Donic Ovtcharov True Carbon
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Topic: Donic Ovtcharov True Carbon
Posted By: ghostzen
Subject: Donic Ovtcharov True Carbon
Date Posted: 07/21/2016 at 9:23am
|
Donic
Ovtcharov True Carbon
My Blade Weight: 87 grams (Under the reported 90 grams on the Donic site) Feel: Nearly stiff- some flex Speed: off- to off ish plus Service and receive is one of the
plus sides for me on this blade. I found service easy and control of placement
and length good. It has enough touch and feel to allow a safe return and enough
pace to flick hard or spin if needed. Overall I’m really happy with the change. People are going to ask which blade it is similar to and I’m not really sure.. I don’t change my equipment regularly and try and let my hard graft on the practice table improve my game…. But that’s a different topic all together!. Equipment vs work ethic… If I had a guess the True Carbon is similar to one of the butterfly blades I used to use probably the Viscaria maybe a tad faster. I did actually wonder if this was by design. Hopefully someone who is better at the reviewing process will pop in and help fill in the gaps I’m sure I have left. |
Replies:
Posted By: tom
Date Posted: 07/21/2016 at 11:07am
| composition? |
Posted By: ghostzen
Date Posted: 07/21/2016 at 1:33pm
it's 7 ply 5 wood 2 carbon .... I will look for more info!  did say I would miss something.. hopefully find out and let you know. |
Posted By: Baal
Date Posted: 07/21/2016 at 4:37pm
| I have recently bought two. One is heavier 92g and I like it much better than the other. The blades are very similar to Btfy ALC blades. A touch faster than Viscaria. The ST handle is super comfortable. |
Posted By: slowd16z
Date Posted: 07/21/2016 at 6:24pm
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Can anybody compare the head size and thickness to a Viscaria? |
Posted By: Baal
Date Posted: 07/21/2016 at 6:31pm
| Thickness is the same. |
Posted By: DreiZ
Date Posted: 07/21/2016 at 8:06pm
Are you going to post a review soon on it Baal? ------------- 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 |
Baal wrote:Posted By: TurboZ
Date Posted: 07/21/2016 at 8:22pm
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They look very much the same side by side but mine is only 5.55mm in thickness comparing to Butterfly's 5.75mm. Headsize is identical. ST handle is excellent which I believe is copying the ST Viscaria in size and shape. Only thing I don't like is the picture of Dima on the handle. I suspect this one is also made in China like their Zhou Yu series.
------------- http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53150&title=feedback-turboz - My Feedback |
Posted By: Baal
Date Posted: 07/21/2016 at 9:08pm
I don't actually have a whole lot more to say than that it plays quite similar to Btfly ALC blades like TB-ALC and Viscaria. It is a little bit faster than Viscaria. I was quite surprised though that the two blades I have are quite different from each other. Weight mostly I think. People who like Btfly versions will probably like this one. Slightly cheaper and it comes in a nice ST handle. The ST handle is rounder than a TB-ALC. Regarding blade thickness, I didn't measure with calipers. |
Posted By: Hans Regenkurt
Date Posted: 02/25/2017 at 6:07am
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I tried out a friend's Viscaria last night. I was curious about how it plays and how it compares to the OTC. Everything in this thread is correct. I have two OTCs, one in ST and it is very light (have not measured it) and a newer one in FL that I use as my main blade. It is 82 gr which is very far from Baal's 92. I found that it outperforms Viscaria in any aspect, actually I do not see a point in buying a Viscaria when you have got a cheaper and better alternative. |
Posted By: bbkon
Date Posted: 02/25/2017 at 11:21am
no cpen damm |
Posted By: slevin
Date Posted: 02/25/2017 at 12:07pm
