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[729 fx]

A friend of mine has a question on water-based glue. Is it good to reglue before game or not? Previously, before the speed glue ban, it is good to reglue before playing because when the glue is still fresh, it makes the rubber feels soft.

In my opinion, one should not reglue with the water-based glue. The days of regluing before a competition match is over. With water-based glue, one need to glue it once till the rubber feels "dead" to you or if you do not like that particular rubber, then change it.

What is your opinion?

[729 fx]

Another friend of mine informed me that if one use Japanese or European rubber, no need to reapply the water-based glue often.

But if one uses Chinese made rubber, it is better to apply the glue more often. The rationale is that the sponge used in China rubber will not make the glue last longer compared with its Japanese/European counterpart.

How true is this, I do not know and have no ways to confirm.

Can anyone ascertain this statement?

[ejunkie]

Although I don't use water based glue, I would suggest gluing the rubber often and before play because this process will soften the sponge somewhat. In order for the rubber to stick to the blade well--and that's very important if you use Tenergy--you have to use a lot of glue (rubber cement) or layers of glue (rubber cement). (I imagine water based would have to be the same.) The use of a lot of glue will harden the sponge quickly over weeks, I think.

[varghese]

Gluing gives a fresh feeling. Some players like that. In my experimentation, the water based glue can't increase speed or soften the rubber to a very high level to say it does both. As eJunkie has said, the harder porous sponges drink little more extra glue. The new rubbers from Germany like Baracuda, Hexer etc... drink more glue. Similarly the blades need to be sealed well to use the water based glue, otherwise, the the blade also sucks more glue.

I have seen the water based glue drying and dying fast - not on all blades but some. As a rule of thumb, I suggest re-gluing every 2 weeks with water based glue.

[729 fx]

So, with water based-glue, one also need to re-apply often, much like speed glue.