OOAK Table Tennis Forum

According to China's TV interview of Ma Long and Zhang Jike, celluloid balls will no longer be used after Incheon Asian Games, which means the Celluloid Age officially comes to an end. Chinese national table tennis teams are already practising with seamless balls. The post-Celluloid Age will be Seamless Ball Age.
I have posted the video on another video website, the video is an China's CCTV interview: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XODAwMjgwODUy.html

The celluloid balls may have come to the end of ITTF events, but for other events and local competition they may still use them for years to come.

Also note that not all plastic balls are seamless...in fact at the major events they're all using seamed plastic balls for far.

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I think that sssandy is talking about the national chinese team only and not about overall use.

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Capoblanco

Blade: Dotec Ovtcharov All +

FH: Friendship 802-40 2mm
BH: DMS Transformer 1mm

I have said many times that in my experience that among the plastic balls sold now, the seamless ones are much better than the seamed ones. There is a lot of support from others for this opinion on various ping pong forums. I hope this is true, that CNT is using that version (as opposed to the much more problematic seamed plastic balls). Still, given the close relationship between DHS and CNT, it is hard to imagine they would completely give up on the DHS product.

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Butterfly Viscaria Black tag
2.2 mm Nexy Karis M on FH and BH

They don't actually say anything about seams in the vid so it's unclear where saaandy gets that.

Also, if you still use that Yinhe 980 can you measure the thickness if possible? The specs on it say 6.0mm which should be somewhat slow, but the one I got was 6.6mm and I don't know if they're all like that.

edit: Capoblanco also found his to be thick. I wonder where the 6mm ones went.

Yes, what I intend to mean is China will start using seamless plastic balls in national events after Incheon Asian Games. I have linked another website for the video, check it out.

I get the video from China's official TV online website, the original link is: http://tv.cntv.cn/video/VSET10020569565 ... 841cc36e98.
I don't know what you mean by "They don't actually say anything about seams in the vid", cuz Ma Long and Zhang Jike made it very clear in the interview that Celluloid balls will no longer be used after the Asian Games and Chinese national teams are using seamless plastic balls.

I don't use Yinhe 980, but I know that for all seamed balls (celluloid or platic), the thickness is not the same in different parts, the seamed part the thickest and the other part gradually thinner. The seamless plastic balls has no such problem now, they made it with uniform thickness.

Thanks for clarifying. You really did mean seamless, not just plastic. I am very glad to hear that. I actually quite enjoy playing with the latest versions of seamless balls, as much as with celluloid. They are quite round, quite durable and have a clean predictable bounce. They are also relatively affordable.

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Butterfly Viscaria Black tag
2.2 mm Nexy Karis M on FH and BH

I totally agree with you. Maybe the best thing for DHS to do is to work with the seamless plastic ball manufacturer.

I distinctively recall this video recently where the commentators stated chinese super league (highest league in china, features CNT players) was switching to two-toned balls (DHS plastic) from that day forward:



timestamp is 3:30 or use this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8AWzSHCMus#t=209

You can watch the matches to verify for yourself.

True but they didn't work out real well, they fractured even more than usual seamless plastic balls and their playing qualities were so hopelessly bad that players would probably have chased down officials with pitchforks. And as you might have expected, they didn't appear any more visible to spectators. On the other hand, maybe money is involved.

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Butterfly Viscaria Black tag
2.2 mm Nexy Karis M on FH and BH

This is what I mainly hope will happen/.

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Butterfly Viscaria Black tag
2.2 mm Nexy Karis M on FH and BH

I skipped through it then and didn't recall any broken balls.

The matches are pretty good so maybe someone can watch more carefully:

Ovtcharov in first. Joo in second.

I'm not yet convince that the current seamless plastic are better than the seamed plastic balls. In general the seamless seem to bounce higher, but the seamed are more spinny. Quality wise I've seen good and bad from both types. Most of us have only tried a few balls, usually from the same batch, and feedback from varies people varies quite a bit, so just because we've had a good or bad experience, does not mean they're all good or bad.
I agree though that theoretically the seamless can be better...

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Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

My sample of XSF balls is greater than 60, some from March, some from Aprol. My sample of Joola balls is greater than 20. My sample of DHS balls is about 35. Nittaku SHA about 10. DF, about 10. TSP 3. Interestingly, all of the seamed balls I have tried have been from month of June. I have been using polyballs more or less exclusively for two months plus. I still am convinced the seamless balls are better. I think you will find if you look carefully at various forums that most people who have had recent experience with seamless like them better. But it is not unanimous.

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Butterfly Viscaria Black tag
2.2 mm Nexy Karis M on FH and BH