A tip to make the most of your rubber's surface

So a lot of rubbers have a logo that is large and eats up the usable surface area above it. Even if it isn't that large there's often still empty space below. Butterfly rubbers do a pretty good job of minimizing this but most other companies seem to have excess space.

What I usually do is identify the lowest marking on the rubber surface. This is usually the rubber name or the ITTF ID number. I then get a ruler/straight edge and align it with the lowest marking. With either a scalpel or an exacto knife I then cut off the excess rubber below the lowest marking cutting with the topsheet face up, lowering the logo and increasing the usable rubber surface above.

Let me show you what I mean with a sheet of Omega V Asia:

This is the bottom of the sheet prior to cutting. Notice the empty space below where it says Asia/ below the alignment arrows.

This is the rubber after cutting. Notice the markings have been lowered and will now be flush with the handle. There is now a little more usable space above.

VERY IMPORTANT! If you are using an oversized blade, check to make sure that you will have enough usable rubber left over to remove the bottom strip. If you don't have enough usable rubber left over you will have exposed wood at the top. You will then have to create a gap between the handle and the rubber to cover the wood at the top. This defeats the purpose of cutting the bottom in the first place. I use a Joo Saehyuk blade and when I cut my Omega V rubbers like this it leaves me with exactly enough usable rubber. If my blade was even half a millimeter longer I wouldn't be able to cut off as much as I do.

I realize this doesn't make a big difference in play but even if it helps you win 1 out of a 1000 points it is worth doing. As long as you have enough usable rubber it can't hurt and can only help, even if slightly.


Edited by GeneralSpecific - 06/24/2017 at 8:04pm

SmackDAT wrote: Or switch to a different rubber with different lower markings :p

Haha, I would have to consider that poor advice!

smackman wrote: Maybe the ball hitting the logo was the winning shot

fatt wrote: it might become a little less head heavy having brought the admittedly heavier logo part closer to the handle

I mean technically it is less head heavy. I couldn't say how many nanograms but hey it's technically something.

Tinykin wrote: Or you can simply fit the rubber around the handle. This adds rubber real estate to the blade for those near handle hits

Ha cheeky
But that does come at the expense of slightly added weight!

GeneralSpecific wrote: So a lot of rubbers have a logo that is large and eats up the usable surface area above it. Even if it isn't that large there's often still empty space below. Butterfly rubbers do a pretty good job of minimizing this but most other companies seem to have excess space. What I usually do is identify the lowest marking on the rubber surface. This is usually the rubber name or the ITTF ID number. I then get a ruler/straight edge and align it with the lowest marking. With either a scalpel or an exacto knife I then cut off the excess rubber below the lowest marking cutting with the topsheet face up, lowering the logo and increasing the usable rubber surface above. Let me show you what I mean with a sheet of Omega V Asia: This is the bottom of the sheet prior to cutting. Notice the empty space below where it says Asia/ below the alignment arrows. This is the rubber after cutting. Notice the markings have been lowered and will now be flush with the handle. There is now a little more usable space above. VERY IMPORTANT! If you are using an oversized blade, check to make sure that you will have enough usable rubber left over to remove the bottom strip. If you don't have enough usable rubber left over you will have exposed wood at the top. You will then have to create a gap between the handle and the rubber to cover the wood at the top. This defeats the purpose of cutting the bottom in the first place. I use a Joo Saehyuk blade and when I cut my Omega V rubbers like this it leaves me with exactly enough usable rubber. If my blade was even half a millimeter longer I wouldn't be able to cut off as much as I do. I realize this doesn't make a big difference in play but even if it helps you win 1 out of a 1000 points it is worth doing. As long as you have enough usable rubber it can't hurt and can only help, even if slightly.

Hitting the ball with the wrist might help you win points too.  May be we should practice that as well?

I have never hit the ball with the logo. And for as many mishits as i do it must be more like 1 in a trillion.

I do remember reading a tip that w ling pips you could tru and serve w the flat logo area and get more spin, but even trying that on purpose was neigh unto impossible.

I have ni problem w people doing it for cosmetic reasons though.