Sealing Hinoki Wood?

Am i right to say that all butterfly blades come sealed? Maze.. TBS.. Korbel, everything?

My 7p2a-7t came already sealed from Darker.

Valentine wrote: Nowadays, most blades don't need to be sealed. Hinoki never needs to be sealed, and most high end blades come with a very smooth finish. I would only seal very lightly with hairspray some Stiga and Yasaka blades, which can sometimes splinter a little. Now with the glue ban theres ever less reasons to seal. I dont like the feel of varnished blades, I have two Yasaka Extra, one varnished and the other not, and i feel a big difference, more solid feel and more spin with the unsealed one. Might be my imagination, though .

I wouldn't say that Hinoki doesn't need to be sealed. It can splinter especially if it's slightly damaged from hits on the table. So it is still a good idea to seal - albeit lightly.

I have had blades that have been sealed with polyurethane, sparurethane, shellac, sanding sealer and Tommy Zai's famous Varathane.  I have always promoted the use of sanding sealer for sealing blades as it provides great protection and dries the softest of the aformentioned, which I think helps to maintain the original feeling and characteristics of the blade.  I also agree that it is very hard to tell the difference of sealed and not sealed unless you add 1/8" coat.  If you use just enough to bind the fibers of the top ply you can use any of the above plus some others with good results.  Moderation is the key here.  I would also say that Hinoki does need sealing in my experiences, and would not hesitate to seal any blade.

Hi aeoliah,
     It will laugh at water if sealed properly with Poly-U. 

OK, I will state this for the record:

I believe EVERY blade MUST be sealed. The only question is with what and how much, which would be determined by the hardness of the top ply. For example, a Clipper will need much more than a Hinoki 1-ply; however, the 1-ply, 3 ply, 5 ply, 7 ply, 9 ply, and anything else needs some sealant.

This statement is even more true now that most players will be using a water-based glue. Try soaking your unsealed blade and see what happens. Let me save you the time and money . . . IT WILL BE RUINED!!!

I've heard too much nonsense about losing the feel of the blade by sealing. Perhaps this is true if you put 10mm thick of Poly to make it like a coffee table, but if you seal just enough to fill in the top ply grains the 1% reduction in "feel" is easily offset by the 100% protection of your blade. If you are careful and do a nice job sealing you will NOT regret it! I know players who are even more hardcore on this issue than me, claiming that even if you use 20 coats there won't be much difference. I guess you can call me a conservative in this respect. Having said that, what do we call those who refuse to seal? I can identify two names for such an individual:

1. SPONSORED (They just get a new one FREE)
2. KNUCKLEHEAD

In conclusion, seal Hinoki . . . at least a little!

Bring on the weak arguments.

I change rubbers once per season, i don't believe in sealing. If i competed weekly including daily practices...i might consider it :)

Hi THEMANFZ1,
     Actually, Tommy likes the satin, I like the clear. I like the shine also.
     One coat should protect fully from moisture.
     I will look in the woodworkers literature tonight and see what they say about Spar varnish compared to Poly. 

Per the American Woodworkers Asso.
     Linseed oil.
          Poor scratch resistance.
    
     Spar varnish, tung oil.
          Softer than other varnishes. Used on boats but not on decks or below water line. Spar varnish usually gives a red tint to wood.
 
     Gloss, satin and matte finishes all dry to the same durability.

Poly is more resistant to heat, solvents and chipping than shellac or lacquer.

     Poly IS a VARNISH. Some people keep saying varnish is better than poly.  Wrong.

     Water based is almost as good as mineral based poly. Water based poly WILL raise the grain in some woods. Mineral based will not.

     Interior Poly.
          Least expensive poly. Durable. Good scratch resistance.

     Exterior Poly.
          Has UV blockers. Very durable. Protects from sunlight. Used where there is high wear.

     One coat of Poly dries to a thickness of .0015"

I am curious also. I also wonder if they will start with the advent of water based glues.

charlesj wrote: I wonder if those pros also seal their blade?

Why do they need to seal blade? They get sponsor, so they just need to change the new blade if the old one is damaged.

Hookshot wrote: The pros do change rubbers often but some of them grow fond of a certain blade. Even though you buy another of the same, there can still be differences. The pros can detect smaller differences than most of us.

Thats so true. Once someone posted a picture of Chiang peng lung(sp??),'s blade, u could jsut tell he had been using it for years.