Table Tennis Blades

Table tennis blades - Basic information

Table tennis blades are commonly made of various layers which are glued with each other, resulting in the final, whole blade. This can be classified into the categories defensive, allround, and offensive blades.
With respect to table tennis regulations, there is solely determined that the TT blade must contain natural wood: At least 85%. In terms of the size, there are no rules. Of course, when using a very small bat you´ll reduce the area to hit the ball, and when using a very large bat, you´ll have to move much weight. Both cases are detrimental.

Most blades designed for club players are combinations based on hard and soft veneers. This results in very specific properties when individually compiling such blades. Hardness, touch behavior, stiffness, elasticity, ... may be adjusted very precisely. Often, one hears the words "feeling for the ball", which should be optimal. Many players search for the perfect balance between speed and control their entire lives.

Expert´s tip: Test different blades, but don´t get lost in testing! This can be annoying and quite expensive.

The search for the perfect table tennis blade is not easy. The most important thing is to be honest to yourself. What is the point of testing all fast blades if you cannot control them? The most inexpensive way when testing blades is it to ask club mates or friends. By doing so, you can test several sorts of bats, and gather experience. For now, we would like to provide you some basic tips which make is easier for you to select a proper TT blade:

• hard woods are direct and fast
• soft woods supply control
• carbon causes a more direct touch, and a flat trajectory of the ball
• fivefold veneer combinations are generally more harmonic because less types of woods affect the overall blade
• sevenfold table tennis blades are commonly more direct, and faster (when combined with carbon)
• light table tennis blades are often top-heavy (due to the weight of the rubbers)
• heavy table tennis blades offer more reserves in speed

Concerning the overall bat, but also the individual components "blade" and "rubber(s)", every table tennis player has a certain preference regarding hardness. Of course, this can change and develop during the "career". However, there is the following principle:

The higher the playing level, the harder the blades and rubbers. Professional players almost always use hard rubbers and blades.

A good indication regarding the choice of a table tennis bat is its overall hardness when considering the combination based on blade and rubber. From this perspective, there are various gaming styles emerging.

Table tennis blades for the controlled offensive style

Most players search for the ideal combination between speed and control. Topspins and shots shall be very spinny, and exhibit a high penetrating power. Blocks, counters, and chopped balls shall be very controlled. All this applies to a certain gaming style: The controlled offensive. The necessary overall hardness of such a table tennis bat can be achieved by the following combinations:

• offensive blade with medium-hard rubbers with or without integrated speed-gluing effect (recommended sponge thickness: approx. 1.8 and 2.0 mm, = 0.0709 and 0.0787 in)
• carbon blade with soft rubbers, with integrated speed-gluing effect (recommended sponge thickness: approx. 1.8 and 2.0 mm)
• allround blade + medium-hard rubbers, with integrated speed-gluing effect (recommended sponge thickness: approx. 2.0 mm or Max)

Allround table tennis blades for "safety-conscious" players

The gaming style allround is characterized by a safe game using blocks, counters, chopped balls, and shots. In order to assemble and find an appropriate TT bat, TT-SHOP.COM recommends the following combinations based on blades and rubbers. For example:

• allround table tennis blade and classical rubbers (without integrated speed-gluing effect)
• defensive blade, and soft rubbers with integrated speed-gluing effect
• offensive blade using thin rubbers (to a maximum of 1.8 mm)

Fast table tennis blades - Gaming style: Offensive

The fastest table tennis blades are hard and stiff. It is usually recommended that only experiences, advanced, or higher-league players should use these TT blades. This is because offensive blades require a good technique, and they do not "forgive errors" in such an extent as softer blades do. Ideally, offensive TT blades are combined with hard rubbers to achieve maximum speed (considering the whole bat). But be careful: Not every player (or even pro) gets along with such hard-hard combinations. Often, a medium-hard rubber is a better solution, especially when considering the (often weaker) backhand side.

Buying table tennis blades at fair prices

The purpose of our headline above is clear. It is always nice to find high-quality table tennis products at reduced prices. Then, this sports makes even more fun. TT-SHOP.COM tries to achieve this goal! This is PARTICULARLY true for table tennis blades. In this line of business, there is a certain discount system commonly applied: Generally, there are no reductions regarding table tennis blades. So one has to be very vigilant in order to find occasional sales. However, this is not necessary at TT-SHOP.COM! Here, our blades are reduced from the first Euro, AND combinable with a sales-dependent bonus. This means that here you first buy a certain blade with a discount of approx. 7-13%. Second, you can combine this article with an appropriate rubber, and benefit from the additional sales-bonus. Of course, we also mount your bat - FOR FREE!