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I bought & tried 4 Ovtcharov True Carbon blades. I agree - they are slightly softer and a touch faster than Viscaria. The difference comes in why they are faster. While the German blade designer (of this 'Made in China' blade) could not explicitly state this to me (perhaps for confidentiality reasons), they did indicate that the ALC composition in the DOTC had a shade more carbon in it. What is of more importance is that you like it! Indeed, it is good that we have a cheaper alternative to the Viscaria (whose price Butterfly shall keep hiking annually, I guess). Spread the word! I'm also interested in hearing reviews of the Tibhar Drinkhall Powerspin Carbon blade. Tabletennisdaily says that the 2nd ply is Ayous (as opposed to Limba in the TBS / Viscaria). However, I had a brief chat with Paul Drinkhall (a former TBS user) a few weeks ago. He said he spent many weeks testing different combinations of wood before selecting what felt right to him (he said that he was not technical on how they are mixed and matched). ------------- Trade feedback: http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=50787" rel="nofollow - http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=50787 |
Posted By: Baal
Date Posted: 02/25/2017 at 12:39pm
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That might explain why the composite layer in DTC is a different color -- a different weave maybe from a different supplier. I am back to FL handles so I use Viscaria again -- I dont need to buy any more of those, that is for sure!! People who like Butfly ALC blades will probably like this one just as much, and at a great price. But the weight variation seems high so specify when you buy one. It has a pretty big effect on how fast they feel. |
Posted By: unstopabl3
Date Posted: 02/25/2017 at 5:47pm
Which weights did you get them in and which weight did you think was best? |
Posted By: unstopabl3
Date Posted: 02/25/2017 at 5:49pm
I've used Viscaria and don't like it's muted feeling and felt it to be a bit slow for my taste although I got it in 92g. If you have used TB ALC can you compare OTC to TB ALC (which is faster than Viscaria and has better feeling). Should I get TB ALC or try OTC at cheaper rate? Also what's the composition of OTC, any idea? |
Posted By: Baal
Date Posted: 02/25/2017 at 6:11pm
| To be honest it all comes down to handle preference and luck. Not all TB-ALC are faster or better feeling than all Viscaria and vice versa (I have had a bunch of each). OTC same. |
Posted By: unstopabl3
Date Posted: 02/25/2017 at 6:23pm
Would you say OTC is closer to TB ALC or Viscaria in terms of playing characteristics and not their handles? |
Posted By: piligrim
Date Posted: 02/25/2017 at 6:33pm
TB ALC not faster then Viscaria |
Posted By: rocketman222
Date Posted: 02/25/2017 at 6:33pm
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Since you guys are at it, the only concern of mine when comparing anything to tb-alc is the balance, does it have balance like viscaria which is head heavy or head light/even balanced like tb-alc ------------- http://www.bladesbycharlie.com/models/hinokighost" rel="nofollow - BBC Hinoki Ghost http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=74126&title=feedback-rocketman222" rel="nofollow - My Feedback |
Posted By: unstopabl3
Date Posted: 02/25/2017 at 6:37pm
I have a Viscaria which is about 92g and I specifically got it this heavy so that it should be fast, but I feel it to be even slower than my YEO 7 Power which in return is slower than the TB ALC blades I've tried. So it's my observation with the blades which I have tried myself, others observations may differ due to weight differences and what not. |
Posted By: unstopabl3
Date Posted: 02/25/2017 at 6:39pm
I didn't really feel that my Viscaria was head heavy then again I didn't use it for a prolong period of time. It seems you have tried both Viscaria and TB ALC, which one in your opinion is faster? And are you saying TB ALC is not head heavy and is more balanced than Viscaria? |
Posted By: piligrim
Date Posted: 02/25/2017 at 6:41pm
you should direct compare TB ALC to Viscaria without compare to YEO 7 Power. don't know why you mixing with YEO 7 Power. if you will take TB ALC and Viscaria both same weight Viscaria will be much faster. |
Posted By: Baal
Date Posted: 02/25/2017 at 8:04pm
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Based on two DTC blades I would say DTC is closer to Viscaria. Maybe not a big enough sample size. They are all pretty similar. These things are made of wood so no two are identical. None of them are good if they are too light imho |
Posted By: rocketman222
Date Posted: 02/25/2017 at 9:21pm
Yes absolutely, TB-ALC even with heavy rubbers on both sides(tenergy max and mxp max) still feels very evenly balanced. I felt they were both equally fast, except i felt my viscaria to feel softer and TB-ALC felt a little harder on ball impact. Also viscaria felt more stable while blocking, i m not sure how or why that was the case.
