Has anyone taken a look at sandpaper? Never played with the stuff myself, but I
can't imagine one could load up too much spin with it.
Dan

Quoting Jay Turberville <jay@...>:

> All history is distorted. Heck, we can't even keep the recent past straight.
> A case in point is Marty's characterization of my recent experiments with
> linen backing on Dr Evil as an attempt to "increase efficiency" when the
> twice stated purpose was to see if adding such a backing would make the
> rubber more like Leyland. His assessment of my lack of talent may be
> correct, but his assessment of the intent of the experiment was quite wrong.
>
> I don't know if the classic game is hopelessly lost or not. My best
> estimate, however, is that it won't arise naturally just because someone
> manages to perfectly copy Leyland, Barna or Slazenger rubber and then
> standardize a game based on that. As others have said, there have been other
> influences and it seems unlikely that players will naturally gravitate to a
> style of play that is largely the same as the classic game. It would probably
> move in that direction, but I doubt seriously that it would make it all the
> way. There have been too many other influences since 1959.
>
> I think the only way you get back to the classic game as it was played in the
> day is if the players purposefully make it a point to eschew those tactics,
> serves and strokes that have been developed since. You might be able to make
> some rule changes about serves that would help, but implementing rules that
> limit tactics and strokes is going to be more of a problem.
>
> Getting back to copying Leyland or the other classic rubbers, I'm not at all
> optimistic. I've read that a lot of money was spent trying to develop the
> Reisman rubbers, and Marty seems to think that attempt failed. Perhaps an
> attempt to do this again unfettered by the need to get ITTF approval would
> make success more likely.
>
> And success would be further enhanced if somebody has good technical
> information on the formulation of the original Leyland or other rubbers. The
> Leyland company has reorganized and is now operational. I wonder if
> information about Leyland table tennis rubbers survived the reorganization
> and if they would be willing to part with it. I doubt they would be willing
> to produce a niche product like table tennis rubber, but they might not mind
> getting a licensing fee from some other company that wanted to produce it.
>
> Events like the Hardbat Classic might make resurrecting a classic rubber more
> viable also. But I don't think companies like Killerspin are likely to help
> much. Killerspin seemed to put a higher priority on getting three plastic
> medallions built into the HBC-501B than in providing a decent blade to play
> with. I wonder if Marty has had a chance to play with a Killerspin HBC-1 or
> HBC-501B? Heck, a number of the HBC-501Bs warped - something that I
> understand just doesn't happen with Bernie Hock's blades.
>
> The name Killerspin should be a clue as to what to expect. The fact that
> they don't sell one OX rubber or even one "pips-out" rubber with sponge is
> another clue.
>
> I think Marty is quite right that the current hardbat play is not the same as
> the play in the classic era. Though at times I think we can catch a glimpse
> of a shadow of that style of play in some matches. If people want that
> classic game revived, then I think a different approach than what has been
> employed to date is quite obviously needed. And that is not intended as a
> put-down of the previous efforts. I'm glad the efforts were made and applaud
> them. That they were made has enhanced my enjoyment in playing table tennis
> - even if my play is a sadly mutated style executed in the absence of any
> talent.
>
> Jay Turberville
> www.jayandwanda.com
>
> BTW, when I play at John's house, we have quite often discussed strokes and
> tactics. And even on this forum there was a recent discussion about books
> that would properly teach classic table tennis strokes. In fact, we were
> just discussing the Miles forehand this afternoon - referencing the sketches
> in his book, "The Game of Table Tennis". Go figure.
>
>
>