What else is important when choosing a table tennis blade?

When choosing a suitable table tennis blade you first must be aware that every single player has a different feeling for the game. One person may prefer a fivefold blade, another person only uses carbon blades, and others prefer very light blades, mainly containing e.g. balsa wood. In order to better help you, we compiled a small list of questions regarding table tennis blades:

What does a top-heaviness of table tennis blades cause?

In general, table tennis blades may be divided into top-heavy and balanced blades. Top-heaviness emerges when using light blades, for example. Although their handle may be heavier than the head of the bat, the weight of the rubbers causes the center of mass to move forward. The positive aspect of top-heavy blades is that some techniques, such as flips or topspins using the backhand, can be served quite easily using your wrist.

On the contrary, balanced table tennis blades are most popular. The advantage is that those blades are extremely balanced. This is especially suitable for beginners: All techniques, where a top-heaviness causes positive effects, must be learned first. And this is best done using balanced blades.

Light table tennis blades - What is the advantage?

Of course, the weight is a decisive factor! Often we receive inquiries where customers want to have a light table tennis blade. The advantage is the low weight itself: It causes a larger initial acceleration when moving your arm (compared to heavier blades). Furthermore, light table tennis blades are usually preferred by women, but also men select their blades based on weight. IMPORTANT NOTE: The quality of the veneers usually improves as the weight increases: The heavier the blade, the better the quality of the veneers.

What is the advantage of heavy table tennis blades?

Professional table tennis players select their blades based on weight, and prefer heavy blades. There are two reasons for this: First, many material experts attribute a higher quality of the blades to heavier blades. Second, the large penetrating power. Pros and advanced players train (almost) daily so that their arm movements are very precise and highly repeatable. Such movements are economically sound and, hence, very fast. This leads to an increased acceleration, and faster movements compared to hobby players or beginners, although the blade (and bat) may even be heavier. Physically speaking, the final speed at ball contact is higher with heavier bats (especially, when also the acceleration is high): Speed equals mass times acceleration.

Should I first test table tennis blades?

YES! Of course it makes sense to test different table tennis blades before buying them. The easiest way of doing so is it to test blades during your daily/weekly training sessions. Just try various blades from your club mates or friends. But watch out: Influencing factors (like sweat, different batches of the veneers, and a general wear and tear) may cause that the same blade behaves (and feels) completely different - not even mentioning the different rubbers. Also note that if you test too much, you´ll get lost in trying!

Do I need a reserve blade?

A reserve blade is something we recommend. Why? If, during the competition, your blade gets broken (there are scenarios you won´t believe exist!), you can only use another bat from some club mate. The properties of this bat are likely very different, so this is all but optimal. It is also not nice if your blade is broken (whatever the reason), and this type of blade was just removed from the product range. Hence, we recommend you to get a second bat that is identical to your first one.

When do table tennis blades break?

In general, blades do not break easily. But you never know what hitting the edge of the table, or a hairline crack in the handle, may cause. By the way: Hairline cracks in the handle occur quite frequently, without noticing it!

On average, a table tennis player changes his or her blade every four years. This can be influenced by various factors, such as the gaming system (which can also change through the years), or the need to try something different.

Is it recommended to seal the table tennis blade? Yes, definitely! The sealing process is very important! Table tennis rubbers usually tolerate a playing period of approx. 30 to 50 hours. After this time, the rubbers are becoming less and less catchy, and lose their ability to induce spin. No later than when playing worse, you will notice this effect, and one should think about replacing the rubbers. If your blade was not sealed before, the rubbers cannot be removed easily. Even tearing out parts of the veneers is a possible scenario! A solid sealing counteracts such problems in an effective way. Especially the new VOC (volatile organic compound(s))-free table tennis glues are very aggressive and stick even more than the former glues.

What is the best table tennis blade? First: There is no best table tennis blade! But of course one can say that for an individual player, there is a type of blade most suitable. When searching the most suitable TT blade, you should first try to consider your gaming strategy. Do you play in a more defensive, allround, or maybe offensive manner? If you answer this question truthfully, then we can go to the next round. The most difficult part is to find the best compromise between speed and control. For this, our table tennis shop provides material tables of various brands which will help you. Please always scroll to the top. The TT blades are sorted by brand, and you can always open one table including the manufacturer details, respectively. Have fun, and good luck when searching!!