------------- http://www.bladesbycharlie.com/models/hinokighost" rel="nofollow - BBC Hinoki Ghost http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=74126&title=feedback-rocketman222" rel="nofollow - My Feedback |
Posted By: player87
Date Posted: 02/28/2017 at 12:00am
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so which one is more balanced in terms of weight/head heaviness? DTC or Viscaria? Does it mean if blade is lighter like 84 gr the balance more towards handle or not? |
Posted By: Baal
Date Posted: 02/28/2017 at 9:54am
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With Viscaria, the lighter the blade the more head-heavy is the balance. TB-ALC has slightly longer handle which adds weight back there, which I think is a good thing. DTC, I'm not sure because mine are ST, so don't want to compare to FL handle blades. On the other things, I would agree with Rocketman's last post except bear in mind, there is variation from one to another. I don't think I can say anything more about these blades that isn't in one of the two DTC threads on MyTT. DTC is a good blade for a good price. If you like Btfly ALC blades there is a good chance you will like a DTC, since it is pretty much the same thing. But no two blades are alike and weight (!!) and luck factor in. |
Posted By: DreiZ
Date Posted: 03/04/2017 at 8:40pm
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Read a lot on this blade but still need more input. Does the FL or ST have better balance towards the handle? And how is the FL handle compared to Viscaria and TB ALC? I personally like the Viscaria handle and the old ZJK ALC because of thickness, TB ALC however is a bit thin for me. Thanks
------------- 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 |
Posted By: ttspirit
Date Posted: 03/05/2017 at 5:24pm
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Handle of True Carbon is: Wideness 29,0 mm , thickness 23,30 Boll ALC ST is : 27,5 mm , 22,30 or thinner sometimes the touch of the handles are different, ALC is very squarish, true carbon a little less another big difference of these two blades is that the true carbon is not headheavy, the handles must have clearly more weight than the ALC handles. I prefer normally just head heavy blades because of more self-energy. |
Posted By: ttspirit
Date Posted: 03/05/2017 at 5:25pm
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I'm nut sure but also the FL handle of true carbon must have more thickness than ALC FL |
Posted By: bard romance
Date Posted: 03/14/2017 at 6:36pm
| Agreed with the general consensus here, pretty much a Viscaria clone, not sure about faster, but certainly not sure about slower, but very similar feel overall. May consider selling one off if anyone is interested, PM. |
Posted By: DreiZ
Date Posted: 03/16/2017 at 5:25pm
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Here is my DOTC at 85g AN handle that I've recently received. Although I'm going to return it, i want to post some pictures of it just for anyone that is curious about the handle. The handle seems small for an Anatomical handle. Lengthwise it is shorter than my SSCB. Thickness is the same. DOTC is obviously wider at the neck being AN, but the end of the handle is rather narrow compared to a my FL SSCB. Ive imagined it to be longer and wider overall. Nonetheless, I'm not keeping it but here are some pictures. Forgot to mention, the handle feels very solid and has some significant weight to it, feels as it wouldnt be head heavy with heavy rubbers which is great imo.     ------------- 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 |
Posted By: bard romance
Date Posted: 04/06/2017 at 9:55am
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Did you try holding it/at least shadowing some strokes? I have only used a few anatomic handles, but it didn't feel any smaller than the rest of them, fit pretty snug in the middle bump, if anything a bit more than others I've tried. Might be more thickness but less width to the handle than usual.
Was not head heavy, less so than Viscarias.
|
Posted By: DreiZ
Date Posted: 04/06/2017 at 10:30am
It's already returned. It had some nice weight to the handle but definitely small because I just bought my SSCB in anatomical and this handle is wider/bigger than DOTC. ------------- 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 |
Posted By: Danny1973
Date Posted: 04/06/2017 at 3:29pm
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Does the true carbon play like the carbospeed, or are this two complet different blades? ------------- Xiom Azx icecream FH Xiom Omega 7 pro max BH Xiom Omega 7 pro max |
Posted By: tom
Date Posted: 04/06/2017 at 3:33pm
| tried carbospeed briefly , much faster, almost no dwell |
Posted By: ronakvyas86
Date Posted: 04/06/2017 at 8:39pm
Completely different I suppose. I'm currently using carbospeed and in the past I've tried timo boll spirit (which is similar to true carbon) and they are very different. Carbospeed is very stiff and is better for hitting. However, you can still loop with carbospeed fairly well (that would take some skill if you're coming from flexy blades) but you can never generate as much spin as the thinner alc blades. ------------- Yasaka Goiabao 5 CPEN, Donic Baracuda MAX FH & RPB |
Posted By: richrf
Date Posted: 12/04/2017 at 4:32pm
