destodave's Blade Ratings/Reviews

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Here are destodave's ratings and reviews. These ratings are useful because destodave has his/her own standard and will rate and review the ping pong equipment accordingly, giving you accurate and useful ratings and reviews to aid you in your next online purchase.

BBC (3)

BBC Flash Drive 3.0

Speed	8.7
Control	8.0
Stiffness	3.0

Hardness	6.7
Consistency	10.0
Overall	9.0

Review of BBC Flash Drive 3.0

I contacted Charlie recently to ask about one of his blades. I told him I like playing with Off- blades that have a little bit of flex with good control/power. Well he went to work and put together a 7-ply blade that has 2 thin carbon layers, with an Avi-wood core, and 2 dyed red "Rock" Koto layers. The blade weighed in at about 85 grams so it was just right. He sent me 2 FLASH DRIVE blades, 1 with a flared handle with scoops, and 1 with a straight handle with scoops. The flared blade had an A1 (Classic) head size, and the straight handled blade had a slightly larger "P" head for the plastic ball. I prefer this head size as it has a little more flex, but both are very good. I used to play with a Donic Burn Aratox RS carbon blade but went to a Stiga Clipper WRB for additional power with the plastic balls. I played fine with the Stiga blade but I just didn't have the control I wanted as I kept blocking balls off the table. The Clipper also doesn't have much feeling with the ball and so I was ready to try something else. I contacted Charlie and he quickly put together the FLASH DRIVE blade and sent it to me to try it out. The straight handle with the scoop fit my hand perfectly and although this blade had plenty of power, I had much better control and feel than I did with the Clipper. As a result the first time I played with it I was able to beat a strong 2100 - 2200 looper I had been losing to with the Clipper. This blade just has the right blend of speed, power, and control that I had been looking for, and the great handle was an added bonus. Thanks Charlie.

Dec 23, 2015

BBC Excalibur

Speed	8.0
Control	8.5
Stiffness	5.0

Hardness	5.2
Consistency	10.0
Overall	9.0

Review of BBC Excalibur

This is an outstanding 11-ply Carbon/Wood blade made by Charlie Smith (BladesByCharlie.com). The blade feels very solid, with a little bit of resonance (flex) to offer superb control with plenty of power. Charlie can vary the thickness of the Balsa to increase/decrease the speed/control of the blade. The normal thickness is 5.9 mm which is perfect for loopers, but I wanted it just a tad faster so Charlie made a 6.0 mm Balsa core which added the speed I desired. You can also request your handle in one of many different styles. He makes a special Pistol grip (ergonomic handle) which many people at the club really like, but my 2 favorite are the Flared with scoop, and the fat straight with a scoop. If you don't like a scoop you can ask for a large slope which is also great. I would rate this blade from All+ to Off- depending on the Balsa thickness. This is definitely a great blade and Charlie was great to work with.

Dec 29, 2015

BBC NINE

Speed	8.5
Control	9.0
Stiffness	5.0

Hardness	5.2
Consistency	10.0
Overall	9.5

Review of BBC NINE

Ok...let me start off with this disclaimer...I helped test and name this blade that Charlie made. I sell some of his blades at the club I run, and I've been so impressed with his craftsmanship that I started selling his blades to fellow players at the club. I helped name Excalibur and LoopMaster 3.0, and I've sold several of those blades as well as some of his Flashdrive 3.0 blades. They are all excellent blades and you can't go wrong with any of them. I was playing with the Flashdrive blade and played so well with it that it was hard to let go of, but when the NINE came along I finally parted ways with the Flashdrive. Funny thing about that...there was a State tournament that I was getting ready for and just the night before I played matches with both the NINE and the Flashdrive. I played well with both, but the NINE had the speed that the Flashdrive did along with excellent control. In the end I knew this was just a better blade. As Charlie has stated, this is the best blade he's ever made and I have to agree, although the other blades are all excellent too. This blade has a good high throw angle, plenty of speed, and still good control. It's easy to see why players like Hinoki wood because it's pretty fast but still soft enough for good control. I would say the blade is medium hard. I only gave it a 9.5 because I just don't like to give out a 10, but this blade is close. I called it NINE because NINE really is a magic number as I indicated in the description of the blade. If you like Offensive blades that have a great deal of control and medium hardness then you will love this blade. BTW...you should ask about Charlie's new Anatomic handle. It's really great!

