slow/fast blade/rubber

[Robert F. Enenkel]

Imagine making up two rackets of medium speed in the following ways:

1) Use a faster blade with slow rubber
(e.g. Tackiness-C 1.0mm on an allround or carbon blade)

2) Use a faster rubber with a slow blade.
(e.g. Ekrips 1.3mm on a slow defensive blade)

Would you expect any difference in properties between 1 and 2, assuming
comparable speed? Robert Enenkel

[CAI GUO BIAO]

In article <94Dec12.101...@neat.cs.toronto.edu>,

Robert #1 is definitely better because it will give you more control
because of the carbon blade and it will also give you more spin because
of the Tackiness. The most significant is the counter attack you will
like the 1) combination much more if you are not already use to 2).

Bill

[ljboocke]

I've been wrestling with this issue for a little while now.
About six months ago I bought a Butterfly Alan Cooke which is rated as
allround- but I found it to be closer to defensive. I put defensive
rubber on it originally, 1.8mm Vario soft on one side and 1.6mm Slice on
the other. The combination proved way too defensive(slow). When I
played away from the table I had trouble getting the ball over the net.
The ball seemed to just hit and die. So I replaced the rubber with
2.2mm Sriver on both sides. Sriver is a slightly fast rubber and 2.2mm
should make it moderately fast. This allowed me to play with the Cooke
for a few months. Eventually, I decided to get a new blade, Butterfly
Primorac which is rated Offensive-. I put the Vario and Slice rubber I
had leftover on the Primorac so now I have the two paddles you are
describing. The Cooke is a slow blade with fast rubber and the Primorac
is a fast blade with slow rubber.
There is a definite difference depending on how actively I hit
the ball. When I smash the ball, the Cooke is faster. When I block the
ball, the Primorac is faster. It seems to depend on how much the ball
sinks in. My first impression is that I like the Primorac better but
I've only been playing with it for about a week. I doubt that I'll ever
go back to the Cooke. If the Primorac doesn't work out, I'll probably
go to a medium blade with medium rubber.

[Scott L. Burson]

Probably so, although they may be subtle. People tell me the best thing is
fast rubber on a slow blade -- e.g. Mark V 2.0 on an allround blade -- but I
have chosen to try the opposite approach and put medium-speed spinny rubber
(Skitt Absolut 2.3 and Anaconda Medium 2.1) on a medium-fast carbon blade.
Basically, I'm using thick, soft sponge to compensate for the short dwell time
of the carbon. Seems to work pretty well, actually. I'm not sure how it
might differ from the more mainstream setup.

I used to play a guy who used Spinspiel 1.0 on a Butterfly Ethel carbon blade.
It worked great for his style, which was basically to slow the ball down until
he got a fat one he could smash -- which he did very effectively. He couldn't
loop at all, though.

Anyway, in general my guess would be that slow blades, even with fast rubber,
will be better for defense and control looping, while fast blades, even with
slow rubber, will be better for smashing and power looping.

-- Scott

[Doug.Gilliam]

In article <94Dec12.101...@neat.cs.toronto.edu> ene...@cs.toronto.edu ("Robert F. Enenkel") writes:

>Imagine making up two rackets of medium speed in the following ways:
>
> 1) Use a faster blade with slow rubber
> (e.g. Tackiness-C 1.0mm on an allround or carbon blade)

I would expect this one to be slower.

>
> 2) Use a faster rubber with a slow blade.
> (e.g. Ekrips 1.3mm on a slow defensive blade)
>

I would expect this one to be faster.

>Would you expect any difference in properties between 1 and 2, assuming
>comparable speed? Robert Enenkel
>

My reasoning is simple, I think the rubber you use makes more of a
difference in the speed of the paddle than the blade.

JMO

Doug Gilliam

[CraigC1007]

I've been following the posting re: slow/fast rubber and slow/fast racquet
combinations with interest.

I've been playing with a Sitco Carboflex with Asti Attack and/or Mark V
over the past year with some success. I am working on increasing racquet
speed during contact with the ball and shorting my stroke at the same
time. I'm having trouble returning a block return of my loops. I tend to
hit them about a foot long.

I purchased some Friendship 729 to slow down the shot and allow the spin
to bring the ball down. Now, should I put the rubber on the carbon blade
or perhaps use the Kalinic medium speed blade. What do you think?

Craig

[Scott L. Burson]

I once used 729 on carbon (a Butterfly Oberon -- a bit faster than your
Carboflex). I thought it worked pretty well, though it's not what I use
anymore. Compared to what you're used to, I think 729 on the Kalinic would
seem pretty slow.

On the other hand, I'm not at all sure that the rubber change is going to
solve your problem. Sounds like more of a technique issue. You just need to
get used to those blocks coming back with substantial topspin. This takes
practice, but it certainly can be done.

-- Scott
Mincon Panther Looper-S
Skitt Absolut 2.3 (forehand)
Skitt Anaconda Medium 2.1 (backhand)