Used rubbers/blades. What to pay attention to when buying?

[Fnub]

Hello. All my life I used cheap equipment. And now I want to know why do people use expensive rubbers/blades without spending lots of money on it. So I want to buy them a bit used. What details should be looked at first

 

[JJ Ng]

Hello. All my life I used cheap equipment. And now I want to know why do people use expensive rubbers/blades without spending lots of money on it. So I want to buy them a bit used. What details should be looked at first

When you say "cheap" equipment, how cheap are you talking about? I have Butterfly Viscaria and Nittaku Acoustic carbon. They are $150+ blades. My current favorite blade is $40 Gambler Blackout carbon.

I have tried a couple ESN and hybrid rubber on my forehand, and I kept on going back to hurricane 3 on my forehand side for $20 a sheet.

It is not like I have not paid up for better equipment but I keep going back to what works for me.

By the way, Nittaku Acoustic carbon is not bad now with H3 neo on the FH and super soft Xiom Vega Europe on the BH. It was unplayable when I had T05 fx and T64 fx on that blade. Everything shot out like a rocket.

So my first question is, why do you want to leave cheap equipment?

Second, do you really want to buy super expensive equipment? I have a couple friends at the club, If I want to borrow their Harimoto super ZLC with Dignics 09c on both side for a week, they would let me do so. I just have not bothered asking yet. So do you have friends at the club who you can borrow their expensive equipment just to try it out?

Third, do you plan to buy over the internet or from your club mates? I would not buy stuff on the internet. First of all, I don't even know if I pay the guy, the guy will send me what is promised. Secondly, the price they are asking (including shipping), I might as well get it new from TT11 or Dandoy and other distributers and it would have been about the same price or cheaper (including free shipping).

As for buying from your club, you should look for any crack on the blade. As for rubber, quite frankly, anything anyone has played for more than a month, I would ask them to give it to me for free. I am not even going to bargain with my clubmates/friends. Finally the club coach might have some lightly used Tenergy or Dignics that other people have bought and "returned" to him. I honestly asked the coach the other day how much he would sell me those lightly used Tenergy or Dignics, he said $30. I am seriously waiting for my friends at the club to wear down their Tenergy and Dignics a bit and get it off of them.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Hello. All my life I used cheap equipment. And now I want to know why do people use expensive rubbers/blades without spending lots of money on it. So I want to buy them a bit used. What details should be looked at first

Just buy inexpensive Chinese equipment. It is pretty good and not as expensive as the stuff from major TT brands.

And if you are already using equipment like what is listed on your profile: Stuor Long 5, 729 rubber etc....then used versions of the expensive rubbers likely won't be better than what you are already using.

The European and Japanese rubbers are primarily good for 3-4 weeks before there is a drop-off in performance because of the factory tuning of the rubbers. The exception is Butterfly rubbers which are notably more expensive. But it still is not really worthwhile buying used rubbers.

Used blades are fine. But rubbers.....???? I would not buy used rubbers for more than $5.00 a sheet.

 

[tackyfh]

I usually check for facebook groups that resell second hand blades, rubbers, if you want to play safer buying from your clubmates.
As for what to check when buying second hand equipment:

• Blades: ask the seller to give you detail photos of the blades, imo common defections are:
  • Dents, wood degeneration on the side of the blade from impact or bad preservation of the blade. For blade with ALC, ZLC or other fiber check the weaving quality.
  • Tearing marks on the top ply from re-gluing rubbers
• Rubbers: for rubber it's a bit harder since sellers tend to took picture of them at an angle so the lighting obscure wear marks on the topsheet. If possible tell them to give picture at a perpendicular angle. Check for damage on the topsheet especially on the edge for ESN/Jap rubber and bubble for chinese rubber. Check the sponge too for the damage caused by removing the rubber from the blade.

 

[JJ Ng]

Just buy inexpensive Chinese equipment. It is pretty good and not as expensive as the stuff from major TT brands.

And if you are already using equipment like what is listed on your profile: Stuor Long 5, 729 rubber etc....then used versions of the expensive rubbers likely won't be better than what you are already using.

The European and Japanese rubbers are primarily good for 3-4 weeks before there is a drop-off in performance because of the factory tuning of the rubbers. The exception is Butterfly rubbers which are notably more expensive. But it still is not really worthwhile buying used rubbers.

Used blades are fine. But rubbers.....???? I would not buy used rubbers for more than $5.00 a sheet.

Yeah, I agree. That's why I said, if someone has played with a rubber for more than a month, I probably want to get it for free if they really want to part with the rubber. When my club coach said $30 for the lightly used Tenergy and Dignics, I am like...I will just wait for my friends who use up their Tenergy and Dignics and get it off of them.

My club coach is selling Tenergy and Dignics like crazy to newbies. And now they are addicted to fast blade and fast rubber. When they play with my equipment, they think it has no power. Well, I think they have no power and that's why they don't like my equipment!!! But business is business. Rent is expensive and I am not the one paying for it. Club coach has to make his money somehow. And club coach has a good point. Butterfly has the best products. Some people on the forum say that once they get Butterfly products, they use it forever. So if they keep on EJ'ing they are just wasting money. I cannot argue with that either. If they are loyal to Butterfly and keep the equipment for a long time, it is NOT that expensive over time.

I think it pays to have friends at the club. Play with everybody. Play single and play doubles. Once you make a lot of friends, expensive equipments are easier to come by. No need to buy stuff off the internet.