The different types of handles

If you are searching a table tennis bat for yourself, you will notice that there are tons of offers and types. To make a good choice, various aspects should be considered. For example, whether or not you are a beginner, advanced player, or pro. Also, what type you are, what rubbers and blades are appropriate for different types of players, and so on. There is, however, one part/property of the bat which is often neglected or even completely ignored:

The type of handle! The types of handles are usually divided into a flared, anatomical, and a straight form. In the next sections, we would like to introduce the different types of handles. This will make it easier for you to make a decision.

the flared handle at a table tennis blade

Flared handles are the most common type of handles among table tennis bats, and most players prefer this form of handle. Such handles are characterized by a thicker end of the handle, whereas the part pointing towards the head of the bat is continuously getting thinner. However, not every handle which is classified as "flared" exhibits equal properties and geometrics. Among various manufacturers, there are differences. Even within one brand or manufacturer, there may be variations with respect to roundness, thickness, thinness, or ovality. This is the case considering the Stiga Allround Classic WRB, for example. It can be ordered as flared-thick or flared-thin. In general, the following applies: If you are not sure what type of handle to choose, you are commonly doing pretty well choosing a flared handle. Allround blades are very suitable for beginners, and for normally sized hands, the thin version of flared handles is recommended (the thick version of flared handles is recommended for large, strong hands). An enlarged thickness at the end of the handle (pointing away from the head) helps to prevent that the whole table tennis bat cannot slide out of your hand that easily. However, this somewhat happens at the expense of flexibility: Easy and quick changes of the position of the handle (lying in your hand) are possible with flared handles, however, not very fast. Often, this can be compensated due to learning and habituation effects. Many Chinese players, for example, use flared handles, and they also perform very well :-)

Table tennis blades - The anatomical handle

The anatomical handle has its name because the handle is expected to be "tailored" to the shape of the hand. Many manufacturers offer anatomical table tennis handles, but their popularity is quite low. This seems to be quite contradictory: Anatomical, ergonomical, "tailored" to the hand ... all these words sound very promising, isn´t it? But be careful, many players feel that in practice, those bats are not really well-fitting when laying in the hand (and as the name might suggest). Anatomical handles exhibit a thicker end, somehow reminding one of flared handles. However, the anatomical handles also exhibit a thickening in the middle portion of the handle, before it narrows considering the direction toward the head of the bat. The thicker middle portion is the part of the handle which is usually perceived as unpleasant. Also, turning and rotating the bat (when changing forehand to backhand or vice versa) is often not as elegant as when using a different type of handle. This, however, may disturb defensive players to a lesser extent. For this reason, defensive players often use anatomical handles. Likewise, players with large and strong hands often perform pretty well when using anatomical handles. The Donic Waldner Dotec Allround, for example, is a table tennis blade with an anatomical handle (please note that this model is available for left- and right-handers!). To summarize, the anatomical handle is a matter of taste. So the best thing is probably: Try it before buying it.

The straight handle: Preferred for defensive table tennis blades

Straight handles are characterized that their shape stays uniform. This means that the handles are not thinner or thicker at some point, they are staying even and uniform in their geometry, all along the handle. This is the case considering the blade Toni Hold Straight, as an example. Also straight handles are often used by defensive players, but also allround and offensive players use straight handles. What is the advantage of straight handles? Well, first we would like to mention that of course you also have to feel comfy when using straight handles, this is very important! There are players with a certain focus on defense (defensive players). These use rubbers with pimples out at one side, and anti-topspin rubbers on the other side of the bat. During a game, those players turn their bat in a flash, and depending on what side is hitting the ball, the ball may exhibit much or almost no spin. The prerequisite for this is, as already mentioned, that the bat is turned really quickly! This is easier when using straight handles, and the opponent has difficulties to see these quick turns. Consequently, it is very hard for the opponent to accurately assess the amount of spin of the incoming ball, likely leading to an increased amount of errors. There are many European top-players who are preferring the straight handle. On the other side, there are also players who feel that the bat is kind of sliding out of their hand when using straight handles. In such cases, those players usually tend to buy table tennis bats with a flared handle. You see, testing before buying is fundamental!

The exotics: Conical, penholder, blades for lefties and righties

In the past, all table tennis blades from e.g. Stiga were also produced with conical handles (By the way: Stiga is the global leader with respect to sales numbers). This type of handle is characterized by a narrow part at the upper end of the handle, and by a slightly thicker part at the lower end of the handle. This form of handle is somewhat similar to the flared handle (see above). However, the conical handle exhibits a straight (linear) transition towards its end, whereas the flared handle is curved in that area.

Table tennis blades for righties and lefties (right-handers and left-handers) are offered by Donic, for example. The Dotec series is very popular in lower leagues, but professionals usually do not use these product.

