Go back and search this board for the term "liha".
There is a big interest in sandpaper. Here is a video
of a sandpaper championship in the Philippines:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXV8E4NzVrw

Rev.

--- In hardbat@yahoogroups.com, Dan Bullard-Sisken <dan@...> wrote:
>
> 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.
> >
> >
> >
>