Some manufacturers have stopped making Kiso Hinoki blades, mainly due to materials shortages making it much more expensive and probably no longer viable. Darker discontinued the Speed 90 for this reason, although there still seem to be some available (possible old stock?).
So my question is, which Shakehand 1-ply Kiso Hinoki blades are still made (if any)?
My response considers the Hinoki supply issue and addresses your question about Shakehand Hinoki.
I’m a Jpen player and despite Darker not having any Speed 90 Jpen blades available for awhile, I haven’t seen anything from Darker officially saying the Speed 90 has been discontinued.
In their last catalog from March of 2024 they had pared down their range of Jpen Speed series to just the 15 and 90 and showing them as available only in 10mm whereas up til that point they had also been offered in 9mm.
They also make a Jpen blade considered to be at least on par with the Speed 90, the Imperial Hinoki 2020.
I find it curious that Darker has never listed the Imperial Hinoki 2020 in their Japanese catalog as well as their Cpen and Shakehand versions of the Speed 90. As most may know, the Cpen and Shakehand blades are 9mm. The Imperial Hinoki Jpen is 10mm and they also offer it in Cpen and Shakehand in 9mm like the Speed 90.
All versions of the Imperial Hinoki 2020 and the Speed 90 Cpen and Shakehand seem to be sold through the European market only with Tabletennis11 being the sole distributor.
At various times in the last couple years they have had new availability of all Imperial Hinoki 2020 models and Cpen and Shakehand Speed 90s. (Unlike in Japan, apparently there is no European catalog showing these along with their other multiply and carbon models)
Currently Tabletennis11 is showing as being available
the Shakehand Speed 90
and
the Shakehand Imperial Hinoki 2020
They also have Cpen Speed 90 and Imperial Hinoki 2020 and apparently somewhat recently, have new stock of Imperial Hinoki 2020 Jpens (again which are 10mm)
Hinoki is scarce that they are unable to make any Speed 15 or Speed 90 10mm Jpens for the Japanese/Asian market but apparently they have supply for Imperial Hinoki 2020s.
Butterfly and Victas continue to make their single ply Hinoki Jpen models available but I’ve been told Darker considers their Hinoki to be of higher quality.
So I’m often left scratching my head 🧐 🤨
