take off one handle. I used my favorite (wife's) artist's putty knife. I guess a good ole Buck knife could do the trick, but I wanted to use something thinner and take my time.



Pic 4... Yup, the blade is hollow below the handle. Not nearly as much as the Allround Evolution was, but the neck is hollow. Handle has only a little of it shaved off.



Pic 5... Selected Paper Clips as the "rods" this time and they came in at just over 5 grams.



Pic 6... What it looks like after the clips



Pic 7... The final result: A heavyweight contender weighing in at a little under 95 grams without grip tape

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Hahahaha. Nice one. Looks like you did a good job of separating the handle. I can't wait to hear about how it plays with the famous Der_Echte modification.

 

[Der_Echte]

It's all Carl's fault. Ever since he drew first blood.

I played a match vs Carl in Robert Chen TTC in my last visit to NYC using the 220 gram Battlefield-Bat-Bludgeon (BBB) that is only capable of being weilded by a well muscled 350 Pound Viking on an epic buzz after his 12th consecutive shot of espresso... and it is only known as the Der_Echte modified Allround Evolution.

Carl won that first game 11-4 or 11-5 haha. Hiz BH was making winnerz and he coulda said By-YA !! at least a half dozen times he waz a hittin' winners.

Ever since that traumatic experience, I've been over-using the sharpening stone on my sword over that one !!! The bruise on my tail from that ass-kickin' is only beginning to change color for the better.

I just had to make the beast better or be haunted forever relentlessly by Carl on the forum and all over the internetz.

However, I didn't want Frankenstein to be as heavy this time, I thought in my mind that 10-15 grams added would be sufficent for my purposes.

maybe I will find out in a week if I can trek my way up to Ottawa to unsheeth this thing upon the Canadian TT scene. (and get my tail kicked back down to Upstate NY by the Div 1 ace crowd)

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

It's all Carl's fault. Ever since he drew first blood.

I played a match vs Carl in Robert Chen TTC in my last visit to NYC using the 220 gram Battlefield-Bat-Bludgeon (BBB) that is only capable of being weilded by a well muscled 350 Pound Viking on an epic buzz after his 12th consecutive shot of espresso... and it is only known as the Der_Echte modified Allround Evolution.

Carl won that first game 11-4 or 11-5 haha. Hiz BH was making winnerz and he coulda said By-YA !! at least a half dozen times he waz a hittin' winners.

Ever since that traumatic experience, I've been over-using the sharpening stone on my sword over that one !!! The bruise on my tail from that ass-kickin' is only beginning to change color for the better.

I just had to make the beast better or be haunted forever relentlessly by Carl on the forum and all over the internetz.

However, I didn't want Frankenstein to be as heavy this time, I thought in my mind that 10-15 grams added would be sufficent for my purposes.

maybe I will find out in a week if I can trek my way up to Ottawa to unsheeth this thing upon the Canadian TT scene. (and get my tail kicked back down to Upstate NY by the Div 1 ace crowd)

Hahahaha. OMG, too funny. I can't wait to see what this blade feels like. Probably 10 grams is enough. But the Evolution blade feels good with the extra 30+ grams you added.

 

[Der_Echte]

Aye Carl, that it did. T'was a good heavy solid feel and it didn't slow me down at all. In fact, I won every match I played using that Bludgeon of a beast of Burden on my night of TT adventure in NYC V2.0 haha.

 

[Der_Echte]

Had a grand total of one person appear at the rec center table who could barely rally low speed, but I had a few chances too take a good whack at a few of the balls and still allow the other guy to hit 90% + of the balls.

This is obviously not a great situation to test this thing out, but the few balls I could lay some wood on felt really good and controllable.

I think I will really have to go to Canada or wait until my next trip to Boston to know for sure.

 

[Der_Echte]

Wife told me this weekend we will go to Canada (Ottawa) with a friend, so while the women are shopping it up and at a resturant, I will be whooping it up playing TT with a FB friend or two there.

SOOOOOO, this looks like my first chance to really leg the legs on this baby run !

So far, all I can do is serve with poly ball by self in rec c enter, but I am still able to ghost serve back to net, I have a lot of hope in the potential of this customized joker !

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Wife told me this weekend we will go to Canada (Ottawa) with a friend, so while the women are shopping it up and at a resturant, I will be whooping it up playing TT with a FB friend or two there.

SOOOOOO, this looks like my first chance to really leg the legs on this baby run !

So far, all I can do is serve with poly ball by self in rec c enter, but I am still able to ghost serve back to net, I have a lot of hope in the potential of this customized joker !

I can't wait to hear how it performs. I also can't wait for you to get back to NYC for us to cause more trouble.

 

[Der_Echte]

We haven't even STARTED to even do cat and mouse stuff. When we get done with NYC, John McEnroe himself would blush and chicken out on some of the missions.

I registered for the GVTTC Winter Classic TT Tourney Jan 10 in Syracuse, NY and will be using the Modified Kanaph. Hopefully I will have in my new Nexy Uniform by then. I will also have to take some pics wearing the latest TTD Uniform Jersey (larege logo jersey in black) as well. Gotta remember to get players to take pics this time.

EDIT: Front side of new Uniform

 

[Giangt]

It looks flashy I hope the uniform will make you play better

 

[Der_Echte]

Got to Syracuse club for a 4 hr hit with the players there.

I am really liking the impact of this blade. Now I need to get the rest of my old body that hasn't been playing into gear hehe.

 

[Josep Antón Velázquez]

WOW!!! You are Dr. Frankenstein of TT blades!! LOL Nice and smart modification!

