One Ply Blades

[Blocker]

Has anyone else used one ply blades,great for looping,nice and solid for blocking,but for me the best things about my one ply blade is the feel and control.I got my blade from Kevin at American Hinoki,went on his website liked the look of his blades,so i ordered on of his hand made blades,told him the wieght i wanted.When my blade arrived is was really pleased with the quailty of my E.Spruce blade.Ive been using my blade for over a year now and couldn't be happier with it,i could never go back to multi-ply blades now.

[Ruudolph]

I got the Galaxy J-1. It's one ply & made of Ayous wood I think. I've yet to use it but I heard one plies are really good for looping. It's as heavy as my Matsu****a blade. I think it's about 95-100g. How heavy is your E.Spruce blade?

[Blocker]

Hi Ruudolph,my E.Spruce blade is 80grams and 8mm thick,alot of Hinoki blades are close to 100grams

[Ruudolph]

80g? That is very light! Mine is 10mm thick. Is that probably why mine is heavier? May be it's because of the wood as well.

[Blocker]

Yes some woods are heavier than others,i also have American Hinoki fastest blade,which only weighs 79g,but is 9mm thick,this blade is really fast,still not sure which blade i like best? At the moment i love the E.Spruce with the Gambler Outlaw.

[Boneman]

Intersting... single ply. I wonder how that would work for hardbat. On the other end of the spectrum, my hardbat is actually TWELVE ply... procured from Valor in the USA. Talk about rock solid!

You've piqued my interest for certain. Just wondering... I presume the grain runs vertically through the handle... so... does it make for a sensitive bat? i.e., you get a lot of "feel" for the ball?

Neat stuff for certain!

[ChrisAngus]

are there any disadvantages with the one ply blades!!!

[Tinykin]

Thick and relatively expensive. Varies more from blade to blade. Tends to be more fragile. Can warp over time if not cared properly.

[Blocker]

It depends on the wood,ive gave both my blades a real good bang,and its like they have never been touced,as far as i can see i can't find any weekness's with my one ply blades

[Blocker]

Ive also read in other forums,that one ply blades get better with age,well i will have to see if that is true!

[Boneman]

Now that's an interesting observation. Being a guitarist, I know that the most desireable instruments are made of solid (read - not laminated [plywood]) materials. That being said, guitars... and I would presume any other stringed instrument actually IMPROVE over time as the wood "opens up" by being played over and over.

I suppose the same principles would hold with a bat. As to warpage, what I would do is to first finish the entire blade prior to affixing the rubbers. What causes problems is not so much changes in atmospheric conditions... but moreso RAPID changes. You want the bat to take up and gas off moisture at a slow but EVEN rate and I would think a nice light coating of lacquer would be your best bet.

Additionally, one would have to ovserve the grain in the wood. The "rings" of the end grain should be as perpendicular to the blade faces as possible. And... as absolutely straight as possible too. Oddly enough... precisely the way one would select the wood for the soundboard of a guitar.

So.... all that being said.... now I'm pondering perhaps actually CONSTRUCTING... a single ply blade. I would think a nice, tight grained sitka spruce would fill the bill. Alas.... anymore, acquiring good quality wood as such.... well, it's a challenge anymore for certain.

Fascinating topic!!!!!