OOAK Table Tennis Forum

The Donic glue sheets have a weak side and a strong side, and are great if you want to move rubber from blade to blade. They're especially good if you're attaching OX pips.. not only can you move the rubber from blade to blade, it makes putting the rubber on a lot easier in the first place. But Chinese glue sheets? I have not heard that they have the same properties. The person who damaged the Avalox blade might not have been using a Donic or similar glue sheet. Glue isn't necessary on the blade if you're using a Donic or similar sheet.

Iskandar

It was too long ago to remember 100%, but I know I have used Donic glue sheets in the past (and i knew about the strong side and weak side), I think I was using one when the incident occurred. I don't remember using a different brand. There is a chance it could have been another brand I suppose.

There was a lot of varnish on the blade, it was very smooth, this may have contributed. The varnish wasn't TT specific, it was a water based varnish I got from Bunnings. May have also contributed.

I once used a no-name $1.00 glue sheet from Eacheng.net. Its tenacious grip on my blade was supernatural. The glue sheet's plastic was strong enough to endure my full force pulling on one corner with pliers, all to no avail. No solvent I could get my hands on had the slightest effect on its super-sticky adhesive. I ended up throwing away that blade.

Actually, you'd think the varnish would HELP.. The thicker the better. Varnish does not have to be table tennis specific - just plain old oil based (or even water based) polyurethane works. Usually we try not to put on a lot, but that's because there are people who claim that varnish "ruins blades" - changes the way they feel. Haven't seen this opinion expressed in a while, though - it was common 4-5 years ago.

Iskandar

Although I don't generally use glue sheets, I had the same problem trying to remove a generic non-branded glue sheet (which stuck like a leech) and wrecked my Joola THWS blade. It had to be thrown away as was completely unusable thereafter

Oh... glue sheets horrror stories...
I tried to pull Donic glue sheet glued rubber off the rscket..
It seems to come off cleanly
Cheers

I guess the moral of the story is to buy the correct glue sheets. The Donic ones are OK, I think the Xiom ones are the same (they're available here, slightly more expensive than the Donics). Read the instructions - if they specify which side to attach to the blade first (the side where there's no printing on the peel sheet, IIRC), then it's one of the good ones.

As to whether to put glue on the blade first - I suspect you should NOT. The glue will probably come off with the rubber and will stick to the glue sheet, and it won't be sticky any more. Better, when you're sticking the rubber onto a new blade, to wipe the blade surface down to remove dust, which would otherwise stick to the glue sheet and reduce its stickiness. A Bounty sheet or a microfiber towel would probably be the best, you probably don't need to go as far as using a tack sheet. Keep the peel sheets, you might need one of them to put on the back of the rubber (to keep dust off) when it's been removed from the old blade. Especially if you plan to store it.

Iskandar

Ok I just moved rubber from one racket to another.
It took me less than 5 min.

The rubber was glued using Donic glue sheets.
It comes off the racket very cleanly, without any residues.
All glue stays on the rubber/sponge.

Sticks to the new racket beautifully.