Blade Sealing

Ranger-man, you're too kind. ;-) Thanks, my friend. Glad it worked out. No sealing service at this time, but . . . 

For a non-toxic, VOC-Free sealant:

Baal wrote: A simple approach is old fashioned hair spray.  Let it dry on the blade.  Then glue. Doesn't interfere with glue sticking the rubber to the blade which can happen with some sealed blades.

I think that can happen with oversealing or using those water based top coat sealers tommyzai mentioned. With oil based wipe on poly 1 layer absorbs really well into the bare wood and retains the original bare wood texture. I was afraid of splintering when taking off rubbers, hence started sealing.

tommyzai wrote: DreiZ wrote: I haven't noticed any changes to the blade feel, speed, or anything like that. Sealing might add a gram or two to the overall weight of the blade. Ditto!! If there is a difference, it's not noticeable . . . unless you put a zillion layers on the blade so it looks like a high-gloss coffee table. Do a search for a member called Hookshot. We did a lot of experimenting over the years.

I followed your recommendation when I started to seal my blades tommyzai

I previously used water-based Varathane, but later switched to an oil-based mini wax (both clear satin finish). The reason I switched was . . . the oil-based penetrates the top layer better to bind the fibers whereas the water-based only binds the very top fluffy layer and sits on top more . . . probably better for over-sealing or lacquering. HOWEVER, lately I've become more concern with health and keeping my racket legal. As a result, I have switched to:  Safecoat PolyureSeal BP by AFM. It's non-toxic. Regardless of what you use, use sparingly . . . put sealant on a clean cotton clothe that does not fray or have fibers falling off it . . . then evenly rub into top ply, careful not to allow spillage over the edge (wipe the edge after coat). I usually let it dry and go over it once more, but that depends on the type of wood, e.g., Hinoki usually doesn't need additional coats. I hope this helps. All the best and happy sealing. Tzai.

AlexVan wrote: Hi Folks, Do I need to re-apply the sealer if the blade had been sealed?  If yes, How do often do I need to do that? thanks!

This depends on many factors.   What type of sealer was used, how much was used (how thick it was or was not applied), and what type of wood is on the surface of the blade. 

Some sealers last a long time....some are very thin and may require resealing from time to time.  It will depend on how often you change your rubbers or re-glue them. 

You will definitely know when it it time to reseal your blade when you find tiny (hopefully) wood splinters in the glue on the rubber when you take the rubber off the blade.  But, it it could be too late if you see large splinters coming up. 

Hi Folks,

Edited by AlexVan - 03/30/2017 at 7:20pm

Thanks ! The original sanding tool i had used was real cheapo and wasn't meant for removing paint / lacquer. i had bought something just like what you mentioned from lowes and it worked. i no longer see the trace of sealant on the surface and i can feel the wood now. 

Edited by right2niru - 12/10/2012 at 5:55pm

right2niru wrote:  the WB glue doesn't stick to the rubber very well sometimes only on this side.

tommyzai wrote: right2niru wrote: tommyzai wrote: Blade sealing! LOLRemoval is easy, but I'm not telling. Anybody else who really knows and cares to share the same ? Are you seriously upset with me? I'm joking. :-0. Why do you want to remove the sealant? Is there too much? What kind of sealant is on there?

right2niru wrote: tommyzai wrote: Blade sealing! LOLRemoval is easy, but I'm not telling. Anybody else who really knows and cares to share the same ?

Are you seriously upset with me? I'm joking. :-0.
Why do you want to remove the sealant? Is there too much?
What kind of sealant is on there?

icontek wrote: To clarify: I can come up with at least THREE REASONS that most manufacturers don't seal. 1 increased cost in materials and complexity/cost of manufacturing process    2 if you damage your blade and have to replace it, this can help the manufacturer sell more blades (it's likely why so few blade manufacturers integrate edge protection into their design). 3 for years the player has been responsible for final finishing-Stiga is a great example- we complain that these blades often look shoddy, but Stiga understands that some of their players will want a light seal and others will want a heavy lacquer. A bare blade is the best way to allow players to customize and the Classic Series allows for that.

I may perhaps be the first person in this thread asking on how to remove a sealing from the surface of the blade ? I bought a used blade and only 1 side of it was sealed and it feels really really smooth but i dont like that and also feel that in some way not sealing both side of the blade is affecting the overall feel; could the experts chip in on how to remove a sealing from the surface without damaging the holy grains of wood ? I tried sanding but not sure if it works.

yes, I very much like the way you sanded the wings, and notwithstanding the sealing, the blade still smells like hinoki. The only thing I'll do is to clean the lens, because there is some dry sealant on it. I usually put some tape on the lens before sealing the handle of a blade, so that it stays clean.

Edited by arg0 - 04/20/2012 at 6:18pm