Stiga Kjell Johannson

I bought this blade 40 years ago and it is still a very good blade now. Sealed wood x2 to protect from splintering. Medium-slow in speed but can be fast enough with tensor rubbers to win the point. Conic handle is attractive and feels comfortable to hold. These are becoming rare to find in good condition. Above average vibration and medium sweet spot. A very good allround blade for collectors or players who love the feel of old Stiga blades. This was my first Stiga blade purchased in 1973. Rubber was BTY Plous if anyone is old enough to remember that rubber. Sad to see manufacturers discontinue the conic grip as it was a cross between flared and straight handles. With the advent of the larger ball a tensor with a harder sponge is needed on this blade unless you are a beginner. A timeless classic worth every cent.

Hi, I have started back playing TT and I am using a Stiga Clipper with the KJ conic handle. Would love to have a back up. Is this blade for sale? Thanks, Gary Fagan

When I first started out, somewhere around '80, that was with a second hand Stiga Kjell Johanson with Mark V 2.0 on both sides. I don't know why I ever changed, I think that happened when the first composite (carbon, kevlar) frames had exploded onto the scene and I needed new rubbers. When after a longish hiatus I was drawn back to the game, the first thing I looked for was my trusty Kjell Johanson. Sadly, it's been lost in time. I'd be a sucker to try one again. Things that to me at the time were very good about it were the conic handle; an unsurpassed fit, with very much feeling while still feeling entirely relaxed. As I recall it, the Kjell Johanson was a member of the "Offensive" family line, sharing that with the "Stellan Bengtsson" (that had an anatomic handle; I had one too, but preferred the feel of the KJ) handle. Both had a delicate touch, but also explosive reserves. Harder rubbers allowed for direct and aggressive play, the softer (often reglued daily) rubbers exposed this blade as an excellent short- to mid-distance looper's blade. It did require accuracy in timing and precision; the current Offensive Classic, to me, seems to have a larger sweet spot, in particular. That left little room for cutting corners in hitting technique and footwork, and in retrospect even that slight weakness (if I can call it that) in this frame actually turned out beneficial to my development back then.

1978 Stiga Kjell Johansson offensive wood with Yasaka Mark V both sheets 2.5 were red in those days .

This is a conic model from the 1970s, which they don't make any more. Nowadays we would classify it as an All Round blade.