A very particular case are penholder table tennis blades, which are very common in China. The advantage of these blades is that you can transfer all the power and energy stemming from a weight transfer, physical play, and arm swing toward the hand. Chinese top-players using penholder blades are well known for their extremely powerful and penetrating forehand topspins. A disadvantage is that there is a certain limitation for the backhand. This has to be compensated by an intensive foot- and legwork.

Table tennis veneers - These materials are used for table tennis blades

There are numerous table tennis veneers which are used for table tennis bats. Considering that there are approx. 50 table tennis brands introducing at least one blade per year to the market (often more!), it is evidently impossible to characterize or display all possible products and properties.

Every table tennis blade is made of a different tree. Also, blades exhibit a unique structure of their veneers. The most common form is the fivefold assembly: One core veneer, plus two surrounding veneers, and two finishing veneers are used. In total, this makes 5 veneers which are finely tuned to each other. As a result, there are blades commonly classified into offensive, allround, and defensive. The quality of the veneers, and the many details during the manufacturing process are responsible for the overall quality of the table tennis blades.

Below we want to provide you an overview regarding all table tennis veneers. In case you miss certain veneers, please contact us so we can add this information.

Table tennis blades with tradition - These veneers are very popular

There are certain table tennis veneers which many brands and companies don´t want to forego. Especially regarding core veneers, there are some types which are always used. The engineers of well-known companies, such as Donic, Tibhar, or Stiga, mainly trust on abachi core-veneers. This wood (probably the most common type for core veneers) will most likely never disappear from the market. Below, we are providing a list of veneers which are very common in use. After this, we will show you some information of veneers which are used not that often, and we will show you further details in terms of table tennis blades.

Limba - A table tennis veneer with tradition

Already in the 1960s and 1970s, the famous Stiga blades were equipped with limba table tennis veneers, used as inner or finishing veneers. Of course - the quality of the present table tennis veneers continuously deteriorated! The reasons for this were shorter aging periods, too early felling of the trees, lost knowledge, or mass production. But still, limba was and remains a material which is very commonly used by many table tennis brands.

These are the main properties of limba table tennis veneers:

Limba (Terminalia superba) is a tree losing its leaves, with a plant height of approx. 45 m (1,800 in). Limba also develops buttress roots, hence, the circumference of the trunk can be 5 m (197 in), and the diameter can be up to 1.5 m (59 in). The clear buttress roots can reach a height of up to 3 m (118 in) above ground level. Limba trees can also have blossoms, however, only at advanced age. The blossoms appear ear-like, exhibit a length of up to 18 cm (7 in), and are very important for various insects. The fruits are ripe after 6-9 months, they are approx. 2 cm (0.8 in) in length, and 5 cm (2 in) wide. Limba trees are usually common in areas south of the Equator, especially in tropical zones of Africa, but also in savannas and in high forests. Countries with Limba populations are for example: Guinea, west parts of Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, or Angola. The trees need at least 1.500 mm of rain per year and square meter (equals 1.500 liters of rain per year and square meter, whereas 1 square meter equals 10.8 square feet).

Limba wood is very popular, resulting in much cultivation of these trees. Based on the color, the sapwood (approx. 10 cm thick, = 3.9 in) and heartwood are hard to differentiate from each other. In general, the wood is light yellowish (so called light limba), or gray-black striped (so called dark limba). Both forms furthermore exhibit fine, long textures. Limba has a medium to low density, and quite low hardness. For those reasons, it can be processed easily (sawing, polishing, little danger of tearing out). Also, this wood and table tennis veneers made of limba are quite pressure-resistant, however, it is not very weatherproof, with only little insect and rot resistance. Hence, the area of its application is limited to a dry interior, such as doors, furniture, plywood, and so on. When considering this, limba can be very durable. It is not recommended to use limba for the exterior. Please also note that limba tends to chipping, so be careful when nailing or screwing (it is recommended to pre-drill). The veneer-wood is used for barrels and turning works. Because of its color, it is also used as spare wood for oak (light limba) or walnut (dark limba). However, as already mentioned, limba is less heavy, less dense, and less resistant compared to oak or walnut.

	Density in kg/m³ (lb/gal)	Young´s modulus in N/mm² (GPa)	Hardness (Janka)
Limba	520 (4.34)	9,400 (9.4)	430

In table tennis, limba is quite common as a topspin blade, especially in Europe. In Asia, the typical topspin blade is hinoki. Bats equipped with limba are very fast, but not very springy and elastic. Hence, this blade feels soft whilst exhibiting high control - perfect for topspin players! If the soft component disturbs you, you should try combinations with harder veneers, resulting in an overall harder behavior. Also, there are many possible combinations with other woods/blades. If you are choosing larger thicknesses of the limba veneers, you will probably notice and appreciate the click-like sound when hitting the ball.

