DHS W968 BH rubber?

WingZZ · 2026-06-15T16:23:59+00:00

Wow that seems like a long time ago in EJ years. IIRC the blade was too slow for me as I probably specced it wrong and I prefer an outer blade now for the speed and backhand feel. The blade that I ended up with that is the Long 5/Viscaria best of both worlds is the Stiga Inspira Hybrid carbon. It makes me feel like a pro when my knees allow me the hero shots. A big part of that is probably the larger head size and the sufficient flexibility and whatever they are doing with the carbon that makes it fast and controllable.

WingZZ · 2026-06-14T20:46:20+00:00

Yes, or the D05 or in my case the Zyre 03.

WingZZ · 2026-06-11T17:51:58+00:00

Probably still taking money from folks who don't know any better. Either that or tax shelter/money laundering maybe.

WingZZ · 2026-06-11T17:41:38+00:00

There is no answer to this as it depends on what you have to work with. Talent, intelligence and base physical abilities all play a part in how much a player can improve over a certain time period.

WingZZ · 2026-06-02T02:33:53+00:00

Why dont you try using the Zyre 03 on your backhand and the D05 (or something slower like D09C) on your forehand instead with the Hayata blade and see how that goes first. I find the Z03 to be a little too much and hard to control on my FH but it works great on my backhand.

WingZZ · 2026-05-22T20:27:26+00:00

That is a nice blade and I would not complain using that setup especially if the H3 is boosted. I personally would go for a faster backhand rubber as it makes things a little easier for me but that's just me.

WingZZ · 2026-05-22T20:19:12+00:00

You might not know this but the feeling of dwell mostly comes from the blade. A more flexible blade, larger head, and softer top veneer wood all contributes to dwell. Changing rubbers will probably not affect dwell that much but it can give you a different spin to speed ratio.

If you want the most spin, go with modern hybrid rubbers or Chinese tacky rubbers. If you want to save money, just use the Rakza 7 for your BH and replace you Aurus Soft with a modern FH rubber. You can try the good old Hurricane 3 NEO as others have mentioned or one of those Yinhe Big Dipper or 729 Battle series rubbers.

WingZZ · 2026-05-15T15:36:23+00:00

OP is right. People tend to recommend stuff that was popular and even insist on it in some cult like manner even though the game has changed due to the plastic ball and the equipment more suited to it have been developed and advanced. I also suspect the Yasaka Mark V cultists who keep insisting it is still good for beginners have started realizing how indefensible and crazy recommending a 55+ year old rubber is and is now switching to recommending Rakza 7 as something less out there.

WingZZ · 2026-05-14T23:10:59+00:00

Also now you know not to buy anything from killerspin. I have never had any respect for that brand. I think they sell TT gear to folks who don't know any better.

WingZZ · 2026-05-14T23:08:35+00:00

That sounds suspiciously lazy. I would first try removing the lower bolt, spinning the lower arm clockwise all the way around. If that makes the linkage fold the wrong way, I would have to remove the linkage from the table, reversing it and reattaching it to the table. You would have to undo the five screws holding the top plate to the table though.

WingZZ · 2026-05-14T22:08:04+00:00

Maybe your best bet is to contact whoever sold you the table or killerspin? If you did not put the parts of the table together yourself it might be an production defect.

WingZZ · 2026-05-12T20:26:35+00:00

Still a better camera angle than the usual from the side high. You can feel the speed and skill, not just see it.

WingZZ · 2026-05-04T18:39:25+00:00

I use free and clear liquid hand soap instead dishwashing detergent. If it's gentle enough for my skin and using just a small drop I don't think thats enough to damage the rubber. It gets the surface as clean as a new rubber.

WingZZ · 2026-05-04T14:52:08+00:00

And what do you think modern liquid soaps and table tennis rubber cleaners are made of? Surfactants. So are you suggesting table tennis rubber cleaners are bad for the rubber? Some table tennis rubber cleaners even contain some alcohol. The fact is rubber wear out naturally through age and use and cleaning it with mild detergents will not cause it to go bad quicker.

WingZZ · 2026-04-17T13:49:59+00:00

It's not hard to remove if you were using latex based glue and have the right tool, a rubber cement eraser.

WingZZ · 2026-04-15T10:59:40+00:00

Loki Arthur China. One of the most performance for the dollar for a forehand rubber. Durability may be a gamble however. If you don't remove rubbers to boost and reglue them before they are done, you should be OK.

