OOAK Table Tennis Forum

.7 koto
.3 ZLC
.7 spruce
.3 ZLC
3.0 ayous
ZLC
.8 spruce
ZLC
.6 walnut

Not sure how to test for the frequencies, but going by ear on the bare wood blade bounce test... these ones sound very high pitched. In play, everyone comments on the sound as well.

.7 spruce
.3 zlc
.7 spruce
zlc
3.0 kiri
.3 zlc
.8 spruce
.3 zlc
.6 walnut

I think they use .2-.4mm for the ZLC layers, so I just put .3 to average out.

.8 koto
.3 zlc
1.0 spruce
3.2 kiri
1.0 spruce
.3 zlc
.8 walnut

Weight: 104 grams

This one is more reasonably weighted, and even with a tenergy FX forehand and anti-spin backhand the total weight is still in the 181-187 range.

The other 2 are not suitable for inverted rubbers, unless you want something weighing over 200 grams. My personal favorite is the 104 gram version, but if I were to make another one... I'd perhaps reduce the plies or request some lighter plies (hard to do with the natural product...). I like the butterfly garaydia blades and those are 7.2+ thick for the ZLC version yet their weight is in the high 80s.

Anything over 100 pretty much requires either pips or anti spin on one side, or a very light sheet of short pips perhaps. You figure 50 grams for the rubber + 35 grams or less for the anti/LP, 85 total.

For smashing, I think the spruce is about the best thing around! Add in a kiri or ayous core perhaps. Soulspin also makes the Waldner Champion 89 which is kiri core and spruce outer plies, another great smasher.

_________________
SOULSPIN CUSTOM BLADES
Fh: Spinny rubber
Bh: Not so spinny rubber...

Hi Slapper,

You can download Audacity, bounce a ball on the bare blade while pivoting the blade handle between your thumb and index finger, record, then point your cursor over the "peak frequency".

Its a good measure of relative stiffness, although there are much more properties than that contributing to actual speed.

BTW, I don't agree with you on the kiri core and smashing. Too soft, would produce the aforementioned "boxy" hollow feel, and dissipate too much of the impact to give crisp direct feedback. Unhampered spruce, or spruce + mahogany core would theoretically be excellent.

Well, I guess each person has their preferred feel for the blades. The waldner 89 blade (which has a similar composition but thinner and lighter) is regarded as a solid blocking blade as well. For me, if I were to enter a smash contest I'd definitely take the 120 gram kiri/spruce combo. When I hit that baby with power, it feels as if the ball is about to explode!

I have another blade that is mainly spruce, and to me that feels like a looping blade (it is my defensive/chopping setup). That composition is:

.4 walnut
1.0 spruce
basalt
3.2 spruce
basalt
1.0 spruce
.4 walnut

_________________
SOULSPIN CUSTOM BLADES
Fh: Spinny rubber
Bh: Not so spinny rubber...