Abachi veneers - the most common core veneer for table tennis blades

Abachi table tennis veneers are very popular as core veneers. The reasons for this are its extremely balanced properties: Abachi provides good stability, and much ball feedback. This is the optimal basis for a fine-tuning of the properties of table tennis blades.

Abachi (Triplochiton sceleroxylon), also called ayous, obeche, or samba, is a deciduous tree, belonging to the mallow family. Abachi trees grow pretty fast, reaching a height of up to approx. 50 m (2,000 in). The diameter of the trunk can reach 1.5 m (60 in), whereas up to a height of approx. 30 m (1,200 in), it remains free of branches. Abachi also develops buttress roots, exhibiting a height of more or less 8 m (315 in). The bark of young trees is quite smooth, when growing older, however, it starts to develop cracks and becomes rough. With increasing age, the crown becomes very impressive, exhibiting a horizontal upper end. Abachi is an evergreen tree, partially, it loses its leaves. The leaves are 3-10 cm (1.2-4 in) in length. When reaching an age of approx. 15 years, the trees also develop blossoms exhibiting a length of approx. 10 cm (4 in). The fruits are schizocarps, 2 cm (0.8 in) in length, and 1 cm (0.4 in) wide. Abachi is common in tropical areas, mainly in west Africa, but also in the Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Central African Republic, Sierra Leone, or in the Republic of Congo.

The sapwood, approx. 15 cm (6 in) in thickness and heartwood both are of yellow colors, making it hard to differentiate between them. Fresh wood is known for its unpleasant smell which, however, goes by pretty fast. The processed wood has a finely structured surface with a natural gloss. Generally, abachi table tennis veneers are quite light, exhibit a low strength and relatively low hardness. This wood is not very resistant to moisture, mold, insects, and general weather influences. Hence, it is not suitable for an outdoor application. Furthermore, abachi is only moderately suitable for construction purposes (especially supporting constructions). However, abachi is easy to process and very common for an indoor usage. Also the drying process is easy, since this wood does generally not tend to develop cracks. Hence, it is used for plywood, musical instruments, bars, prostheses, picture frames, model making, or veneers.

	Density in kg/m³ (lb/gal)	Young´s modulus in N/mm² (GPa)	Hardness (Janka)
Abachi	350 (2.92)	6,800 (6.8)	430

In general, combinations based on abachi / limba are much appreciated and quite common. According to test reports, abachi results in a good and dangerous behavior during counters. This is because the balls jump off the bat in a very flat manner, particularly considering the backhand. For the forehand, abachi is not as spinny as limba, but there are reports that abachi exhibits better properties with respect to blocks and counters. Used as finishing veneer, abachi is very interesting for players who do not put their emphasis too much on topspins, but towards variable counters and blocks.

Koto - also very popular as table tennis veneer

Koto (Pterygota macrocarpa) is a deciduous tree from the subfamily of the Sterculiaceae (from the mallow family). It reaches a height of about 30 m (1,200 in), whereas the trunks exhibit a diameter of about 1 m (40 in). The trunk can remain free of branches up to a height of approx. 20 m (790 in). Koto trees are used as timber, and are common in west Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon.

Sapwood and heartwood are also difficult to differentiate because they exhibit a similar color. A koto table tennis veneer is usually based on yellowish, yellow-brown, or white-yellowish areas, interrupted with areas of darker colored, elongated stripes. This makes koto veneers very nice and decorative. Furthermore, koto is easy to process, exhibits medium strength and density, despite a high hardness (be careful in order to avoid chipping). Koto wood is known for its easy adhesive mounting and polish-ability. Fresh wood smells not pleasant, however, this smell disappears pretty fast when drying the wood. Note that koto wood is only little or moderately resistant to many influences, such as fungal attacks, insects, rot, or moisture. For these reasons, koto is not used for outdoor applications, but mainly for indoor purposes (e.g. plywood, furniture, musical instruments, or veneers).

	Density in kg/m³ (lb/gal)	Young´s modulus in N/mm² (GPa)	Hardness (Janka)
Koto	590 (4.92)	9,000 (9.0)	950

Koto is a so called classical table tennis veneer, known for its fast and spinny behavior. This is caused by the relatively large strength and hardness of this wood, although it is only moderately heavy (medium density). Koto is appropriate as inner veneer combined with e.g. limba, but it is also suitable as finishing veneer. Many traditionally manufactured offensive blades are finished with koto in order to achieve the necessary hardness.