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I just picked up DOTC from TT11. Pretty disappointed. The handle is very small and as I read in one review more appropriate as a starter blade for a teenager. It is also very light and doesnt feel very solid. Too bad. I'll be staying with my 8 year old Killerspin DQ. I'm surprised at the lukewarm reception that the DQ received when it first came out when it feels so much more like a real blade compared to the True Carbon and other blades that I've tried out. At the time I thought I made a mistake, but I didn't. Still better than almost anything I've tried since. As the saying goes, different strokes for different folks. BTW, it's up for sale in the FS forum with two Mantra M, 1.9 if anyone wants it. Never played (and may never be played. 😃). |
Posted By: slevin
Date Posted: 12/04/2017 at 5:41pm
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Re: DOTC - if you get your target weight, it is a fantastic blade for the price. At least the ST handle is great. In fact, I have 2 DOTCs that are too heavy for me to handle (only 89g but a bit too stiff for me - I can handle heavy flexy blades but not heavy stiff ones). More powerful than Viscaria for sure. ------------- Trade feedback: http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=50787" rel="nofollow - http://mytabletennis.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=50787 |
Posted By: richrf
Date Posted: 12/04/2017 at 5:47pm
I just put it up for sale if you want your third. 😃 |
Posted By: ohwell
Date Posted: 12/04/2017 at 8:03pm
If the Viscaria is a starter blade for teenagers, sure. You haven’t played with it at all? If the handle is the big issue why not try grip tape? |
Posted By: richrf
Date Posted: 12/04/2017 at 8:33pm
Thanks but I know this blade is hopeless so I don't want to use it so I can sell it as completely brand new. |
Posted By: NextLevel
Date Posted: 12/05/2017 at 12:22am
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Another example of why it is important to try before you buy. If not, you get situations like these, where someone goes out of his way to insult a perfectly good blade used by many good players because he purchased it based on the recommendations of players who may or may not play like him (but some of whom are definitely higher rated). ------------- https://youtu.be/jhO4K_yFhh8?t=115" rel="nofollow - I like putting heavy topspin on the ball... Cybershape Carbon FH/BH: H3P 41D. Lumberjack TT, not for lovers of beautiful strokes. No time to train... |
Posted By: richrf
Date Posted: 12/05/2017 at 12:34am
Thanks. I agree. Buying online is a high risk proposition. I knew it was a bad idea but I ran out of options so I tried especially since TT11 was selling it pretty cheap. As it turns out, standing pat was the best option. Never again. I was just lucky when I was in Chicago and got a great blade from Killerspin. |
Posted By: vanjr
Date Posted: 12/05/2017 at 8:28am
| Buying online is high risk IF you not know what you want. You should know the general weight and characteristics you desire before you order or you should not be ordering. Handle size is important and often not well published but a search of forums should help. Statements of "this blade is hopeless" do not help. This blade does not work for me is more accurate and less inflammatory. |
Posted By: richrf
Date Posted: 12/05/2017 at 8:33am
I gave my reasons why this blade doesn't work for me. It's up for for sale for anyone who wants it for what I believe to be fair value. |
Posted By: Baal
Date Posted: 12/05/2017 at 9:15am
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The first DTC I bought, when they first came out, was very good indeed, about 90 grams, basically a straight handled Viscaria. A very good blade, I got from Schoeller and Micke. So I bought a second one (from TT11). It was much lighter (more like 84 g) and played much differently. I had the same thing happen with some ZJK-ALCs with straight handles. At the time, about two years ago, I had begun to explore how I would play with a ST handle. I am back with FL. By the way, this is an issue with the blade maker, not the vendor. This problem is not unique to these blades, I have a couple of very sub-par Viscarias in a closet also. It is, I suspect, true of anything made of wood. This is always a problem if you have to order on-line in the US. Rich, you have found the solution to that, which is resell the ones you don't like. I am too fricking lazy to do it, the one thing I hate is to pack up blades and go to the post office, so I suffer in silence. I have gotten lucky a few times though, sometimes on-line and sometimes here. Thank you Emihet, again, for the black tags you sold me!!!!! And you only need to get lucky once or twice. (A black tag Viscaria is no guarantee, though). |
Posted By: richrf
Date Posted: 12/05/2017 at 9:21am
I was concerned about ordering online but I decided to take the risk. This was the absolutely last time I do this. Buying sight unseen is far to big of a gamble. I'm being fair with my sale price putting the value exactly where I believe it is worth but if I can't sell it there is a local University that has an active group of beginner players that I'll donate the racket to as a tournament prize. |
Posted By: Baal
Date Posted: 12/05/2017 at 9:54am
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As stated clearly in the movie Risky Business, sometimes you just have to say "what the f%%k". |
Posted By: richrf
Date Posted: 12/05/2017 at 9:58am
Lol. 😃 Very true. |