Feb 07, 2017

Butterfly (1)

Butterfly Millerga

Speed	7.8
Control	8.0
Stiffness	3.0

Hardness	5.2
Consistency	10.0
Overall	8.0

Review of Butterfly Millerga

destodave - One of the players at my club bought this at the US Open this yr but decided it was a little too slow. She gave it to me for my son to try and he liked it. The handle is slightly smaller than many of the European blades like Donic and Stiga, but it has a good feel. I agree with her, it's not a fast blade, probably more like an All+, but it doesn't feel too heavy, it has good control, and enough speed if you have a fast rubber on it. The one thing that I'm not crazy about is the head is slightly shorter than my stiga/donic blades. Overall though I'm happy with the blade and think this will be good for players that are developing and looking for a good quality, medium blade to improve their game with.

Oct 06, 2010

Donic (1)

Donic Burn Aratox RS

Speed	8.6
Control	8.5
Stiffness	5.0

Hardness	5.2
Consistency	10.0
Overall	8.6

Review of Donic Burn Aratox RS

I have mixed emotions about this blade. At 85g it has a good weight, and the handle is very comfortable. It has good control and the speed is not bad. The first tournament I played with this blade I ended up winning Class A singles (U2300). It's also the first carbon blade I've found that plays well with short pips. All of those things said I feel like it lacks a little bit in the power dept. It does have a certain amount of vibration that I usually like to have, but it just feels like it could be a little more powerful. That being said, it's a very good blade overall. Do make sure you put edge tape on it because it can get damaged easier than some blades if you hit the edge against the table.

Oct 16, 2013

Giant Dragon (1)

Giant Dragon BS7100

Speed	7.5
Control	8.0
Stiffness	3.0

Hardness	5.2
Consistency	10.0
Overall	8.0

Review of Giant Dragon BS7100

Just bought this blade to give it a try and was pleasantly surprised. It's not an Off+ blade like the company rates, it's more of an All+ - Off- blade. I think the inner core has some balsa so it doesn't have a hard feel to it, but it has plenty of speed. I would say this blade is good for players up to 1500 - 1600 that have a controlled offensive/allround game. The weight is more like 87g though rather than 75, but it didn't feel too heavy. Overall it's a good blade to start out with.

Oct 06, 2010

JOOLA (8)

JOOLA Wing Fast

Speed	8.5
Control	8.0
Stiffness	7.0

Hardness	6.7
Consistency	10.0
Overall	9.0

Review of JOOLA Wing Fast

Played with this blade first time couple nights ago with Acuda S3 on BH and Diamant 1.8 on FH. Blade was a little faster than my Donic Burn Off- blade, but I still felt like I had pretty good control. My S3 was 2.0 and I had plenty of power, max rubber would probably feel a little fast. The blade felt very solid with very little vibration, but the power was impressive. Hitting with my MP on the FH felt really great with this blade. This is a very good quality blade that has a lot of power and pretty good control. If you're looking for this type of blade then you will like this blade very much. Start out with 2.0 rubbers though as max might be a little hard to control.

Mar 07, 2012

JOOLA Wing Passion Medium

Speed	7.8
Control	8.5
Stiffness	5.0

Hardness	5.2
Consistency	10.0
Overall	9.0

Review of JOOLA Wing Passion Medium

Very good allround+ blade. Speed is definitely faster than a 6 the previous reviewer gave it. would give this about a 7.8 speed rating. Very nice blade with good control. Would use faster rubbers with this blade to give it some more punch.

