Triple Sealing is legal! YES, if . . .

it's not super thick like a heavily lacquered coffee table . . . at least this is my understanding of the rules. I have been sealing dozens of blades using a triple sealing method I learned in China from high level Chinese players and blade gurus. A member on this site turned me on to the sealant, which is Varathane. My sealing technique has many steps and take hours. In the end only about 1-2 grams is added. I am careful not to make the blades too thick. The end result is a smooth, glassy finish. You can see the grain, but cannot feel the grain.

Triple sealing protects the blade, stiffens the blade, and will definitely speed up your play. I estimate it adds a notch on the speed scale, i.e. an ALL becomes an ALL+.

Is this legal?

I think so! There are thousands and thousands of players doing this overseas and they are not hiding it.

I should mention it's very easy to remove a little sealant is you use a fine grade (150-220) wet-sanding sponge and gently make circles across the blade surface, being careful not to round the edges.

It's in here
http://www.ittf.com/ittf_equipment/pdf/T4_Racket_Coverings_2007.pdf

Sorry to make stupid question, but what is sealing?

Maybe I am wrong but I think you can either SEE or TOUCH the grain but not both required

man this rule blows

LachlanTan wrote: ITTF needs to make a new rule about this issue..

The ITTF doesn't know what its doing.

I had a look and feel of a Hallmark Frictionless Pimple "Super Defense", apparently the ITTF has passed this rubber, yet in my opinion it does not comply with the ITTF rules.

WHATS GOING ON

I'm Confused

Technically, the "touch" part doesn't make sense. Any layer of varnish will hide the wood from touch (when you touch it, you only make contact with the varnish, not the actual wood, unless you didn't get a good layer on and left some spots uncovered).

But about the part saying that it would count as a layer of plastic, is it not allowed to have a layer of plastic on top? The top ply must be wood?

You can see the grain on any blade i seal and in most cases still slightly feel grain; however, the feel thing is not an issue as half the blades I buy from the factory come unfeelable, i.e. Galaxy MC1 . . . and all the other coated blades. Hey, when I seal I'm not lacquering it to be like a coffee table . . . I'm rubbing Varathane into the wood, wetsanding, and repeating twice. It's think, but glassy. The results are LEGAL!!!!

pingpongrob wrote: I had a look and feel of a Hallmark Frictionless Pimple "Super Defense", apparently the ITTF has passed this rubber, yet in my opinion it does not comply with the ITTF rules. WHATS GOING ONI'm Confused Arthur, its absolutely crazy. I just cant understand what the ITTF is trying to do. I mean how could it possibly affect the outcome of a match

Well said Rob, it isn't the rubber but the players who determine the outcome of any match, regardless of equipment!

About the sealing, as far as I know, the rule for blades is that 85% needs to be of "natural wood" (Is there any other) so assuming I have an all wood blade, I could add 15% varnish to it and it would still be legal...

For Layman is easy to think a laquer coat is gonna increase the speed, but that is not true as long the bounce is the result of the whole transmision of the impact energy of the ball. as long the inner plies od the blade are the same this cant be true. tommy check your physics textbook..