Nexy Kanaph Review by Tommy Zai

Nexy Kanaph Review by Tommy Zai

I’ve been slowly, but surely collecting Nexy blades, and I’m happy to share my initial impressions of my latest possession, my new “wing” — Kanaph.

Note:  What’s posted on MYTT stays on MYTT, right? My g/f would kill me if she new how many Nexy blades I have hidden behind the secret panel in our bedroom closet.

• Thickness:  5mm
• Head Size:  157 x 151
• Plies:  5W (H+C+Burnt Core+C+H)
• Speed:  88 (OFF- to OFF)
• Spin:  85
• Control:  80
• Feel:  85
• Hardness:  stiff
• Flex-ability:  low
• Test Gear:  Nexy 3* poly ball, DHS 3* celluloid ball, T05, H3 Neo, and a variety of pips.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

EMS delivery (5-days from Korea to USA) — nicely boxed and protected with foam. The color scheme is deep purple and black. Overall, the blade is consistent with other Nexy blades — high quality and nicely finished. To quote another reviewer, Kanaph looks “elegant.” A great deal of thought and care has been put into the construction. The handle has a round recessed logo the BH side with a copper or brass emblem stamped into the butt, which serves as a decorative end-cap. I am not sure if the handle is solid or semi hollow. The blade feels nice in the hand; however, I personally would prefer a couple more millimeters in length to bring the butt past the meat of my palm. The flared handle is not too thick or thin — very comfortable for most players. The bottom flare is standard, but not as pronounced as the Nexy Hannibal. It is slightly squared, but has comfortably rounded corners. If your grip is up high and tight you will need to lightly sand the blade wings for comfort, which is easy to do. The blade surface of Kanaph is creamy and void of rough grains — a typical trademark of high quality hinoki. One light coat of an oil-based sealant is all that I needed to protect it! It’s doubtful this blade will ever splinter with Tear Mender, table tennis glue, or glue sheets.

BOUNCE TEST

I dropped a new DHS 3-star ball (not poly) from 40mm onto the center of the naked blade, which was freely lying flat (handle handing off edge) on a solid wood table.

• 33 mm rebound, which is about the same as Nexy Oscar. This is a significant rebound for a thin blade. 

GLUED UP!

*The blade is well balanced with standard weight rubbers affixed to BH and FH. My normal set-up features an OX rubber on the BH side, and this blade felt just like my other favorite blades — no balance issue whatsoever.

SOUND

The blade produces a nice, crisp sound “crack” with all FH rubbers tested. The tone is surprising for a thin blade. Please listen to sound byte!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/knz9xzpgbwbjn6f/Nexy%20Kanaph.mp3?dl=0

IN PLAY

Kanaph is a high quality carbon blade, with hinoki outer plies and a thick burnt core of unknown origin. The blade strikes a nice balance between speed and control. Compared to other blades, there is a noticeable increase in performance when using the new poly ball. When driving hard, I could feel the enhanced sweet spot and the unique construction at work. “Kanaph is thin, but feels deep, which allows a player to feel the ball as it sinks deep.” I was able to identify two obvious gears, which suited my style of play. Gear one is for control — drop shots, pushes, flips, and other placement shots; gear two is for power — hammering loop drives and smashes. This is a great blade for offensive players, who are looking to maintain power and spin without sacrificing control during this new ball era. I use a combination of passive blocks and punch blocks, the later of which worked out better as gear #2 is engaged. Kanaph excels when the ball sinks deep and catapults. Yet, many players, who like to drop the ball short over-the-net might appreciate passive shots a la gear#1. I found the traction-based rubbers (not the tacky-based) with softer sponges to be a better match as much of the blade’s performance is brought to life by the ball sinking deep and engaging the blade. I would rate the speed of Kanaph well below Qabod, slightly below Inca, and falling between Hannibal and Oscar, but don’t quote me on this. I would need to do a more careful assessment . . . especially comparing Inca and Oscar.

Note:  As mentioned in previous reviews, my looping ability is not the best; however, I did have the opportunity to rally with Matt Pimple while he demoed his Kanaph. The ball really seemed to jump when he loop drove. I needed to make adjustments and close my bat angle to compensate for his topspin.

I highly recommend Kanaph to intermediate to advanced offensive players, who play close-to-the-table to mid-distance. Loopers, hitters, and tactical players will enjoy this blade, especially when using the new ball. Kanaph has a remarkable sweet spot with a nice feel and touch for short game. This is probably due to the combination of hinoki outer plies, burnt core, and overall thinness. It works well with inverted and short pips. I noticed excellent control for my LP placement shots. Kanaph is an good option for players who want the hinoki outer layer feel, but are unable/unwilling to deal with the other beasts on the market. Is this blade “THE ONE” for Tommy Zai? Hmm, probably not, as I don't loop and would like a little more weight and thickness for my punch blocking game. Still, this blade will suit players with a more conventional offensive attacking game and better strokes than I have. Overall, Tommy Zai gives this winged beast two high tosses. Thank you Nexy, for creating another lovely blade! 

For more information: 

http://www.nexy.com/shop/step1.php?number=1633&b_code=B20091201071556&c_code=C20091202014952

Note:  The product description for Kanaph is quite interesting.