Hinoki - Table tennis blades with tradition and proper penetration power

Hinoki table tennis veneers are also very popular. Hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa) belongs to the family of the cupressaceae. This tree has its origin in central Japan, is evergreen, and reaches a height of up to 40 m (1,600 in). The trunk has a thickness of 1-3 m (40-120 in). The bark is quite coarse, and red-brown. Hinoki wood is known for its pleasant, lemon-like smell, and its light coloration. Since hinoki is quite resistant to rotting, mold, moisture, and insects, it is planted as noble wood, and used for many different outdoor purposes: Buildings, shrines, temples, etc. Hinoki is also used for table tennis veneers.

The mechanical properties of hinoki wood are presented in the following table. This wood is relatively soft and light, but exhibits a good overall strength. When used in table tennis bats, hinoki is well known for its positive gaming properties.

	Density in kg/m³ (lb/gal)	Young´s modulus in N/mm² (GPa)	Hardness (Janka)
Hinoki	440 (3.67)	9,000 (9.0)	550

Balsa - some swear by this wood, others feel no ball feedback at all

When it comes to balsa, opinions differ considerably. There is (almost) no other material used for table tennis veneers which is lighter than balsa. And there is (almost) no other material which is the focus of lengthy discussions, being loved and hated at the same time. Well - Balsa blades are something for real fans and connoisseurs which work intensively with table tennis, and thoroughly test and study various rubber-blade combinations. The basis of the discussions regarding balsa are its properties, which will be presented now:

Balsa (Ochroma pyramidale) belongs to the mallow family. Balsa is common in the so called neotropical areas: South America, Central America, and West Indies. Balsa trees are also present in south Mexico. The trees reach a height of about 30-50 m (1,200-2,000 in), the trunk reaches a diameter of about 1-2 m (3-7 in). The bark is smooth and marbled with a white appearance. The wood is used to build rafts, as cork substitute, for model builders, as core material for fiber reinforced composites, and as veneers for table tennis bats. The mechanical properties of balsa are summarized in the following table:

	Density in kg/m³ (lb/gal)	Young´s modulus in N/mm² (GPa)	Hardness (Janka)
Abachi	130 (1.08)	2,600 (2.6)	88

Based on this table, one can see that balsa wood is extremely light and soft. Furthermore, this wood is known to exhibit a substantial catapult-like effect. Therefore, table tennis bats using a thick balsa core (at least 3.5 mm, = 0.115 in) are very suitable to make your offensive actions even more offensive. Induced by this catapult effect, the ball literally accelerates to a larger extend. Thinner cores, however, may reduce the speed (reduced catapult effect), especially when doing a passive gaming. Of course, the structure of the veneers can also be designed in a variable manner, based on different individual layers. Then, one can keep the accelerating effect whilst improving the overall stability. Since balsa is quite sensitive to external influences, its application is commonly appropriate for core or inner veneers only, and not for finishing veneers (outer veneers)

Walnut - not only nice to look at, but also convincing by its properties

Many players quickly recognize table tennis blades which contain walnut veneers. The reason for this is the unique color many players are into. Walnut trees - Real Walnut to be exact (Juglans regia) - is a deciduous tree from the walnut family. This tree is also common in Central Europe, it can reach a height of up to 30 m (1,200 in), and can reach an age of 160 years. The bark is first quite smooth and gray, later, however, it exhibits cracks and turns into a dark appearance. The fruits (walnuts) are edible, and consist of a hard shell with a nutritious inner core. The leaves develop a pleasant smell when rubbing them. They also rot slower compared to the leaves of other deciduous trees. The walnut wood is a sought-after noble wood for the veneer industry, but also for parquet, furniture parts, and so on. Its agricultural and forestry use is, however, often difficult since the trunks are commonly not very straight, and slowly growing. The following table summarizes the mechanical properties of the walnut wood:

	Density in kg/m³ (lb/gal)	Young´s modulus in N/mm² (GPa)	Hardness (Janka)
Nussbaum	640 (5.34)	12,500 (12.5)	720

It becomes evident that walnut wood is very heavy, and hard. Table tennis veneers made of walnut are available. They are very direct because of the high hardness, and exhibit a good suitability for blocks, counters, or finishing shots/strokes. Walnut wood is used as inner veneers, but also as finishing veneer, e.g. in combination with limba. This results in applications for variable attacking players, but also for uncompromising, "iron" attackers.

Some Exotics - These table tennis blades are not very common

If one would do a ranking of all table tennis blades, a relation to individual table tennis brands would be essential. Probably, the most sold blades stem from Stiga. Next to Chinese blades (which of course are best-sellers in China), Stiga is probably the most successful company selling table tennis blades. Some of the reasons for this are its great awareness of tradition, quality, and knowledge regarding what veneers harmonize with each other. For example, almost all Stiga blades have Abachi as the core veneer. You might ask yourself why? Abachi is a very balanced, convertible TT blade of high quality. But of course, every company is experimenting and varying a bit from year to year. The following overview shows you some of these variations, which are often used as inner or finishing veneers. By cleverly combining core, inner and finishing (outer) veneers, you can create table tennis blades with completely different properties.