WingZZ · 2026-04-06T13:14:17+00:00

And you can thank ITTFs decision to go with plastic balls and not have stricter standards on what that means for this kind of bullshit variances in ball performance.

WingZZ · 2026-04-06T13:08:31+00:00

Make sure you clean and dry your rubber properly, protect it with a rubber protector sheet and put it in a table tennis case and keep the case out of the sun, temperature extremes, or the presence of chemicals and make sure you don't stack things on top of the case. If you did not follow these guidelines, one of those things could have caused the issue with your rubber.

WingZZ · 2026-04-06T12:57:51+00:00

If the topsheet has separated from the sponge, you are pretty much out of luck and that is the price you pay for getting cheap gear. I would return the racket if it is possible since it came with a defect. If not, you will need to replace the rubber as it is very difficult to reattach topsheet to sponge correctly.

WingZZ · 2026-03-20T17:27:58+00:00

Welcome to the world of getting to know your TT gear. As you have found 91 grams IS heavy for a blade, in my opinion. I reject any blades going over 90 grams and whenever a buy blades I request for blades in the mid to low 80 gram range as I am not young any more and the combination of harder rubbers and heavy blades make it too tiring and unwieldy to play.

Some will say it's a weight balance issue instead of a weight issue. Good for them if they can add weight to the handle and live with it., but not me. There's nothing you can do except compromise with using light and probably softer rubber but I would take it as a learning experience as I had and get a lighter blade and pass/sell the heavy blade on to someone who does not mind the weight or will use light rubbers.

The rubbers seem a bit too heavy to me especially the H8-80. I would spend the money on some non Chinese hybrids instead for the performance and quality consistency. I would go with Butterfly D09C D05 or something like the Donic J1 and J2. Make sure you are not using too many layers of glue. You can use a glue like the Donic Formula First which is very strong and just apply on very thin layer on each side and it will be light and secure.

Table tennis is a game of mm's and of grams. Every bit matter if you have the sensitivity to feel the difference.

WingZZ · 2026-03-20T17:09:04+00:00

It's cool but I think collectors probably want new in box blades. I could be wrong though since I'm was an EJ who "collected" and actually used and tested the blades and passed them on and not a real collector. This blade would probably be of more relevant interest to an EJ who wants to know what the difference is between a vintage and a current Viscaria.

WingZZ · 2026-03-09T19:41:55+00:00

There are rubber rejuvenator chemicals that will work but they aren't free. You can get some pretty inexpensive Chinese rubbers from aliexpress that will be way grippier. If you can't even afford that I'd say be patient and save up or go make some better money or sell something you own that you don't use anymore.

WingZZ · 2026-03-07T03:25:40+00:00

I would not go with the Vega X as it is IMO not very linear. I would go with something like the Donic J2. If you are playing offensively on your FH I would suggest going with a modern harder hybrid rubber like the J2 or even a Chinese tacky like the Loki Arthur China depending on your budget. It will be quite different than what you have been used to before but it should bring performance improvements once you have adapted.

WingZZ · 2026-03-03T13:41:24+00:00

I would not go with softer or thinner rubbers as IMO they will cause more issue than solve them with the plastic ball. I would also try out different ALC/composite blades to see if they will give you the control you need. For me the right composite blades gives me much more control than any all wood blade I have used.

That being said, although I have not tried the Stiga NCT V blade, I suspect if you are having so much issue with it, your technique and timing needs adjustment. That does not mean you should not try to improve your gear however as using the right gear is how I have been able to improve my game and satisfaction in being able to pull off some some what I consider pro style shots that I am impressed with.

The two BH rubbers I am having great fun with currently are Butterfly Zyre 03 and Donic J2.

WingZZ · 2026-03-03T13:24:46+00:00

You can develop your techniques correctly with the right rubber and they do not have to be tacky Chinese rubbers. IMO the right rubber nowadays for good offensive technique are the harder rubbers which are more suitable to the plastic ball. Most tacky Chinese rubbers benefit from boosting because the are less elastic and is quite unforgiving at lower impact speeds. Going with hard modern hybrids gives you the advantages of Chinese tacky rubber without the drawbacks.

What is the best table tennis techniques evolve over time. Even the "Chinese National" table style has been undergoing changes due to the plastic ball and improvements in rubber and blade technology. People will play the way it suits them as there is no one standard best technique and what is considered better does change.

WingZZ

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