While I was adding lead tape to a young player's racket, his mum asked if there were any safer alternatives.
I have read about tungsten tape but have not seen nor used it before. Neither did I know where to buy it.
After some thought, the mother asked if the lead tape could be covered up with another layer of masking tape or duct tape.
Eventually we settled for electrical tape so we could colour-match with the racket's paintjob as well!
I thought this was a great idea. So I'm just passing this along...
(Thanks Mum!)
Several competitive players asked my opinion whether racket weights modifications should be one-off, or a series of perpetual adjustments.
Once, I replied a parent (of a tennis kid) by asking him how would he match the below 3 rackets to the 3 players below:
Racket 1: 100 sq inch, 360 grams strung, 27" long
Racket 2: 100 sq inch, 250 grams strung, 25" long
Racket 3: 110 sq inch, 300 grams strung, 28" long
Player A: 30 years old gym instructor
Player B: 7 years old school kid
Player C: 70 years old retiree
Even with zero information about their tennis skills or ability, the match up was completely predictable. No matter who I asked.
This is why I lean strongly towards a one-time adjustment. And this one-time modification should be able to tune the racket to at least a 80% match with the player's abilities.
We are not discussing beginners, or recreational players who have not honed their consistency. Although still useful, they would benefit more from coaching than racket mods.
Even if the seasoned player, or professional is still refining their strokes, I cannot see the constant need to re-tweak.
Racket weights like swingweight, balance, total weight, MOI, twistweight, recoil weight, etc, are far more correlated to the player's movements and strength, rather than skills.
Take the human body weight for example. Most people hover around a certain weight. Absent of special events like holidays or celebratory feasts, body weights usually maintain within a tight band of 2% to 3% over time. So much so, that doctors often use unexplained weight gain/loss as a clue for serious illnesses!
Similarly, muscle mass and strength do not vary much too.
Even for gym rats who train relentlessly, they peak and plateau. And if they do not put in the consistent effort to maintain their diet and physique, they would drop back into their normal state of equilibrium. If their appetite maintains, they grow fat.
Hence the conventional wisdom is for the serious tennis player to use as heavy a racket as he or she can manage effectively.
This translates the game of tennis to one where opponents fight to out-power, out-run, out-last or out-wit each other. Whoever wields the "bigger gun" usually prevails, or have a significant advantage.
When the going get tough, or with new rackets being marketed aggressively, it is easy to fall into the lure of new equipment.
However, every new setup, whether just weight tweaks or new racket, takes a long time to truly adjust and acclimatize.
The player needs to test the racket on different court surfaces, different strokes, types of spin and pace, different brands of balls and narrow down string type and tension before putting it into match play. Easily a multi-months episode costing hundreds of dollars.
It is easy to tweak, but how much time, money and energy does a player have to go through a racket so thoroughly? Or risk losing an important match when the racket, or strings, "mis-behave" mid-match?
This is the reason why so many professional players would rather have a paintjob to endorse the lastest release instead of changing sticks.
If these top tier players in the world opt to maintain equilibrium, why should we be so quick to disrupt ours?
Someone requested me to string an old wood racket and I turned it down immediately. Most woodies are at least 30+ years old. No one could predict how it would turn out.
But he insisted. So I asked for payment in advance, and his written full disclaimer, absolving me of any blame in the event of any damage.
It was the Slazenger Vilas International (link1)(link2).
A quick search online shows someone asking for US$254 for one on Ebay (link).
The racket was unplayed and in near mint condition. No scratches, nor chips nor scrapes could be found anywhere. Even the original plastic wrap was still on the handle!
Although unstrung, I could see it had been strung before. Some string cuts could be seen at the throat grommet.
Since it was not intended for serious play, I suggested stringing it with full synthetic gut at 38 lbs. That would significantly reduce hoop stress and hopefully preserve the frame intact. He agreed.
It was smooth sailing installing and tensioning the mains. Some very slight "creaks" sounds was heard while tensioning the outer mains. So I paused for a few minutes.
(If you observe the above pic carefully, you could see the laminate fracturing at the bottom right corner of the picture.)
After ascertaining the squeaking stopped and everything was intact, I continued slowly, completed the mains, then tied-off on the short side. For wood frames, that would the side with the zig-zag on top of the frame.
(Despite the dangers explained, the owner asked for one-piece stringing.)
With the long side, I started weaving the crosses from bottom-up. This was the standard pattern for one-piece stringing with wood frames.
I was tensioning the 8th cross from the bottom when there was a sudden loud snapping sound.
But I could not see any damage nor distortion anywhere. Nevertheless, for my own safety, I stepped out of the room and observed from the door way.
An exploding racket hoop is any stringers' nightmare. Although tales have been told of it, none have seen it happen, nor could provide any evidence of it.
Could it happen to me this time? I wondered...
Mere seconds later, the side of the hoop gave way outwards!!!
I removed the clamps immediately to release the tension! Then more loud snapping sounds...
But it was too late. The damage was done. A beautiful vintage frame completely ruined.
I could not bear to see the frame explode, so I cut out the strings.
To anyone wanting to re-string an old woody, even if it seemingly appears perfectly intact, my advice is don't.
It is just too much risk.
When I was first taught how to string about two decades ago, my teacher instructed that I tie knots on top of the stringbed and pull them upwards.
His reasoning was that it was easier to see the knot, and that there would be less obstruction, especially with the clamps below.
Since I was earning my keep then, he accepted no variations. I had to follow exactly what I was told.
Over the years, somehow, I instinctively switched to tying knots below instead.
I just felt it was easier to pull downwards instead of up. And I did not feel any major obstructions hindering me from tying the knot below.
Another very important advantage to tie it below is safety.
Even though most were taught to pull knots only by hand, or with a starting clamp, many still using pliers to do so.
The most common pliers stringers use is the needle nose plier. When using this pliers to pull knots upwards, slippage is extremely common.
When it slipped, the stringer ended up either back-fisting himself on the face, or stabbing his eye with the needle nose plier.
Clumsy as it may sound, I back-fisted myself several times while tightening knots upwards. Those that string very often would know that there were plenty of near misses as well.
So, why take the risk?
I suggest all stringers pull knots below instead.