Mahogany - a table tennis blade of increasing popularity

Recently, Mahogany table tennis blades are used more and more often. Mahogany woods, exhibiting approx. 1,400 different species, belong to the Sapindales. Mahogany species are growing as trees or bushes, and are very common in tropical regions. Their wood is noble wood, and some known species are big-leave mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), Cedrela odorata, andiroba, or tiama. for example, Swietenia macrophylla reaches a height of up to 60 m (2,400 in), exhibiting a red-brown bark which later becomes darker, almost black. The trunk can reach a diameter of 3 m (120 in) and is meaningful for the timber industry since large portions remain free of branches. However, this wood grows relatively slowly. Big-leave mahogany is evergreen in younger years, later the trees lose their leaves.

	Density in kg/m³ (lb/gal)	Young´s modulus in N/mm² (GPa)	Hardness (Janka)
Mahagoni	550 (4.59)	13,500 (13.5)	700

As already mentioned, mahogany is a noble wood of medium strength and high hardness. It is also very resistant to fungal attacks, insects, moisture, and weather effects. Hence, mahogany is also used in shipbuilding, for house constructions, coffins, and high-quality instruments, such as guitars. Also, this wood is used as veneers because it is relatively easy to process, and it does not develop many cracks during drying. For table tennis blades, the hard mahogany wood is very suitable for finishing veneers for hard serving players. But also as inner veneer (in between the core and finishing veneers), mahogany is used - in such cases often in combination with other woods, such as limba (in this case, speed and hardness are slightly reduced). Similar combinations (e.g. mahogany + balsa) are also known for their topspin-promoting properties whilst providing a good ball control, and a good feeling for the game at medium hard serves.

Kiri - Often used as veneers in different layers

Kiri is the Japanese name for the paulownia tree (Paulownia tomentosa), also called empress tree. This deciduous tree belongs to the Paulowniaceae. Its home is central and west China, but cultivations are also common in Japan, Korea, and North America. In its youth, kiri is very sensitive to frost. Later on, it is resistant to winter and frost. The paulownia tree can reach a height of 15 m (600 in), its bark is smooth and gray. The wood exhibits several positive properties: It is light, relatively strong (strength), hardly inflammable, exhibits a good insulation effect with respect to warmth/cold, looks very nice, and grows pretty fast. For these reasons, kiri is used for furniture, musical instruments, or surf boards. Especially when considering its heartwood for table tennis veneers, the name kiri is commonly used. Kiri is heavier, harder, and more durable compared to balsa. Therefore, kiri table tennis veneers are also heavier and faster than balsa veneers. Many or maybe all Butterfly veneers from Japan contain a kiri core.

	Density in kg/m³ (lb/gal)	Young´s modulus in N/mm² (GPa)	Hardness (Janka)
Kiri	300 (2.50)	4,380 (4.38)	250

Ebony - well known, but only occasionally used in TT blades

Ebony (Diospyros sp.) wood is hardwood belonging to the family of Ebenaceae. It is common along the West African coast, preferably in Angola and Nigeria. The trees are reaching a height of up to 20 m (800 in), the trunk has a diameter of up to 1 m (40 in), whereas it can remain free of branches for 10 m (400 in). The bark is quite thin, with red to dark gray colors. It is a very popular and sought-after wood, and is one of the most valuable and precious woods all over the world. The heartwood is usually used (instead of sapwood), being extremely hard, with black stripes (also dark-brown - black, with lighter colors in between). In addition, the wood is very resistant to environmental influences, fungal attacks, and insects. Depending on where the wood comes from, there may be differences in colors or properties, e.g. hardness. Ebony is used for musical instruments (e.g. piano keys), woodturning, cutlery handles, decorative items, or as veneers.