When I was young and speed glue was allowed I realize that my racket gain weight in every reglue and it becames to heavy for me. My solution was to cut the upper part of the racket, only 1 (or maybe 2) milimiters of the upper semicircle of the blade. But that means 1 milimiter less of wood and also 1+1 milimiters less of rubers (and the glue). Also as the weight cutted is at the top the center of gravity of the racket was displaced towards the handle and it feels considerably lighter.

I realized with the years that I love the blades with the gravity center close to the handle and about 90g of weight.

pd: according to the ITTF hand book rules you may use some wood to fill the handle, as 85% of the blade should be wood haha (just joking). You also could have problems in the control of the airports

 

[Der_Echte]

Actually metal is allowed as a substance for real if we want. Stiga Tube series is s special manufacturing process that cuts tiny channels into the wood and those spaces are filled with whatever material Stiga chose to give the blade a certain property. The Tube Aluminum is a popular blade that has real metal as part of the blade. Some other companies have inserted a bolt an nut inside the blade handle to make the balance somewhat adjustable. Andro uses tiny balls for its Kinetic line of blades. Nittaku and others fill in this normally empty space with a foam or other substance to absorb shock and vibrations. BTY used a complicated carbon and rubber suspension system (VRG) on some of its blades for shock absorption. These were all perfectly accepted for competition.

I am with you in craving a more (lower) balanced feel of a blade. For me, it is much better feel at impact and I can get the bat going to target just as fast, if not even a tad faster after this mod, even if final weight is 10-35 grams more.

The below are two parts of the LAWS of TT relating to blades.

2.4.2 At least 85% of the blade by thickness shall be of natural wood; an adhesive
layer within the blade may be reinforced with fibrous material such as carbon
fibre, glass fibre or compressed paper, but shall not be thicker than 7.5% of
the total thickness or 0.35mm, whichever is the smaller.

2.4.5 The blade, any layer within the blade and any layer of covering material or
adhesive on a side used for striking the ball shall be continuous and of even
thickness.

We could say that my modification with uneven pieces of metal, be it nails or paperclips isn't specifically approved. We could also say that the layer of AIR that is in these kinds of blades with hollow handles exceeds the width and is not continuous and is thus unauthorized per LAWS of TT as it is written.

Obviously the LAWS were written to cover the properties of the blade's composition to make the blade close to a natural wood and that the "blade" part they are referring to is the part of the blade above the handle that is used to strike the ball. If it was illegal to have stuff in the handle that wasn't a continuous layer not 15% of blade in thickness, then many blades made by all the big manufacturers would be illegal, AND there would be a strong argument that AIR or HOLLOW space violates this too. What is OBVIOUS to a reasonable TT person and how vague ITTF sometimes writes its laws can be argued in any direction vigorously without end nor positive conclusion.

 

[Josep Antón Velázquez]

Yeah, I don't remember literally but I know that the gain of weight it's not bigger than the percentatge allowed of "non wood", just joking!

About the thickness limit I supose they are talking about the layers of the wood (not about the handle), but as it's written it could be taken as you say.

For me, it is much better feel at impact and I can get the bat going to target just as fast, if not even a tad faster after this mod, even if final weight is 10-35 grams more.

Yes, I'm totally agree with that, for me it's the same, it's not all about the total weight, it's more about the distribution of it.

 

[Der_Echte]

TO me also as much as distribution, the composition and vibration feedback are important. I do not like a lot of vibration feedback - over is too much. This mod puts it right in my zone.

 

[nasu]

Wow is very cleverly ....good job ..and heve fun ....here Nasu from Romania .

 

[Christine97]

Smart idea, if heavier bats work better and more comfortable with you

 

[Der_Echte]

Played TWICE in Boston TTC using the Kanaph and the HEAVY Evolution.

Both played well, I think I need FX-P or MX-P on the Kanaph, I got a sheet of MX-P new leftover, so I try that out when I hit Canada.

The Stiga Allround Evo I did this heavier mod (125 gram before grip tape) I really like and FX-P on this blade is SWEET.

 

[Der_Echte]

Hahahaha. OMG, too funny. I can't wait to see what this blade (Kanaph) feels like. Probably 10 grams is enough. But the Evolution blade feels good with the extra 30+ grams you added.

Well, you might get to have your wish PARTIALLY fulfilled soon as I have decided to toss TTD member AGOLD a Nexy Sparticus that I long term tested in Korea before returning to USA. We all know what shape hiz blade is in

I am waiting for the Nexy stock to make its way through customs and my marketing samples to reach me, so I can also send out to him a squared away looking uniform top and bottom.

You know with ALL that time I will have on my hands waiting for the US Government to do its work (what an oxymoron of a catchphrase, uh?) you know that Nexy Sparticus is gunna have a little something Extra inside it that every Sparticus ever made in Nexy history doesn't have.

This is the Sparticus from Nexy review that no-good BH-Man did at MyTT.
http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=44322

The KOREAN page for the blade from the maker
http://www.tak9.com/shop/goods/goods_view.php?goodsno=3602&category=001001

The blade is serious light right now at 82 grams, would be a shame to give a strong lad like agold such a light blade, it might throw his timing off, so a 93 gram solid super hero version would suit how I see him make loops and hit.

I think with the low end of my mod, this blade will be right at the speed class of Viscaria and I am certain he will like the feel on FH. Vibrating blades have been for me so-so, but a well broken in H3 has NEVER disappointed on any flexy blade I tried it on.