Mar 08, 2012

JOOLA Flame Medium

Speed	7.8
Control	8.8
Stiffness	5.0

Hardness	3.7
Consistency	10.0
Overall	8.5

Review of JOOLA Flame Medium

Played with this last night with Joola Express 2 (2.0mm) and Joola Samba+ (2.0mm). This blade has adequate speed as long as you have fairly fast rubbers like Express. Would not recommend soft, slower rubbers as this would probably play a little too slow. The quality of this blade is superb, and the handle feels great. It's also a light blade so all in all it's a great blade, but it's not for advanced players that like to play with a lot of power/speed. If you're game is controlled looping/blocking then this would be a great blade for you.

Mar 12, 2012

JOOLA Flame Fast

Speed	8.8
Control	8.5
Stiffness	5.0

Hardness	5.2
Consistency	10.0
Overall	9.5

Review of JOOLA Flame Fast

Just played with this blade last night. Had Acuda S3 2.0 on BH and Baracuda Big Slam 2.0 on FH. This blade is definitely not as fast as the Joola Wing Fast blade. It's an Off blade, but is not too fast and it has pretty good control. I also rated the blade as medium hardness as it doesn't feel too stiff. The quality of this blade is excellent and is a great offensive blade. I highly recommend this blade.

Mar 15, 2012

JOOLA TPE Feeling

Speed	8.7
Control	8.5
Stiffness	3.0

Hardness	6.7
Consistency	10.0
Overall	9.0

Review of JOOLA TPE Feeling

Excellent blade overall. Didn't like the handle at first as I'm used to more rounded handle, but now am used to it and like it vet much. It's fast but had good control. I've played very well with this blade and the quality is excellent. Nice job Joola.

Apr 18, 2015

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JOOLA Freeze

Speed	9.0
Control	8.0
Stiffness	5.0

Hardness	5.2
Consistency	10.0
Overall	10.0

Review of JOOLA Freeze

The Freeze is a new blade from Joola that uses Italian-made handles, and is manufactured in Korea using the highest quality standards. It has 2 thin layers of ALC (weave of stiff and elastic composite materials), that gives it power without sacrificing control. I don't usually like blades that are this fast, but the control and feel of this blade is so good I absolutely love it. The flared handle is very comfortable, and the weight is spot on at 85g. It has been compared to the Butterfly Viscaria blade, but after playing with this I prefer it over the Viscaria as it has more power and just as good a control. You won't be disappointed if you buy this blade.

Jul 01, 2020

JOOLA Trinity

Speed	9.4
Control	7.5
Stiffness	7.0

Hardness	8.2
Consistency	10.0
Overall	9.5

Review of JOOLA Trinity

This is another professional-grade blade from Joola with Italian-made handles and Korean manufacturing. The handle is very comfortable and the blade is a real power-house. If you like hard feeling blades with a fast speed that still have control then this is the blade for you. This blade is made for playing away from the table as it's very fast.

Jul 01, 2020

JOOLA Rossi Emotion PBO-c

Speed	8.6
Control	9.0
Stiffness	7.0

Hardness	5.2
Overall	9.3

Review of JOOLA Rossi Emotion PBO-c

Excellent blade with good speed and high control. This is one of the best blades I've ever played with. The straight handle is very comfortable and the soft touch with good speed offers a great blade for an all-around game. I'm able to loop mid-distance and also play close to the table. My looping feels like it just can't miss with this blade. I highly recommend it!

Jul 01, 2020

KTL (LKT - Li Kuang Tsu) (1)

KTL (LKT) Ayous Hinoki

Speed	7.8
Control	8.0
Stiffness	5.0

Hardness	5.2
Consistency	5.0
Overall	8.5

Review of KTL (LKT) Ayous Hinoki

I agree with most of the comments above. This blade is a lightweight, All+ to Off- blade that is good for blocking, looping, and hitting. The head size is similar to most stiga blades. If you're an advanced player 1800+ you will probably want a little better quality blade, but you really can't do much wrong here with this blade. This blade is especially good for allround - offensive players that want a good quality/value blade but don't want to pay the $40+ for the european/japanese brands.

Oct 06, 2010

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