	Density in kg/m³ (lb/gal)	Young´s modulus in N/mm² (GPa)	Hardness (Janka)
Ebony	900-1,300 (7.51-10.85)	10,100 (10.1)	3,220

Spruce - Quite common for table tennis blades

Depending on the combination with other materials spruce table tennis veneers are classified into several speed types. This shows that spruce is a very variable wood when used as TT veneer. Spruce (Picea abies) belongs to the Pinaceae family. In Central Europe, it is the only type of coniferous trees among the Pinaceae family which constitutes an own subfamily. The spruce is common in Europe (except the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula), but also in many parts of Asia. It can reach an age of up to 600 years, it is an evergreen tree (in contrast to larch trees), and can reach a height of up to 60 m (2,400 in), whereas the trunk is up to 2 m (80 in) in thickness. Depending on the ground the spruce grows on, its roots can be really deep, or quite flat. Young spruces growing at a low altitude exhibit a reddish bark. Older species (or the ones growing at higher altitudes) exhibit a gray colored bark. Its wood is very interesting: It grows very fast, so already after little time, it makes economical sense to fell trees. Furthermore, spruces are very hardy (however, there may be trouble when late frosts are occurring). The wood of spruces is not the only thing being used: The needles are used to produce pine needle oil, suitable for bath essences. Young needles are also used as a kind of pickle for certain meals. During spring, when the young needles contain much sugar, there are also louses sucking on the needles. They secrete a moisture (honeydew), which will be collected by bees. Thereby, the bees produce forest honey. The wood of spruces is used for house constructions (e.g. roof trusses, construction timbers, boards, planks), furniture, musical instruments, or veneers. It is very soft and light, but it still provides a good strength. However, spruce wood is prone to various environmental influences, like moisture, rot, or insects. Hence, regular protective measures, like painting, are essential.

	Density in kg/m³ (lb/gal)	Young´s modulus in N/mm² (GPa)	Hardness (Janka)
Spruce	420 (3.51)	11,000 (11.0)	300

When used as table tennis veneers, spruce is known for its low speed and low hardness. This highlights its suitability for defensive players. However, these properties can easily be modified when combining spruce with other, harder woods. Other test reports exemplified that, when mounting spruce table tennis veneers too far outwards (toward the rubbers), spruce veneers cause a less spinny behavior, and a different sound.

Carbon Meliorate - who knows more about this wood?

Our research did not find any useful information regarding this material and its use as table tennis veneer. Who knows more about this material? Please email us!

Poplar tree - suitable for defensive table tennis blades

Poplars (Populus) are deciduous trees (or bushes), which belong to the Willow family (Salicaceae). They are common in North America, and Eurasia. Poplar trees prefer wet grounds, such as river banks, or woods with a wet ground. They grow up to 45 m (1,800 in) in height, commonly exhibit a smooth bark during youth, which then tends to develop cracks. The coloration of the bark is gray. Poplars can reproduce themselves vegetatively, this means that their roots develop vertical shoots. Also, torn down branches or fallen trees can continue to grow. Poplars grow very fast: They do not only develop shoots and leaves in spring, but also later. Its wood is more or less as heavy (or light) as the wood of Weymouth pines or spruces, and it is also having a similar light color. Poplar wood is used for matches (it doesn´t burn as fast as many other woods), interior constructions for saunas, wood wool, chopsticks, pallets, plywood, and so forth. Poplar wood is light to medium heavy and soft, but it is also quite weather-resistant, provided it was dried fast. For this reason, poplar is also used as roof shingles.

	Young´s modulus in N/mm² (GPa)	Young´s modulus in N/mm² (GPa)	Hardness (Janka)
Poplar	410-600 (3.42-5.01)	8,200 (8.2)	320

As a table tennis veneer, poplar wood with thicknesses of 2.5-4 mm (threefold gluing, commonly poplar plywood) is a good alternative to slower blades/woods, such as balsa or abachi. Poplar veneers are known for their supportive function towards a controlled, slow, and spin-oriented gaming behavior (most suitable for DEF and ALL+ players). Poplar veneers can also be utilized as finishing veneers.

Conclusion

No matter what table tennis blade might be interesting for you, the most important factor is the feeling when playing. A good and pleasant feeling does not solely emerge from intensive learning and studying of long articles, forums, or blogs. It emerges from simply testing a blade! When choosing a table tennis blade, it is recommended to have a look at the manufacturer specifications. Not every brand considers all specific veneer combinations, for example. Specifications are often of a subjective character, but they have their "raison d'être" (meaning that there is a good reason for their existence).

The brands of table tennis blades

The competition between the suppliers of table tennis needs is very high. Just recently, Adidas retired from the table tennis business. Table tennis is a market for experts which requires sensitivity and experience, especially regarding blades. The brands listed below managed to establish a long-term presence on the table tennis market. In the following categories you can find all table tennis blades which are available at TT-SHOP.COM. For each brand, manufacturer specifications regarding speed, control, and weight were added. Further details can be found using the following links:

• Donic table tennis blades
• Tibhar table tennis blades
• Joola table tennis blades
• TSP table tennis blades
• Stiga table tennis blades
• Yasaka table tennis blades
• Nittaku table tennis blades