OOAK Table Tennis Forum

OK, first impressions against the robot-

* This rubber is fast. I used to wonder if Solja A. is using a really fast blade or if she was just terrible at drop shots. Now it's clear- Razor is a fast rubber and quality drop shots require much more skill than I currently have (also more than Solja currently has).

* Compared to the l/p's I've used so far, this is the most difficult rubber to block with. My initial blocks against medium to fast loops went off the table or into the net. Once I managed to steady them a bit (thanks robot), they had little underspin unless I chop blocked, then it was good. I can block fast loops around the table much better with my inverted.

* Razor is absolutely wonderful to punch block with. Once you're safely above the net, there is HEAPS of directional control and it's easy to aim at a small target. This is a killer rubber for aggresive play against higher balls. To me this is the outstanding feature of Razor.

* The amount of underspin produced against topspin is partially determined by the speed with which you contact the ball (as Julian said). This will certainly be confusing for opponents- especially if you are hitting off the bounce giving them little time to read the ball. Now I can see why Solja A's opponents were having such a hard time reading the spin. (ie how hard was the contact during that side swipe compared to the punch or chop block she did to my last ball?) Very nice.

* Chopping nicely away from the table was more difficult than with the Virus, which is such an easy rubber to chop with. The speeds aren't all that different but Virus II gives consistant low flight paths, while Razor requires more skill to produce this. (Keep in mind I'm only a novice away-from-the-table chopper. Those with more skill here may well like Razor.)

Summary- stunning l/pip for aggresive above the table play. I've not tried the Monster, but I can't imagine it being any better than this. Even lobs are easy to be really aggressive with (for a l/p).
Razor is not so hot for the defensive minded however.

This is not the l/p I was personally looking for, but if I can find a way to tame it's speed I may be able to use it for my semi-defensive/all-round style. Because I'm using a Seemiller grip I don't need to be able to attack with my l/p's, unless it's just for sheer confusion.

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Thanks a lot for the review Shoebox9!

It sounds very much like a friction LP...

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I feel that Razor is hard to chop too. Hard to keep it low and produce underspin at the same time.
i don't like how it plays coz sometime balls catch the side and not react the way I want.....It's too unpredictable!!!

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LOL

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BTW Shoebox9, how soft are the the pimples?

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Hmm, not as soft as the Virus, softer than Inferno Sorry, I'll have to compare them to my sheet of 995.

Razor is different to Chinese l/p's in that the rubber is much smoother, but with tons of tiny "sharp" bits everywhere that provide the directional control. This is what makes it feel rough when running a finger over the tips, despite it being a treated rubber.

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Thats a good review!
I think LPs, much more so than any other rubber, need time, a lot of time and exclusive practice. Swapping around too much just doesn't give you enough practice to learn each pip. They are so unique that shots that work on one rubber will send the ball high or into the net on another.
Having had a week of good practice today I couldn't get a single stroke right. I came away swearing to replace the pips with inverted!
Having said that, razor is a hell of a pip precisely because of its variation, but you really need to handle it. The chop block is the safest bet against topspin, followed by the hard block with the face closed. The brush style block needs to be played right off the bounce. Away from the table chop, you really need to make the side of the pips bite, otherwise you send back a no sping ball. I'm going to stick with it for a while

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Yasaka Dynamix 17
Tibhar Q 50
Butterfly Raystorm

^ Good post.

This is a rubber for the dedicated player who wants a sophisticated attacking l/p game that will confuse high level players.
Also, perhaps an away-from-the-table chopper could turn the side grip/no grip characteristic into a very deceiving game? Maybe not though, as BH said he found this too hard.

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I agree with that except for the chop-block bit. This is a hard stroke to do against fast loops where the timing because very critical.

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Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

There is YES way it IS too unpredictable, at least for me!

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USE CODE "HAPPY15" FOR 15% discount at NexyUSA.com. Exp Nov 30th.
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EASY P - http://nexyusa.com/collections/rubber/products/easy-p
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6tyNTO7 ... ure=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0zkq9Ja3E8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dARovqP9tT0#t=64

They hardest thing is that when you are away from table chopping then suddenly your opp just roll it or drop it short(no spin ball), you got no chice but to float it !!!! and your know anything a bit too high will be killed.

_________________
http://www.NexyUSA.com
USE CODE "HAPPY15" FOR 15% discount at NexyUSA.com. Exp Nov 30th.
NexyUSA.com now carries Sauer & Tröger brand products
EASY P - http://nexyusa.com/collections/rubber/products/easy-p
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6tyNTO7 ... ure=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0zkq9Ja3E8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dARovqP9tT0#t=64

watching the two short clips with AS on youtube she seems to have her bat always upright or about 10 deg closed. I have to close mine WAY more than that against a hard loop!

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Yasaka Dynamix 17
Tibhar Q 50
Butterfly Raystorm

I'll keep using Razor for a bit longer, but I'm probably not ready to use an attacking pip like this.

The idea of mixing my b/h attacks between inverted and l/p's is romantically appealing- it's got that way cool factor, but at the moment I need to be able to defend more effectively on the b/h than Razor is allowing me, and I don't want to slow the development of my inverted b/h attacking (which is improving greatly). So it's back to Inferno, or maybe I could stick with Razor if I bought a combination blade like the Hallmark Aurora???

If I was playing shakehand I'd probably be more excited about Razor than any previous l/p, due to it's attacking potential.

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If you have inferno I'd use that. Seems a bit mad to buy a fast attacking pip and then a slower blade to accomodate it. I was thinking just that and tried it out but realised it was a daft move.

I had a good training session last night from a guy who is our national 'non-able bodied' champion. He uses Fakir - hates Neubauer. Due to his physical limitations he can't move much so he is forced to play an aggressive LP game combined with a killer forehand. Learned alot - but basically 'don't give up the table'! and how to do that with the LP

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Yasaka Dynamix 17
Tibhar Q 50
Butterfly Raystorm

With Razor, the harder you hit, the more the pips grip and the more control you have. But this also works against you when blocking- the faster the loop, the more the ball will grip and shoot high/long. (I'm sure there is a technique to ajust for this, but seeing I don't really need Razor's attacking properties...)

Inferno does do the same thing, but to a much lesser extent, so it's easier to block with. Virus II is still my favourite l/p, but without a combination blade it's too fast for my current close-to-the-table game. I wish there was a soft frictionless pip like the Virus that was slow. I really want to be able to switch from inverted mid rally and either do a drop shot, or a "lift" that looks like a rally stroke.

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