Seal or not seal the Joola Vyzaryz Trinity blade?

[leandrostm]

Hey guys, how’s it going?
Do you usually seal your blades?

A friend of mine just bought a Joola Vyzaryz Trinity, and we were talking about whether to seal it or not. I’ve only owned two blades so far and never sealed any of them, and I’ve never had issues with splintering — but I’m not sure if that was just luck. Since he bought a high-end blade, he’s considering sealing it for better durability.

For those who do seal their blades, how do you do it? Do you use a specific table tennis blade sealer?

P.S.: he’s mainly thinking about sealing it because he read that limba outer plies tend to splinter more easily.

 

[golden_son]

I seal every blade that isn't sealed by the factory, and even some that look like they might be but I'm not 100% sure. Don't waste the extra money on tt-branded sealant. A single layer of wipe-on polyurethane is easy to apply and cures in <24h, and should last through several gluings before you need to worry about doing it again. A can from the hardware store (or Amazon) will be cheap and last for dozens of blades/applications. You just pour a little bit onto a lint-free rag (bamboo fiber paper towels are amazing for this) and wipe it on the blade, just enough to slightly darken the surface. (Koto for instance will go from a cream color to pale honey.) Then let it dry 24 hours and you're good to glue.

 

[leandrostm]

I seal every blade that isn't sealed by the factory, and even some that look like they might be but I'm not 100% sure. Don't waste the extra money on tt-branded sealant. A single layer of wipe-on polyurethane is easy to apply and cures in <24h, and should last through several gluings before you need to worry about doing it again. A can from the hardware store (or Amazon) will be cheap and last for dozens of blades/applications. You just pour a little bit onto a lint-free rag (bamboo fiber paper towels are amazing for this) and wipe it on the blade, just enough to slightly darken the surface. (Koto for instance will go from a cream color to pale honey.) Then let it dry 24 hours and you're good to glue.

Incredibly enough, in my region it’s hard to find sealers that aren’t solvent-based, and since a friend works with DHS products we ended up choosing their sealer (DHS AP01).
Surprisingly, it came out at a very reasonable price — even cheaper than buying a small can of varnish/sealer online once shipping and fees are included.
One question: after application (a thin layer of sealer, with the excess removed using a good-quality paper towel), should I lightly sand the surface with 800-grit sandpaper?

 

[chinacurious]

I would seal it. 1 thin layer, then fine sandpaper (300-400grit) to sand off the raised fibres, then 1 more thin layer.

Joola varnish is the one I use.

Check here: https://www.sdcttblades.com/nerdy-stuff/blade-sealing

 

[golden_son]

Yeah, one vs two layers is personal preference I think but I do also lightly sand the surface after it dries. I just use a grinding/sanding stick that came with one of my old Xiom blades, ostensibly for filing down the wings. No idea what grit it is.

 

[leandrostm]

I would seal it. 1 thin layer, then fine sandpaper (300-400grit) to sand off the raised fibres, then 1 more thin layer.

Joola varnish is the one I use.

Check here: https://www.sdcttblades.com/nerdy-stuff/blade-sealing

Wow, this link was very informative — thanks for sharing!

 

[NextLevel]

I have used the blade, I never sealed it, and it was fine. But of course, if it makes you feel more secure or you don't have experience gluing or you glue a lot and therefore want to keep the moisture content consistent, then go ahead and seal.

 

[leandrostm]

I have used the blade, I never sealed it, and it was fine. But of course, if it makes you feel more secure or you don't have experience gluing or you glue a lot and therefore want to keep the moisture content consistent, then go ahead and seal.

I change my rubbers every 3 months, so I believe sealing would be fine, right? As for gluing and removing them, I have good experience with that.

 

[NextLevel]

I change my rubbers every 3 months, so I believe sealing would be fine, right? As for gluing and removing them, I have good experience with that.

Sealing or not sealing, you should be fine, the blade is a very durable blade. Maybe I should play with it again lol... a bit too stiff for me,,,

 

[leandrostm]

Sealing or not sealing, you should be fine, the blade is a very durable blade. Maybe I should play with it again lol... a bit too stiff for me,,,

My friend bought it for himself because we have a mutual friend who uses it, and honestly I’m seriously thinking about switching from my Xiom Hugo HAL to this one. It fits my game perfectly: very controlled close to the table and with plenty of gears to accelerate. The thick limba outer ply gives amazing control, and when you need it, the ZL carbon shows up like a star.

 

[leandrostm]

I’d like to add a quick note: I contacted Joola Brazil’s after-sales support and they gave me two pieces of information — the blade does not come factory sealed, and they recommend sealing it, either through their own sealing service offered at the time of purchase. I honestly didn’t notice this option on the website when I bought it, and they also mentioned that if you didn’t use their service, they recommend sealing the blade yourself with a proper product.

 

[NextLevel]

I’d like to add a quick note: I contacted Joola Brazil’s after-sales support and they gave me two pieces of information — the blade does not come factory sealed, and they recommend sealing it, either through their own sealing service offered at the time of purchase. I honestly didn’t notice this option on the website when I bought it, and they also mentioned that if you didn’t use their service, they recommend sealing the blade yourself with a proper product.

Hopefully they don't recommend rubber cleaner as well.... but seriously, take care of your blade, it is a good blade.

 

[leandrostm]

Hopefully they don't recommend rubber cleaner as well.... but seriously, take care of your blade, it is a good blade.

Haha, true 😄 but surprisingly they didn’t offer their own sealing product. It really is an excellent blade.