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[varghese]

Let us discuss blade sealing with:

1. Blade sealing solutions come from Manufactures like TSP Blade Sealant, XIOM I-SURE, Joola Blade Varnish etc...

2. Polyurethene

3. EPoxy

4. Hairspray

5. Sanding Spray

6. Varnish

6. Wood Primer

Why we do sealing (or priming) and what is the effect of these sealants on wood?

[729 fx]

Blade sealing, to my knowledge, is to prevent the woods from "chipping" or "tearing" off when we peel the rubber off. With the usage of water-based glue, the water content in the glue may affect the blades, hence the need to seal the blade to prevent water from "damaging" it.

On the downside, too much sealing may change the property of the blade. These are my opinions only.

[ejunkie]

I am too lazy to learn to seal the blade or to go buy the sealers. So I use hairspray.

[iluvtt]

I agree with 729fx in that sealing prevents pulling wood splinters from the surface every time you remove a rubber. I use varnish (those thin ones) to seal my blade & I don't have any problems with pulling wood splinters.

Ejunkie, do you get an 'even coat' using the hairspray? I'd like to try it on one of my new blades.

[ejunkie]

As long as you hold the can of spray from a far enough distance--most are too close to make it even--and use a circular motion, you will be fine. When you do get non-even coat it's no big deal because hairspray it's not permament. It's effect is only lasting for two to three changes of rubbers.

[729 fx]

BTW, what is the content of the chemical in a hairspray? I am just curious to find out if the properties of the hairspray will affect the blade or the rubber for pro-longed usage.

[ejunkie]

it wouldn't affect the rubber or the wood but...just our planet, no biggy.

[rokphish]

tried the spray can... i'm too flumsy to work it well...
other suggested to spray on a cloth then rub the cloth on the blade... didn't work particularly well either...

i have much better result using the liquid form... easy... no mess... even layers...

[varghese]

I have recently tried a Epoxy raisin (Fiberglass) on a blade. First of all, all my neighborhood could smell the epoxy. It is a raisin and not the one like the spray. It takes hours to settle on a blade. The end result is that the layer masks the ball to gets feedback from the wood. I could make one side of the blade slower than the other side. The control has increased. Then I have realized this blade will not pass the Enez test. The smell is there all the time.

I don't know is there a similar epoxy without any smell. I have to research on that after the US Nationals.

The varnish or blade sealer don't change the characteristics of the blade that much, even the hair spray. When you put them continuously, and make it thicker, it will change the characteristics like the speed. The raisin I have tried is thick, so it will show immediate effect.