Ancient Racquets

**Bbn** · 02-18-2011, 05:50 AM

Some photos of some old racquets belonging to an old coach I met :

1) A Flight Commander 2) Dunlop Maxply 3) Black Yonex

**Bbn** · 02-18-2011, 05:54 AM

Before you ask, the Flight Commander is a Slazenger used by Wong Peng Soon & Ong Poh Lim in the 50s,

the Dunlop Maxply was used by most players in 60s,70s while the Yonex was used by Hartono before he switched to Carbonex 8.

**Bbn** · 02-18-2011, 06:22 AM

1) Carlton 3.7 X with taperd Shaft used by LSK & co before switching to Yonex

2) 70s Yonex

***jamesd20*** · 02-18-2011, 06:44 AM

The yonex in the first pic is a cab3!

The other one I think should be a B9000 (Slim Stainless) but not 100%...will have to double check at home.

**david14700** · 02-18-2011, 06:48 AM

The wooden heads are really quite beautiful and elegant.

The craftsmanship needed to turn such a light piece of wood into a thin, strong frame must have been amazing.

Wondered what they were like to play with?

***drifit*** · 02-18-2011, 07:28 AM

the Carlton tapered shaft. kind of evolution technology that time......
oh man.... this kind of thread is age revealing!

***jamesd20*** · 02-18-2011, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by david14700

The wooden heads are really quite beautiful and elegant.

The craftsmanship needed to turn such a light piece of wood into a thin, strong frame must have been amazing.

Wondered what they were like to play with?

they aren't as heavy as you might think. I have a number of them & they are ok to play with. Biggest differnce if the "type" of flex the Metal shafts have compared with grpahite. Must be something to do with when the shaft gives, how much it gives & how quick it returns.

***jamesd20*** · 02-18-2011, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by drifit

the Carlton tapered shaft. kind of evolution technology that time......
oh man.... this kind of thread is age revealing!

For you maybe........!

**RSLvictorSOTX** · 02-18-2011, 12:21 PM

I have only heard from a friend of his dad's Carltons....man, I am speechless

. ...and they are in pretty good condition too from the pics (it must've been stored away in a lock box.

**Bbn** · 02-18-2011, 06:01 PM

Yonex Japan occassionally produces a limited volume of wooden racquets to sell as collectibles

(apparently they still have the facilities to do so).

The last time I saw a few of the Yonex shown above for sale in Nahar's in Pertama Complex in KL ,a few lots away from Racquet World.

I think they may make some more racquets if there are requests.

**Bbn** · 02-18-2011, 06:44 PM

from the 80s a Carbonex 15.

My fave in 70s was the cab3 wood, in the 80s the cab15.

Reason why so few remain of the cab 15 was because it was very fragile

and broke easily. it distorted after 1 or 2 restrings.

**weeyeh** · 02-18-2011, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by Bbn

from the 80s a Carbonex 15.

My fave in 70s was the cab3 wood, in the 80s the cab15.

Reason why so few remain of the cab 15 was because it was very fragile

and broke easily. it distorted after 1 or 2 restrings.

Hmm... I had one of these but lost it. Loved the racket. I never thought it was that fragile though.

**Bbn** · 02-18-2011, 11:29 PM

This is the best find of all, found it in the garden of the family home .
used it when I was a little one in the early 60s.It was China made and called "Wild Duck".
Basically it is a long piece of hollow aluminium extrusion welded by an al plate at the throat which has seen broken and caused the racquet to be distorted.
Must be a frontrunner of the Carlton series.

**Bbn** · 02-18-2011, 11:31 PM

2nd picture is a cross section of the hollow shaft.

The grip and handle has long fallen off

**RSLvictorSOTX** · 02-19-2011, 05:04 AM

Originally Posted by Bbn

Yonex Japan occassionally produces a limited volume of wooden racquets to sell as collectibles

(apparently they still have the facilities to do so).

The last time I saw a few of the Yonex shown above for sale in Nahar's in Pertama Complex in KL ,a few lots away from Racquet World.

I think they may make some more racquets if there are requests.

Seriously? Yonex Japan would still occasionally produce wooden racquets if there is a demand (for collection, naturally)

?

The original wood (made of beech wood?) racquet craftsmen must be septuagenarians by now at least!