Wood aging process

[Liten]

Anyone know if any maker of blades uses an aging process on the wood?

I know that Fender bakes their guitar and bass wood in an oven and then runs the wood through a "shaker" like the one the paintshops use to blend paint. This makes the wood dry and hard like an old guitar or bass from the early yers of production.

Seems like a good thing to do to table tennis blades to..

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Anyone know if any maker of blades uses an aging process on the wood?

I know that Fender bakes their guitar and bass wood in an oven and then runs the wood through a "shaker" like the one the paintshops use to blend paint. This makes the wood dry and hard like an old guitar or bass from the early yers of production.

Seems like a good thing to do to table tennis blades to..

Many companies have blades with heat treated woods, sometimes called burned.

The Stiga claims that the wood in the Rosewood XO is aged.

So there are some companies who play around with that. Some blades do play better as they age.

 

[fais]

Yinhe's vaccum baked blades? Has anyone tried these

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Yinhe's vaccum baked blades? Has anyone tried these

Wouldn't the purpose of vacuum packing be to keep the blade from aging.

Anyway, I have played with a few blades made in the early 1990s and they feel amazing. So, either they made the blades to feel better back then or the wood aged and the blade has more feeling than it did when it was new. [emoji2]


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[Liten]

The wood natuarly dry out making it lighter and some times harder. Thing is, if it is played, i e: exposed to vibration (I belive this is the same with blades and instruments alike), the wood is more responsive. Hard to explain.. It's more of a "feel" thing...

 

[fais]

I've definitely noticed a loss of control/weighty feeling when i leave my blade in its case at my work gym locker overnight (a lot of moisture as they are located right next to the showers) vs leaving it in my car parked out under the 90+ degrees texas sun (which incidentally, will warp the plastic balls... goodbye my 2 xushaofa friends, alas we were never meant to be ). My YEO feels amazing after a texas bake (my chinese rubbers regain tackiness, and while my TG3 neo feels deader, my year old H3 neo comes alive as well!) This whole time i thought it was imagination.

 

[fais]

Wouldn't the purpose of vacuum packing be to keep the blade from aging.

Well, its baking, not packing... and the purpose of baking is to dehydrate?

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

I could be wrong but if it is vacuum packed then air cannot get in or out and neither can moisture which would mean it also can't get out of the blade.

Interesting methods for storing blades.

When I am done playing, I take my racket out of its case and leave it out at home so that the moisture absorbed by the handle when I play can evaporate.


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[Liten]

I could be wrong but if it is vacuum packed then air cannot get in or out and neither can moisture which would mean it also can't get out of the blade.

Interesting methods for storing blades.

When I am done playing, I take my racket out of its case and leave it out at home so that the moisture absorbed by the handle when I play can evaporate.


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I leave the handle exposed but the rubbers are still enclosed in a plastic bag.

 

[Cornel]

Have heard that wood layers on which the rubbers are glued may get softer in time because using water-based glue. It isn't exactly on topic but may be something that one should consider about old blades.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

That is why I seal my blade face.


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[Cornel]

That is why I seal my blade face.

Carl, what do you use for sealing your blade?

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

I use MinWax Wipe On Poly. It is a polyurethane that you apply with a cloth instead of a brush. So you can put a nice thin layer but still get full coverage and protection. I originally got the idea from Gregg Letts to use that specific product. But it works really well and the way you apply it makes it so you can always put a perfect amount on.


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[Der_Echte]

Carl's Peter Pan has a burned core.

1. Structure
This blade is using natural Limba wood for the surface.
I did not take thermo- process for the surface wood.
But I burned the other two sencond layers and the center wood.

Burnt two inside layers make the blade faster than other normal blades, not making is heavier.
And they can make the feeling more vivid.
But the blade does not vibrate much.

Raw Limba used for the surface gives feeling to embrace the ball as a face, not as a point.
It makes the touch of the ball deepter together with the second layer's touch,
which is ayous, and that makes the feeling as a point, supported by the depth.

 

[Liten]

So you would not go for a standart spraycan clearcoat?

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

A friend gave me a can of spray poly about 5 years ago. It has been sitting in my closet ever since. I can't say I have tried but I would bet the farm that I can get the exact amount I want with a paper towel and Wipe-On-Poly. An amount where you barely notice it is there but it seals the wood fully. I don't know if a spray can could possibly be as precise. If I wanted a thicker coat, that might work. But I get it super thin while still getting full coverage.


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[UpSideDownCarl]

Carl's Peter Pan has a burned core.

Yep, that burned core on that blade makes it feel so good.

I think the Inca (Tibhar/Nexy) also has a burned core and that blade feels great too even though I don't love carbon, that Arylate/Carbon blade plays great.

What about the Arirang? Does that have a burned core? I like that one also.


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[Der_Echte]

Both Arirang and Inca have burned core. So does the Kim Jung Hoon blade I currently use as main blade.

KJH blade has such great performance close to the table I love it... and you know how I like to park at the table and wait like a cat to pounce on a ball to my BH zone.

I gotta say, I also use the Mini Wax Poly wipe on. Great stuff and a tiny can.

You don't need a whole lot. Just dab a little on your cloth and wipe on. Dries pretty quickly and does the job right. Like ANY sealer, you over do it, you are changing it forever.

I would avoid any spray on product, VERY difficult to get a consistent job done, especially a very thin one like sealing.

 

[Cornel]

So I guess you guys use only one layer of sealing?

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

So I guess you guys use only one layer of sealing?

I used to use two and realized one is all I need. Less is more.