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Do blades improve with age? |
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Rhainur
Super Member Joined: 05/04/2014 Location: Dubai Status: Offline Points: 102 |
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Posted: 05/24/2016 at 7:21am |
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I've ordered an OSP Virtuoso OFF- (should be arriving today ) and one of the things I found interesting when I was researching and reading reviews about this blade is that people were saying it's feeling will change noticeably in the first 10-20 hours of using it, and even after that it'll keep changing.
I don't really know much about blade construction or the aging of wood, so I was hoping some more experienced players could shed some light on this. Do blades really "mature" with use? I've included some of the reviews I read about the Virtuoso aging:
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meketrefe
Member Joined: 05/17/2016 Location: Wyoming Status: Offline Points: 50 |
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they get a softer feeling.
This is because of age and because of repeatedly hitting them in the same spot I guess. |
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Baal
Forum Moderator Joined: 01/21/2010 Location: unknown Status: Offline Points: 14336 |
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Funny thing is, you don't even need to play with some blades for them to improve with age. I have no idea why it happens. The other day I glued up a four-year old Viscaria that had been relegated to a drawer after being used exactly once (when new was too fast, too hollow the first time). It is now very good. People say the same thing about some stringed instruments.
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DreiZ
Platinum Member Joined: 06/01/2009 Location: New York, US Status: Offline Points: 2576 |
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For a sport that relies heavily on consistency how come companies don't let purchased wood materials "dry out" before using them in production to get "consistent feeling" blades from the beginning? Or am I oversimplifying the process?
Edited by DreiZ - 05/24/2016 at 10:07am |
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Main:
Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC 85g FH/BH: Glayzer 09C 2.1mm Chopper: Stratus Power Defense 85g FH: Hybrid K3 max BH: Grass D.TecS 0.9mm USATT: 1725 |
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Nasche
Super Member Joined: 04/15/2016 Location: Brazil Status: Offline Points: 155 |
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An early change like that should be the break up process of the use, but if you don't seal the blade with something like polyurethane the wood will dry slowly and may give you more feedback with the time.
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Nasche
Super Member Joined: 04/15/2016 Location: Brazil Status: Offline Points: 155 |
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Because not all the companies can afford to let a piece of wood dry out naturally for a few years before using it. There are some techniques to accelerate the process, but you have to have a proper room with controlled high temperature and air humidity. The results aren't exactly the same, but are good enough to stabilize the wood. Edited by Nasche - 05/24/2016 at 10:17am |
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vivan4tt
Super Member Joined: 11/07/2008 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 234 |
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Blades change with age and gluing. Does it becomes better ? Depends, it becomes softer and slower, for most amateurs it's a good thing.
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Mizutani sZLC / T05fx / T05fx
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tom
Premier Member Joined: 11/18/2013 Location: canada Status: Offline Points: 3016 |
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here is a thought then, EJs should buy the blades unsealed and let them age a while before using. How many of you could wait?
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in2spin
Silver Member Joined: 12/09/2008 Status: Offline Points: 988 |
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like wine, then
:)
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bbkon
Premier Member Joined: 04/19/2005 Location: Afghanistan Status: Offline Points: 7260 |
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Maybe today viscarias are worse thant used to be 4 years ago |
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42andbackpains
Silver Member Joined: 10/05/2014 Location: NYC Status: Offline Points: 623 |
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My OSP blade has definitely gotten better. I have played with it for about 5 months now and its gets better with age and reglueing.
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Mind is willing, but the back goes out too often :P
OSP Ultimate II 88 grams FH Dianchi D w/ Secret Sauce BH Butterfly T05 Red USATT rating keeps going down |
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Baal
Forum Moderator Joined: 01/21/2010 Location: unknown Status: Offline Points: 14336 |
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Maybe, but the one I'm talking about is four years old and did nothing but sit in a drawer during that time. And it got better. |
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slevin
Premier Member Joined: 03/15/2012 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 3602 |
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Not necessarily. Many pros change their blades a couple of times a year because they get too soft after playing. That, to me, implies that they like 'em hard. But to the rest of us amateurish peeps, especially those of us in the US buying fast composites, letting them mellow down is a good thing...
Edited by slevin - 05/24/2016 at 1:35pm |
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Baal
Forum Moderator Joined: 01/21/2010 Location: unknown Status: Offline Points: 14336 |
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And yet, many pros don't. Samsonov used the same blade for years until they wouldn't let him use it anymore. Freitas says he uses the same Maze since he was about 18 or 19. Jim Butler has used the same Juic blade since he came out of retirement.
(Also, not all wines age well, that may be true for some blades). |
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DreiZ
Platinum Member Joined: 06/01/2009 Location: New York, US Status: Offline Points: 2576 |
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I wonder if any pros seal their blades?...
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Main:
Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC 85g FH/BH: Glayzer 09C 2.1mm Chopper: Stratus Power Defense 85g FH: Hybrid K3 max BH: Grass D.TecS 0.9mm USATT: 1725 |
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Nasche
Super Member Joined: 04/15/2016 Location: Brazil Status: Offline Points: 155 |
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If handle is not sealed it will absorb the sweat of your hands over the time and if you play often it changes a bit.
Edited by Nasche - 05/24/2016 at 2:17pm |
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Rhainur
Super Member Joined: 05/04/2014 Location: Dubai Status: Offline Points: 102 |
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frogger
Premier Member Joined: 08/03/2010 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3062 |
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Some vintage wood instruments improve it's tone over a period of time. The wood cell structure changes and expands allowing more air into the cell. I am a guitarist and confirm this. We are talking tone vs. performance here and have found my really old blades (20+) years seem dull, lackluster compared to my new ones. My really old Stiga Johansson Allround plays like a wimp. Nice vintage value but that's it. |
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Wood Paddle
Red side Black side. |
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ericd937
Gold Member Joined: 06/01/2012 Location: Saigon, Vietnam Status: Offline Points: 1191 |
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deleted
Edited by ericd937 - 05/27/2016 at 7:56pm |
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Current Setup: TBS FH T80/BH D80
Official USATT Rating 1815 Current estimated level: 1800-1900. |
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ericd937
Gold Member Joined: 06/01/2012 Location: Saigon, Vietnam Status: Offline Points: 1191 |
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;I had always heard that some composite blades, such as carbon fiber, can degrade over time. Is that true?
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Current Setup: TBS FH T80/BH D80
Official USATT Rating 1815 Current estimated level: 1800-1900. |
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Nasche
Super Member Joined: 04/15/2016 Location: Brazil Status: Offline Points: 155 |
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I agree about guitars, but just the good ones will get better with the time, a bad guitar will actually get worse. About blades, not every blade will feel dull with time. I have a 20 years old one ply hinoki jpen blade that plays superbly and my old Mazunov from the early 90's still plays great too, but it's too heavy for me nowadays so it's retired. Usually light blades with thin wood plies are the ones that will become dull.
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wanhao
Super Member Joined: 07/14/2014 Location: south east asia Status: Offline Points: 122 |
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Keep your carbon blade for 1000 years and there may be a chance of become diamond blade..
Edited by wanhao - 05/27/2016 at 10:19pm |
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Baal
Forum Moderator Joined: 01/21/2010 Location: unknown Status: Offline Points: 14336 |
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I have heard this mentioned here specifically for zylon fiber but have no idea if it is true. |
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IanMcg
Gold Member Joined: 05/27/2011 Location: Somehere Status: Offline Points: 1151 |
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Why wait a thousand years when you can just drop a couple hundred dollars to get a Killerspin Diamond blade? And maybe if you put your carbon blade under enough pressure to perform well, it'll become a diamond blade. lol
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