SDC Handmade Blades

[WingTT]

This is the first time I'm using an hybrid fabric (that is not plain carbon) with the fibers placed at 45º. A-C is faster than ALC, but it also has an harder feeling, so by doing this we can increase the flexibility of the blade, but still retain the springiness of the A-C. Moreover, because vibrations travel differently within the blade, the feedback on the hand is also increased, which translates into a longer holding sensation compared to 90º A-C.

Sergio must be a mind reader as I was thinking of a blade like that after reading about the Carbonado 45 from before and the Joola ZQH Hyper ARY-c 45. Now I am the lucky early bird.

 

[SDC]

I felt like doing something fancy for my 800th blade, so I went for the golden look with this one. I've used Olive wood on handles many times, but never on a top ply. It's almost as heavy and hard as Ebony, similar to Rosewood, yet the blade does not feel hard at all. You get a more direct trajectory and speed than with your typical inner ZLC blade, but this also means it will be a little harder to control.

Available FS.

- Olive / Ayous / ZLC / Ayous / ZLC / Ayous / Olive
- 88.4g
- 5.7mm
- 157x150mm
- FL (102x24mm)
- 1356Hz
- Balance: 2.9cm (Low/Med)

 

[SDC]

This is a blade I made for myself a while ago, I wanted something fun to show to referees during racket inspection 😅. However, since I stopped playing it hasn't seen much use and it's a shame just to be lying around. I refurbished it, so it's in a like new state, without kinks or dings. Playing wise it covers that All+ to Off- range, it's not exceptional at anything, but it doesn't have any major faults either. The feeling is nice and soft, very spiny and controllable.

Available FS.

- Blue Fig / Ayous / ALC / Ayous / ALC / Ayous / Blue Fig
- 86.6g
- 6.2mm
- 157x150mm
- ST (102x23mm)
- 1250Hz
- Balance: 3.1cm (Med)

 

[SDC]

Here's something that has been on my to do list for a while, a 13 ply all wood blade. Not as fast as you might think, but a solid Off at least and with very linear behavior. But what really makes this blade special it's the outstanding sweetspot, I truly doubt there is another all wood blade out there with this kind of stability and solid feeling. In fact, it seems to be bigger than some composite blades too. There is a downside tought, it's not particularly light...

Available FS

- 13x Ayous
- 93.7g
- 7.7mm
- 157x150mm
- STSQ (102x27.5x23mm)
- 1421Hz
- Balance: 3.6cm (Med/High)

 

[SDC]

I've made this combi blade thinking of a push-blocking style of play, but to be honest you can also use it in a double offensive setup with a slower side. On the Ayous side I've used unidirectional carbon, I've had this fabric for a while but this was my first time using it. Carbon fabric is usually weaved in a crossed pattern, so it has equal mechanical properties in both directions, but this unidirectional carbon only has fibers in one direction, which means it will only provide strength in the direction used. It's also very thin, so most of the blade's natural feeling is preserved. This side is at least OFF-, but there is a clear distinction between sides with the other having a shorter bounce and a less dynamic feeling, so I would probably say ALL/ALL+ speed-wise. The handle is a chunky Anatomic shape, so it's good if you have big hands, but not great for twiddling.

Available FS.

- Ayous / Uni-C / Limba / Mahogany / Kiri / Limba / Mahogany
- 86.5g
- 6.2mm
- 157x150mm
- AN (102x24mm)
- 1313Hz
- Balance: 2.4cm (Low)

 

[PaddyPolar]

I like these combi blades. Adds a touch of personality if made custom, which i like.

I don't get why pros use something like this, it could be really usefull if you have one weaker side. For example, ma long has a strong forehand, and to make it faster, he could have an outer SZLC on the forehand. But on the backhand, ma long likes to keep it safe and direct the ball on the table, so he could have an inner ALC on the backhand.

This could also help us amateurs as well, if you have a strong forehand, you could carbon on that side but have all wood on the backhand. Maybe this is the new era of blades.

 

[lodro]

Maybe this is the new era of blades.

Sure, but not exactly new. DHS made one, Xiom makes them and even stuart makes one

 

[IB66]

Hi Sergio,

have you made any blades with 1050Hz or less recently??

 

[JJ Ng]

I like these combi blades. Adds a touch of personality if made custom, which i like.

I don't get why pros use something like this, it could be really usefull if you have one weaker side. For example, ma long has a strong forehand, and to make it faster, he could have an outer SZLC on the forehand. But on the backhand, ma long likes to keep it safe and direct the ball on the table, so he could have an inner ALC on the backhand.

This could also help us amateurs as well, if you have a strong forehand, you could carbon on that side but have all wood on the backhand. Maybe this is the new era of blades.

