OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I'm a shakehander right now, interested in buying a penhold blade and trying it, and maybe switching. But I don't know if I should buy JPen or CPen. I think JPen would be cool because it's starting to die out, but also, I'm a student, and in my school, I'm the only player who can use RPB to save my life (no boasting). Since I live in Hong Kong, all the penholders are CPen not JPen, and they know of RPB but they get like one in ten shots in, while I can make most of my shots go in and kill with it. But I am also korean, and if I do use penhold to play tournaments, there might be a lot of JPen players there (I havn't played there yet, I've lived here almost 8 years). So yea, I ask your advice! What do you think would be better? Like I said, I am a student so my budget would be limited. IF I do go CPen, I plan to buy inexpensive rubbers for both sides and a cheap blade, I already have my eyes on Focus III Snipe if I do go CPen.

Well, given your budget is limited, I don't think JPen is a good option, as most JPen blades are expensive, and they don't work so well with cheap chinese style rubbers. Besides JPen has more difference to SH than CPen(if you play like Wang Hao especially), you will take more time to adapt to JPen. And you've said that in Hong Kong JPen is not as popular as CPen, so it would be difficult to find a coach if you want one, or advice from elite players. Last but not least, I play CPen, so...

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Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive Cpen - Yasaka Shining Dragon - Yasaka Razka 9
Galaxy U2 Cpen - Galaxy Sun - Galaxy Moon

C Pen FTW!
Buy DHS Hurricane Neo 3 (black) for the forehand and Focus 3 Snipe sound very nice for a RPB rubber

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"Si se imagina, se puede ^^"

Galaxy T-11+
FH: Donic Bluefire M3
BH: SpinLord Dornenglanz II (OX)

what is the weakness and the strength of both japan and china pen?
besides the budget of course?
i am one sided player btw..want to try a Japan pen actually..

Jpen's weakest point is the backhand, blocking/ pushing is the main attacking shots, unless you can master them just like Korea's Ryu Seungmin.




If your opponent loops to your BH, a lot of your blocking shots would go out of table unless you can counter the top-spin of looping shots

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Shake Hand
Banda Carrera CS
FH Stiga Neos 2.0mm
BH Butterfly Sriver 2.0mm

there are cheap Jpen blades made my Galaxy/Yin-he.. there are also Jpen blades with two sides to them so that you can use RPB.. im currently using one as a second blade

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my youtube channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/decoyla?feature=mhum

Main: / secondary / LP
Blade: DHS Hurricane hao/ Blade- Hurricane Hao 2
FH: Skyline 3(Blue Sponge)/ FH- Nittaku H3 pro
BH: Omega Asia/ BH- Calibra Tour H

they don't??????? but I like chinese style rubbers (for their price AND performance)! Is this only if you are playing farther from the table? I am a pretty close player...even though I use jpen. Do chinese style rubbers really not work so well with jpen? could you elucidate?

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Happy Holidays 'round the world!

Cpen is way to go, you have 2 different ways of hitting your back hand which to me is an advantage, one which is traditional and the other is the reverse which i think adds more power+spin. and if can be good value for money if you buy from asian place

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729 Bomb penhold - FH(Friendship 729 Faster III) BH(Friendship 729 Higher III)
Right Hander

im using a chinese blade + RPB, but i tend to use TBH more often than RPB( thats mainly used for attacking some serves. and occasional loop kill).

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my youtube channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/decoyla?feature=mhum

Main: / secondary / LP
Blade: DHS Hurricane hao/ Blade- Hurricane Hao 2
FH: Skyline 3(Blue Sponge)/ FH- Nittaku H3 pro
BH: Omega Asia/ BH- Calibra Tour H

You say you are a shakehander right now and want to change to penhold, so I would advise starting off with Cpen. Its an easier style to learn than Jpen, which is not saying that it is easy in its own right. You also say that you can already RPB with good frequency, so I think that's a great advantage to have for a penholder.
As a Jpen player you won't really have the advantage of RpB and defence is harder on Jpen. It's just my opinion but unless you are ferociously inclined towards attacking play, Cpen is better than Jpen. I feel, again, just my personal experience that Jpen works best if you are looking to attack at every possible opportunity. If you are more of an allround player and like to attack on both wings, then stick to Cpen.
Cpen has more than enough attacking potential too.
And good Jpen blades are way more expensive than good Cpen blades. As for speed, you will get a good range in both, but I think no Jpen blade is as slow as the slowest Cpen blade.

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1-ply Hinoki Club
Violin/Acoustic Clan
Recreational/Club Player
Local Press Club (Journalists) Champion

The speed of a Rhino and the power of a Gazelle!!!!
http://xtrariter.blogspot.com

Well, if you're still trying to decide, I'm going to point out that you CAN do RPB with jpen. Totally possible. The main disadvantage is that most jpen blades are heavy, so when you put 2 inverteds on it, it gets a little heavy.

Also, the Yasaka Musashi is an inexpensive way to try out the single ply jpen experience. (40 or so USD)

Also, the two coolest players in the world use jpen. Ryu Seung Min and Kim Taek Soo.

As you can probably tell, I sue jpen, but take my rather inexperienced advice with maybe more than a few grains of salt.

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Happy Holidays 'round the world!

The Gamer makes a valid point, and I stand corrected. It is entirely possible to make the changes to a Jpen blade and use it for RPB, but like he said it would make the blade heavier. I guess the thought never occurred to me because I like the lightness of having rubber on just one side of the blade. And yes, I play Jpen and do not RPB, , don,t know how, too old to learn, lol.

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1-ply Hinoki Club
Violin/Acoustic Clan
Recreational/Club Player
Local Press Club (Journalists) Champion

The speed of a Rhino and the power of a Gazelle!!!!
http://xtrariter.blogspot.com

just like me

or else you could play like He Zhi Wen one sided traditional C-pen with Short pips

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my youtube channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/decoyla?feature=mhum

Main: / secondary / LP
Blade: DHS Hurricane hao/ Blade- Hurricane Hao 2
FH: Skyline 3(Blue Sponge)/ FH- Nittaku H3 pro
BH: Omega Asia/ BH- Calibra Tour H

honestly Jpen isn't a bad choice, if your rpb isn't consistent then traditional Jpen blocks are better for you to stick with, it takes quite a long time until you can get your rpb consistent but it's a lot easier to block with jpen consistently. also, good jpens blades are to be kept for the rest of your life, and you wouldnt hav to hesitate when playing backhand (deciding to block traditionally or rpb).

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Equipment
Xiom Jazz, Donic Acuda F3 BH, Vega Euro FH
BTY Ardes, BTY Tackifire Special Soft, Feint long II
Yasaka MEO, FH Neo skyline TG2, RPB Nittaku Hammond Pro Beta