I just got my racket strung with BG 65 TI @22lbs yesterday. i already used these strings b4 with the same racket, and also knew that this string had not alot of power due to its stiffness. As expected, when i played today, i couldn't get my smash to have the same power as when i used the bg 65, but i remembered that when i used it b4, when the 65 ti was tensioned at about 21lbs, the power was much more significant, almost equivalent to 65. however, 65ti @ 22lbs is not very powerful at all... That's why i wanted to get BG 65 instead, because that is my favorite string due to its less-stiffness compared to the 65Ti, and that's what i told my stringer, but he apparently strung it in 65 TI for some reason lol maybe he felt like it anyways i have a tourney coming up soon (like, as in less than in 1 week) and i dun want to go restring it to 65, because that is g2 be too expensive to change strings in one week.... so here's my question: would it be okay to hit my strings on table corners, rims, etc to lower my tension to 21lbs? as i said, i have less than 1 week b4 a tourney, and i can't afford to lose. i have to lower my tension about 0.5 - 1 lbs in 4 days somehow, or i'm screwed in the tournament... i'm not g2 play until thursday, and i can't play badminton until i can lower the tension (i dun have enough time) so could someone help me out? would it be OK to hit rims and stuff on my strings to lower the tension? would it be affective? and most importantly, would it be safe on my racket ?
i dont know if this helps, but try playing all 4 days (if its hard to arrange, then get a trusty friend to play with your racket for 4 days ) i have to let others comment on hitting table corners/other objects
Try this "trick' that I use to "age" or "season" newly strung strings-make yourself comfortable and sit down on a sofa, pull both your legs up and bend them at the knees. With your right hand, slam the racquet stringbed on each bended knee as hard as your kness can take it. This 'trick' actually evens out a lot of uneven tensions of the individual strings caused by poor clamping and knotting.
is there a particular reason for that? i'm curious to find out, because i want to do that with my 25lb racket.. 24lb is more suitable for me
The rounded naked knees represent an ideal target-after all it is just a bigger shuttlecock and share similar, progressively, soft properties with the natural cork of the feather shuttlecock-for the stringbed. This technique works better on new racquets, less well on racquets that have been strung way back. There are other 'tricks' but this one will suffice.
Place your racket on the table such that the handle is outside the tabletop and the rim of the racket resting firmly on the table. Use a tennis ball and knead the ball around the stringbed between your palm and the stringbed. Check the tension regularly until the desired level is reached.
i suggest same sitting position but u wear a pair of pant like jean or cord. put a small cotton hand or table cloths on your knee (1 ft x 1ft ) strike racket sweet spot on the enlarged knee cap area. repeat until u like the final feel. use this exercise to strengthen your fingers and wrist
that sounds kind of reasonable... except how long do u normally do it for?? i dont want to waste my strings also for those trying this method i would recommend using the "i bang my knee" method after, to even out the tension
That is why you need to check the result regularly. Start with a soft knead twice over the face of the stringbed. Check the tension and take it from there. If you are not careful with the "bang my knee" method, it can over stress the shaft.
hmm but its sometimes hard to differentiate between 25lbs and 24lbs, or for that matter 24lbs and even 20lbs (sometimes)... the only way i've been able to tell is by the sound when you strike it against another rackets frame (same strings of course). your right about the "bang my knee" method and stress on the shaft.. guess we'll have to be extra careful if we are to use that method
Be sure to flip the racket..so that both sides get the same treatment. I'm using BG65 Ti strung at 24lbs, and I find it very suitable for smashing. One downside though, is that lately, some of the main strings are starting to shift, whereas initially, the string hardly shifts. The titanium coating got thinners at the points where there has been shifting. But it isn't too noticeable yet. I'm annoyed at having to straighten my strings after a few shots though. Btw, the tension has decreased very slightly. By the pitch of hitting the stringbed against my hand, the difference is pretty subtle.
This is normal with low and medium tensions. Another cause could be improper "loading" of the two middle mains at the start of stringing. If strings keep moving, ear and tear will be accelerated.
i usually only do the knee method. but its not on bare knees. i wear jeans as cooler as suggested, and i don't do it very hard. its with moderate force, perhaps similar to the amount of force in a flick serve. i do about 10-20 repetitions per knee, until it feels acceptable. i only do this if i need to have the strings perform as expected immediately. otherwise, i just suck it up and break them in the normal way.
as an update, as of right now im trying to lose 1lb or so of tension from 25lbs to 24lbs (although this stringer strung a little tighter).. while comparing to a 24lbs racket (restrung 2 months ago or so) by hitting it (sound testing).. so far i dont feel any tension loss yet.. hope i dont damage my new AT800DE, or my knee i'm also trying the tennis ball method, as well as doing it with my elbow.. i hope it works in the end
The Yonex AT800DE will play better at 25lbs than 24lbs. At higher tensions of about 25/27.5lbs or more the AT800DE will have the power of an AT800OF and the speed of a lighter racquet. Give yourself a chance. Try to hit with a whippy snap and less of a "tennis wrist" and you will discover a new horizon.
if u pay for my feathers then i'll play w/ them.. otherwise i'm not spending USD$20/dozen for feather birdies in canada so... anything about plastics?