I use hurricane on the FH side and catapulty ESN rubber on the BH side. So that eliminates the need for combi blades.

Also I have one combi blade. I don't feel that it confers any advantage to just use different rubbers on both sides.

 

[lodro]

I use hurricane on the FH side and catapulty ESN rubber on the BH side. So that eliminates the need for combi blades.

Also I have one combi blade. I don't feel that it confers any advantage to just use different rubbers on both sides.

I agree with this. Even when there is a soft wood combo on one side and a carbon layer with koto finish on the other the difference is nowhere near as noticeable as when 2 different rubbers are used.

 

[SDC]

I use hurricane on the FH side and catapulty ESN rubber on the BH side. So that eliminates the need for combi blades.

Also I have one combi blade. I don't feel that it confers any advantage to just use different rubbers on both sides.

I agree with this. Even when there is a soft wood combo on one side and a carbon layer with koto finish on the other the difference is nowhere near as noticeable as when 2 different rubbers are used.

Ok nice, you do you, but there are some people out there who like to use the same type of rubbers on each side, so having a blade with different sides helps. Also, for example, if you offensively with the Fh and defensively with the Bh using pips, having a blade that provides a better synergy with those rubbers helps even further.

Making a combi blade it's not only about changing the top ply or putting a composite layer on one side, sometimes we need extreme differences between sides, in order to feel some difference. But the difference is not only in speed, but in feel and trajectory as well.

 

[SDC]

Hi Sergio,

have you made any blades with 1050Hz or less recently??

Hey! I get requests for them every now and then, so yes I have made a few.

 

[lodro]

Ok nice, you do you, but there are some people out there who like to use the same type of rubbers on each side, so having a blade with different sides helps. Also, for example, if you offensively with the Fh and defensively with the Bh using pips, having a blade that provides a better synergy with those rubbers helps even further.

Making a combi blade it's not only about changing the top ply or putting a composite layer on one side, sometimes we need extreme differences between sides, in order to feel some difference. But the difference is not only in speed, but in feel and trajectory as well.

Fair enough and to be honest I did buy the cheapest combi blade one can get, the laminates are allegedly:
Ebony+zlc / carbon+ayus+ayus+ayus+Spruce+koto.
And to be fair, I still do not really know just which side is supposed to be the fast one and which the feeeliy one 😂

 

[IB66]

Hey! I get requests for them every now and then, so yes I have made a few.

Hey Sergio, got any pics of them? Or composition breakdown?

 

[IB66]

Sergio, How slow do you think you can go!!!??? Still playable of course!!!
perhaps that‘s the next challenge!! Dotec wings of course!!

 

[SDC]

Fair enough and to be honest I did buy the cheapest combi blade one can get, the laminates are allegedly:
Ebony+zlc / carbon+ayus+ayus+ayus+Spruce+koto.
And to be fair, I still do not really know just which side is supposed to be the fast one and which the feeeliy one 😂

View attachment 26340

Well, that's basically fast + fast, not a fair ground for comparison 😅

 

[SDC]

Sergio, How slow do you think you can go!!!??? Still playable of course!!!
perhaps that‘s the next challenge!! Dotec wings of course!!

These ones were probably the slowest blades I've ever built, virtually no bounce. Hinoki / Kiri / Balsa / Kiri / Hinoki, 5.2mm and 1076Hz. One of those cases where the frequency is very misleading.

 

[lodro]

Well, that's basically fast + fast, not a fair ground for comparison 😅

Thanks Sergio, for confirming my "suspicions".
Serves me right for buying some cheap rubbish.
But I am being a bit hard here with my comment because it feels
and looks like a well made blade and in the right hand it could be a weapon.
It is faaaast on both sides and measures in at Hz 1615.

 

[IB66]

These ones were probably the slowest blades I've ever built, virtually no bounce. Hinoki / Kiri / Balsa / Kiri / Hinoki, 5.2mm and 1076Hz. One of those cases where the frequency is very misleading.

Yeah, I get the frequency thing!!

The last pair you made for me were circa 980Hz!!

I think the one you made for me with Hinoki was about 1050Hz, from memory.

Blades in the photo, great work as per usual, regarding the lack of bounce, is it the type of balsa, physical properties of the balsa used that is the main factor in the reduced bounce? Balsa cores can be used for fast or slow blades, what is it that you look for, or is this a trade secret!!

 

[SDC]

Thanks Sergio, for confirming my "suspicions".
Serves me right for buying some cheap rubbish.
But I am being a bit hard here with my comment because it feels
and looks like a well made blade and in the right hand it could be a weapon.
It is faaaast on both sides and measures in at Hz 1615.

It doesn't have to be rubbish, it may play amazingly well, it just doesn't have a significant enough difference in composition between sides, so that you can perceive some difference in performance.