Should I Varnish My Table Tennis Blade? (Helpful Guide)
When you are thinking about buying a new table tennis blade or just received your new from the mail, it is common that you will think whether you should varnish the blade or not.
In this article, I will teach you everything you need to know about table tennis blades and varnishing. I will also go through some additional things about ping pong blades that are really important to know. But first, should you varnish your table tennis blade?
Varnishing the table tennis blade is highly recommended if you own a quality blade that you don’t want to change along with your grip. Also, if you change your grip regularly, then sealing the blade with varnish is something you should do.
Lacquering a table tennis blade is extremely important and recommended for most players because removing the rubber and gluing a new one back every couple of months will take a toll on your blade if it hasn’t been varnished.
Some people claim that varnishing the blade will harden the outer layers of the blade; however, if you do it the right way and don’t apply too much lacquer, then everything will be more than fine. One light layer of varnish will do the trick, maybe two at maximum if the first try didn’t add much of it.
If you do add too much varnish and the glue won’t stick to the blade when you are changing the grip, then there is something you can try. You can use light 500-1000 grit sandpaper to LIGHTLY sand the surface of the varnish by being careful that you don’t sand the blade much itself. This will roughen the surface, and the glue is more likely to create a bond between the blade and rubber. Now, let’s take a look at why you should varnish your blade in the first place.
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Why should I varnish my table tennis blade
There are many reasons why you should varnish a table tennis blade. For example, your rubber will be easier to remove, and the removal process won’t harm the blade because the glue won’t get stuck on it, thanks to the varnish. This is extremely important if you own a quality blade that you don’t want to see damaged.
Also, many table tennis players say that if the blade is varnished, it can generate faster strikes; however, I personally haven’t noticed that.
Adding lacquer to the table tennis racket will also prevent water from soaking and absorbing into the blade if exposed to moisture.
How do you varnish a table tennis blade
Let’s see the proper steps on how to seal your table tennis racket properly. Let us begin!
- Ready your ping pong blade and varnish
- Make sure that your blade is clean and free from dust or other dirt
- Start adding the varnish only by going from the handle to the top. This is because going along with the blade line will give the best outcome.
- Examine the blade after one layer. That should be enough. However, if it wasn’t, add one small layer more.
- Let the varnish dry for 24 hours.
As we can see, varnishing a blade isn’t really rocket science, but you need to take care when adding it so only one thin layer will be enough.
How often should you seal the blade
As a rule of thumb, you should seal the blade immediately before adding the new rubber to it and, after that, every couple of years. However, if the varnish gets removed with the rubber change, then, by all means, add one layer of varnish again. It’s important to sand the layer if it gets too thick.
What is blade sealing
Blade sealing is a procedure when the racket’s blade is coated with a thin layer of lacquer. This protects the blade from tearing when the racket’s rubber is changed because the old glue won’t get stuck on the blade.
It is important only to add a small layer of varnish so that the glue will hold when new rubber is added. If the glue doesn’t seem to hold the blade and rubber together, I like to roughen the varnished blade slightly by honing the surface with sandpaper.
How long does a table tennis blade last
In short, a table tennis blade should last for years. The blade will last a long time if kept in a dry and cool place, carried in a racket cover, covered with varnish, and maintained properly.
However, the rubber of a table tennis racket will last somewhere between 50-100 active playing hours. The numbers can vary because of many reasons that I have explained fully in this post. I highly encourage you to take a look!
My Favorite Table Tennis Equipment
Thanks for reading this article. I hope it brought you great value that you can implement into your own life! Here you can find my preferred table tennis equipment that I believe you could benefit too!
- Racket: My favorite racket choice is the beautiful Killerspin Jet800 because it fits my offensive and speed-focused playstyle. The two carbon layers, 2.1mm sponge, and 190g weight makes this racket powerful.
- Ping Pong Balls: New technology and design have made the JOOLA Flash Seamless 3-Star Balls stand out from the other balls. These balls are seamless, meaning they are more durable than any ball with a seam! Even when these balls come at a higher price, they will pay themselves quickly. As a bonus, the design makes me excited!
- Table Tennis shoes: The famous Butterfly Lezoline Rifones is my choice as it is for many others because they are designed specifically for table tennis standards. I like the excellent support, comfortable cushioning, and lightweight sole with great traction, which gets you exploding fast to whatever direction you need to.
- Fan Equipment: If you’re a fan more than a player, you don’t want to miss Fan Equipment by Fanatics. You can find items from various sports that bear your favorite team’s logo, such as jerseys, gift ideas, or other surprising things.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is clear that adding varnish and sealing the blade is extremely important, and there really isn’t a reason why you shouldn’t do so. If you skip his step, it compromises the blade’s surface, and in the worst case, it could tear and make it unusable when you change your rubber.
