due to my OCD personality, i like my overgrip to look like the original grip as much as i can. one thing that's always bugged me is the neatness when i grip near the cone because that's where i usually end the overgrip. when i backhand drive i like my thumb to feel the cone. anyway, i've always had problem with the way the tape sticks to the cone area and with the yonex supergrap, the sticky end of the grip actually has very very good adhesive that even when the grip rotates a bit, the "tail" is still stuck to the grip. and because i usually stretch the tape when i end the grip, the tape grips the tape even more than if you just stick it on top of the grip. the problem i run into when i grip the RKEP grip is that the G09 grip is not stretch so it makes it a bit stiffer and thicker on the handle. second, the surface of the grip is grippy yet very greasy so the adhesive tail of the grip doesn't stick to the grip all the time. being in California where the weather is dry, i can see the grips come undone while it's hung on my badminton rack. third, the RKEP tape that comes with the tape is not sticky enough that sometimes even the tape comes undone, but i see the same problem with the tape that comes with the yonex supergrap. so i solved the problem by stretching the tape so besides the adhesive part, the stretching helps the tape grip onto the overgrip. and just thinking about another way that could make "rubber" more sticky, i realized that i could just heat up the tape so that it stay stuck to the handle and grip so the overgrip won't come undone. what i did was that after i gripped my three rackets, all with G09 grips and two with the glossy tape and one with matte tape. i used a torch lighter and heated the tape area for about 1 second per face of the handle. afterward i realized that the tape sorta just fused together, but the night is young and it's supposed to be in the 40s tonight and so my room is going to be in the low 60s and very dry. i will know how it turned out by tomorrow morning before i go play. has anyone used this technique or something similar before? what is your experience? results?
Or do what I do, don't use tape at all. Just finish with adhesive end at the cone. But to avoid it slipping over time, make sure you pre stretch the last few inches before you press down and finally adhere it without tensioning it much.
yea but it's quick so the tape gets warm, not even hot to the touch i will check that out, since i'm tired of tape not strong enough, not even yonex tapes when i used to grip with yonex supergrap, it was ok and i don't use tape at all. but i think i am going to try your advice and pre-stretch the last few inches then stick it WITHOUT tension. thank you for your advice.
I'll second that the tape is the best money I've spent and makes my gripping jobs a total breeze haha. Has never failed me since I first tried it.
Yeah I have my grips the same way a visor. Feels much better without the plastic tape on the end. I simply tape all the way up to about 2/3 up the cone and stop. I've been doing this for over 20yrs now and would never go back to using tape. It's messy and slippery imo.
the heat actually fuses the tape area together and they never slipped, now i'm a happy man, never have to worry about the tape coming off. and the cool thing is that it doesn't matter it's a newly gripped tape, or the tape's been on the grip for about a month, this technique still works unfortunately, the RKEP adhesive at the tail end of the grip isn't that strong no matter where i tape it to, whether it be on top of the overgrip or the body of the racket, and i'm not about to give up such a tacky grip for something less tacky like the yonex supergrap tho the yonex adhesive stays put for as long as the grip is in place anyone else having gripping problem with the G09 with the adhesive end wrapped around the cone area???
i still think you're living dangerously by torching the tape onto the cone ... you won't see the damage until perhaps after you've done it a few times, and then that'll for sure affect resale value doing it the way i described, i've had no problem with the adhesive slipping even after a few months, which is when i'll need to change the grip anyways just make sure to pre stretch the last 4-5 inches of grip (not the adhesive part), then when applying the adhesive tail, make sure there's not much tension on it, and it'll never slip
well i am not worry about resale value since i won't sell my rackets, and because so far i've only done it to rackets under 150 USD so i'm good. also, when i torch it, it's a fraction of a second, i love my rackets so i am extra careful with it, but i'll keep your warning in mind. also i have been gripping the same way you have, and i have no problem with the yonex supergrap, just problem with RKEP grips. to be honest i think it's the california dry air that's causing all this, especially in the winter when the heater is one. during the summer when the a/c is on, i didn't have any problem, so maybe the humidity is way lower during winter months. on a side note, there is a racket i have where the cone is coming loose, and i have NOT used the torch technique on it. i've been playing with the arc002 for a while now and i love the flexible shaft. but recently when i inspect it before restringing, i noticed that there's a tiny space between the tip of the cone and the shaft. just wondering if any of you have played a racket so much that there's a gap between the cone and shaft???
ah.. nitto tape is a good recommendation... but my personal recommendation with even better results.. try nitto tape m5010 or 3m scotch no.23 tapes these tapes have no adhesive at all (i hate the adhesive loosening and going oily sticky in humid singapore)... and are self-amalgamating... so you get a perfect snug seal at the cone
nice and snug against the cone, and does not unpeel by itself over time it doesnt become oily, nor does it ooze adhesive you need not get the same brand, just anything from the class of self-amalgamating tapes would work the same
thank you so much for the pictures and the detail description. now i'm just dying to go to Home Depot (hardware store in the US) and scour thru their tape inventory
good call! i noticed that too, and i also know exactly what it is now. it's plumbing tape and since it's purpose is suppose to work as a sealant between plumbing pipes, no adhesive is needed. i just wanted to get a roll and see if it works, if it really does work, then it's going to be the best thing for my rackets since there's no adhesive. i'm just wondering how strong these kinds of tapes are because if i remember correctly, they are really thin and stretchy, but they do rip easily if being pulled flat. what i mean is if you stretch them out flat, they can be ripped quite quickly. however, if you twist it into a thin roll, then it's actually really strong. since they way i grip my rackets i stretch the grip a bit, so i need tape that can hold a certain tension from the overgrip to the handle and keep that tension. without adhesive i wonder if it will work FOR ME?
i guess you can try.. it seems to work quite well where i am.. i know one professional stringer who uses 3M no.23 whenever he helps customers re-grip their racquets its a bit different from the plumbing white tapes.. those do fray as they are made of PTFE.. i.e. threadseal tape, this nitto tape is thick and rubbery, made of butyl rubber do not get the wrong one! an alternative is to use regular sticky tape i.e. nitto with adhesive, electrical insulation tape, and then put a thin sheet of this self amalgamating tape over it or a third option is to use lab parafilm...