Yinhe Big Dipper - Review

I jumped on this bandwagon too and agree with most of the positive things mentioned.  I am totally surprised by how much difference there was between my copies of the 38 and 39 degree.  39 is just right but  I can't even imagine the 40.

hookumsnivy wrote: eonblue wrote: I jumped on this bandwagon too and agree with most of the positive things mentioned.  I am totally surprised by how much difference there was between my copies of the 38 and 39 degree.  39 is just right but  I can't even imagine the 40. What would you say the biggest differences are between the 38 and 39?  I've only tried the 39 so far and will be trying the 40 next.  I like the 39, but it's definitely softer than I'm used to.

Please stop this discussion of different sponges... It's beginning to call out the EJ in me...

hookumsnivy wrote: NextLevel wrote: Please stop this discussion of different sponges... It's beginning to call out the EJ in me... Sounds like you're in for some trouble then.  The different sponges are quite relevant.  I personally won't go softer than 39, but that's because I'm used to h3neo and have left the softer stuff behind.  The question I have to answer is whether 39 or 40 will fit my game better.

As of yesterday, eaching have 38,39 and 40 available in black. Just ordered some fresh sheets (with Saturn Pro and 729 Battle).

cole_ely wrote: To me the 38 is pretty soft.  It's not that soft to the touch, but when you play with it the sponge gives pretty easily.  It's quite a bit softer than the top energy soft, for example, which really isn't that soft at all. So I went with 40.  I'm sure that will mean that everybody will decide they want the 39.

Yeah, +1. I like softer sponges, so 38 works really well for me. But it's soft for a semi-tacky Chinese rubber.

There are lots of solid quality, cheapo Chinese eurojap-style rubbers out there now. It's a great time to be alive.

The outside packaging list two hardness levels:  medium or hard. 

For Big Dipper - it has actual hardness printed on

For others (like Moon/Moon speed etc), it uses words (medium, hard)
Here is the grouping:

Hard+: 41+
Hard: 39~41
Medium: 36~38
Soft: 33~35
Soft- : 33-

So under Yinhe's measurement, 38,39,40 is Hard.
My communication with them (yinhe) stating 39 is not Hard, but more like Medium caught them with surprise.
I havne't used 38 BD yet, but I'm sure it may be closer to a Medium/Soft on Yinhe scale by the look of things

Interesting to hear now they didn't use 38, 39, 40 on the packaging - since from ordering we need to order it with the hardness for Big Dipper (whereby other rubbers is with grouping)

Here is a photo of what mines says


Edited by ZApenholder - 12/10/2014 at 1:10pm

I haven't read all the post in this thread, so appologies if it has been mentioned.

Has any body notice differences with the red and black rubber of the same hardness?

lineup32 wrote: tested 38 degree RED on a one ply cypress 9mm blade.   Overall a disappointment on this blade probably better on composite or different wood construction blades.

Of course... Never use Chinese rubber on one ply cypress/hinoki, it just won't fit and defeat the purpose of the hinoki.

lineup32 wrote: tested 38 degree RED on a one ply cypress 9mm blade.   Overall a disappointment on this blade probably better on composite or different wood construction blades.

I recommend Moon Speed Soft or Soft- for those one ply hinokis', it's more euro than any other Chinese rubbers I've ever tried!

I wouldn't consider BD is a copy of Jap/Eur rubber. It playes quite differently. It is more like a tuned Chinese rubber in terms of the feel once the tack has worn out or the rubberis broken in.

AndySmith wrote: As of yesterday, eaching have 38,39 and 40 available in black. Just ordered some fresh sheets (with Saturn Pro and 729 Battle).

lineup32 wrote: qualizon wrote: lineup32 wrote: tested 38 degree RED on a one ply cypress 9mm blade.   Overall a disappointment on this blade probably better on composite or different wood construction blades.   Of course... Never use Chinese rubber on one ply cypress/hinoki, it just won't fit and defeat the purpose of the hinoki.  did not know that Chinese rubbers and cypress one ply didn't mix, currently using Rasant on BH,FH and wanted a FH rubber with more spin with similar speed as the Rasant, next rubber up is MX-P.

NextLevel wrote: AndySmith wrote: As of yesterday, eaching have 38,39 and 40 available in black. Just ordered some fresh sheets (with Saturn Pro and 729 Battle). How many sheets have you gone through so far?

It's complicated. I've got 3 sheets of 38deg in use at the moment, all on Pure Woods. I can test 3 BH rubbers in one night then. I know, I know - madness really. I also had a 39deg sheet (another player really wanted that) and a 40deg sheet (in red, too hard for me, sold to yet another player).

My original 38deg sheet is still good. This is the one I posted a pic of earlier in the thread - it has a lot of visible wear. Still plays really well, but it has lost some immediate grip (noticeable when brushing). It's had a few months of fairly intensive use though. I put a new sheet on the 3rd blade last week and I could tell the difference between the two, but I would still use the worn sheet if I had to.

After last week's training session I tried a light coat of Life Expander on the topsheet of the worn sheet. It did bring some tack back, but there are now a few very fine cracks appearing close to the edge of the topsheet. It's too fragile (or too boosted in the factory) for much treatment or home boosting IMO.

I ordered the extra sheets in a mild panic about the reports of the sheets with the corners cut. Want to pick up a few of the original batch if I can, just in case things are changing. I still have the emotional scars from my time using Haifu rubbers...