Re: Upgrade suggestion on Blade for Pen Hold play

[Appusami]

Sunday September 7, 2025 at 4:57 AM #1
Hello im 40+ years old and i have been extensively using below two blades:

Sitga Officensive Classic WRB pen hold with Razaka Z FH and Spectol S1 BH
Victas KokiNaiwa wood - pen hold with Razaka Z FH (Also mix with Aerous Soft max FH) and spectol S1 BH

I use RPB shots a lot. i am old school and my game is based on lot of hayward cray spinny shots. been playing since 11yrs and getting back to TT again.

Never heard of such a style.
Penhold Inverted forehand with (click link >) wide or stiff pips backhand

[James Z]

Definitely worse than shakehand with (click link >) wide or stiff pips on backhand
Because you lose the biggest advantages if you can use HPG
1. Side spin hook loops using inverted from the RPB backhand.
2. Punch blocks using TPG wide (stiff) pips on forehand from the backhand side

Liu Guoliang sort of pioneered the inverted backhand with (click link >) wide or stiff pips forehand with some twiddling.
This is one of the best styles for Hybrid Penhold Grip - HPG

I also have seen few high level players use HPG with slim (flex) pips on backhand and chopping using the slim (flex) pips) .

Wide (stiff) pips HPG bachand is useless

[Bufford]

2024 USA National Champion Hong Lin (currently playing in MLTT) , uses RPB inverted backhand and wide (stiff) pips forehand

More Hong Lin videos


Below is a video of Hong Lin against many time USA National Champion Lily Zhang

[JBVTTC]

Here is a webpage that explains why you should NEVER use wide (stiff) pips on backhand ,whether it is
(click link >) European grip , Asian grip or American grip

[wehem]

I also have seen few high level players use HPG with slim (flex) pips on backhand and chopping using the slim (flex) pips) .

Did they cut out some of the pimples to allow for a deeper grip? With the shallow grip you're forced to use when playing with pimples on RPB, the racket angle only becomes correct for chopping if the ball is going deep left, and it's awkward to play in the middle(so when I have pimples on RPB, I only do emergency chops)

[James Z]

I also have seen few high level players use HPG with slim (flex) pips on backhand and chopping using the slim (flex) pips) .

Did they cut out some of the pimples to allow for a deeper grip? With the shallow grip you're forced to use when playing with pimples on RPB, the racket angle only becomes correct for chopping if the ball is going deep left, and it's awkward to play in the middle(so when I have pimples on RPB, I only do emergency chops)

I have seen at least 2 players. One uses jkPen but no longer uses pips on backhand,I think his fingers were slightly spread out. He mostly chopped.
Do not remember what rubber he used.
Other is cPen HPG player, I did not notice any significant difference when he chops on backhand. but I will try to observe when I run into him again.
His fingers are curled like usual. He uses Dawei 388D-1 slim (flex) pips on reverse side (Tenergy or H3 forehand}. He can also hit vey well with it hard & consistent.

I also have seen another high level cPen TPG player who uses slim (flex) pips most of the time on forehand and twiddles and uses Tenergy inverted to serve and sometimes attack. I assume there are 100s or even 1000s like this in China

[Kajsa]

Definitely worse than shakehand with (click link >) wide or stiff pips on backhand
Because you lose the biggest advantages if you can use HPG
1. Side spin hook loops using inverted from the RPB backhand.
2. Punch blocks using TPG wide (stiff) pips on forehand from the backhand side

Liu Guoliang sort of pioneered the inverted backhand with (click link >) wide or stiff pips forehand with some twiddling.
This is one of the best styles for Hybrid Penhold Grip - HPG

I also have seen few high level players use HPG with slim (flex) pips on backhand and chopping using the slim (flex) pips) .

Wide (stiff) pips HPG bachand is useless

I have seen quite a few HPG players with wide (stiff) pips forehand and inverted backhand.
But oddly I have never seen any of them twiddle.
It should not be hard with the right blade even with jkPen

[Lukca]

He uses Dawei 388D-1 slim (flex) pips on reverse side (Tenergy or H3 forehand}.

Does anyone even use 388D-1 anymore ? Is it not from 38 mm ball time ?
I thought it was largely replaced by 388D-2