The Wilson Steam 99s review everyone has been writing.

[racertempo]

Originally Posted by Lakers4Life

The 105s is lighter than the 99s, by 15g, even with a wider beam. I guess if you wanted to ad weight to the handle, using the Wilson Hybrid grip or a leather grip.

Wider beams usually are lighter, but the 105s is even more HL then the 99s at 8HL......so again, any weight to the handle is going to make the frame 10+HL....not sure anyone wants a frame that HL. I think if any weight needs to be added it would be in the head to bring the balance a little back down.

[corners]

Originally Posted by J011yroger

Interesting concept. The reason poly enhances performance is the sliding out of place, and snapping back. Increasing surface area between strings would increase the static, and kinetic friction between the mains and crosses therby impeding the main's ability to be displaced and return rapidly.

J

Friction is independent of surface area. Surprising, bit is so. Polymaster is among the very best copoly strings in terms of low string-on-string CoF: http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/lear...OFreporter.php

[J011yroger]

Originally Posted by corners

Friction is independent of surface area. Surprising, bit is so. Polymaster is among the very best copoly strings in terms of low string-on-string CoF: http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/lear...OFreporter.php

Yea, when you are talking about pushing a brick, it doesn't matter which side is down, but I can't imagine a rectangular string not locking up, for a variety of reasons. The first of which is that when the ball hits the corner of the rectangle, the opposite corner will dig in and the ball will exert a torque on the string, trying to roll it up on edge, which will further displace the cross strings increasing the normal.

I would love to try a set, and see what it does, for science if nothing else. Maybe I am totally wrong and the stuff works. Wouldn't be the first time.

J

[corners]

Originally Posted by J011yroger

Yea, when you are talking about pushing a brick, it doesn't matter which side is down, but I can't imagine a rectangular string not locking up, for a variety of reasons. The first of which is that when the ball hits the corner of the rectangle, the opposite corner will dig in and the ball will exert a torque on the string, trying to roll it up on edge, which will further displace the cross strings increasing the normal.

I would love to try a set, and see what it does, for science if nothing else. Maybe I am totally wrong and the stuff works. Wouldn't be the first time.

J

The Coefficient of Friction tests done by TWU used actual strings in a rig designed to simulate in-racquet conditions to some extent, so the very low CoF evidenced can be counted upon. Your point about the possibility of digging in at the corners could be a good one, but these are not sharp corners - the string is not a perfect rectangle. Tourbite has a square cross-section and by all accounts it slides and snaps back marvelously. And we're talking about using it in the crosses, where it is held flat by the mains, so any tendency to roll over would be greatly reduced; and in the crosses the ball would almost always be sliding along the length of the string, rather than catching it on the edge. Also, Polymaster is a flat ribbon that is thinner than a circular string, so the separation between the mains and the crosses, and thus the angle of the weave, would be less acute than usual, which should further reduce interstring friction.

I don't know either, as I haven't tried it. This is just theorizing. A couple people around here have tried it with gut mains and the reports have been positive. I've got a couple sets coming. The logic regarding diffused interstring friction-generated heat seems sound to me.

[J011yroger]

Originally Posted by corners

The Coefficient of Friction tests done by TWU used actual strings in a rig designed to simulate in-racquet conditions to some extent, so the very low CoF evidenced can be counted upon. Your point about the possibility of digging in at the corners could be a good one, but these are not sharp corners - the string is not a perfect rectangle. Tourbite has a square cross-section and by all accounts it slides and snaps back marvelously. And we're talking about using it in the crosses, where it is held flat by the mains, so any tendency to roll over would be greatly reduced; and in the crosses the ball would almost always be sliding along the length of the string, rather than catching it on the edge. Also, Polymaster is a flat ribbon that is thinner than a circular string, so the separation between the mains and the crosses, and thus the angle of the weave, would be less acute than usual, which should further reduce interstring friction.

I don't know either, as I haven't tried it. This is just theorizing. A couple people around here have tried it with gut mains and the reports have been positive. I've got a couple sets coming. The logic regarding diffused interstring friction-generated heat seems sound to me.

Wonder what it is like to string? Wonder if it sucks to keep straight? I'd string it tight as hell with a loose BBO main.

J

[corners]

Originally Posted by J011yroger

Wonder what it is like to string? Wonder if it sucks to keep straight? I'd string it tight as hell with a loose BBO main.

J

I haven't strung it, but I saw some posts over at Grand Slam Stringers about it. I think it should be pretty easy to do in just the crosses as it would tend to naturally lie "flat" between the mains. But it could get messy and fussy too. The GSS posts were inconclusive.

[J011yroger]

Originally Posted by corners

I haven't strung it, but I saw some posts over at Grand Slam Stringers about it. I think it should be pretty easy to do in just the crosses as it would tend to naturally lie "flat" between the mains. But it could get messy and fussy too. The GSS posts were inconclusive.

*shrug* sounds like something to take a flier on, just for the heck of it, if nothing else.

How bad could it be?

J

[WileyCoyote]

Corners: Ideally, friction has nothing to do with surface area of the materials involved. The assumption that makes this so is that there is no interference (grab) between the surfaces. The coefficient of friction is the Tangent of the angle that the pieces must be inclined to in order for slippage to occur.

And, the coefficient of static (non moving) friction is higher than the coefficients of dynamic (sliding) friction. This is why once slippage occurs, it does not stop.

Ideally.

But in real life, there is interference. As in wide tires on your car provide more traction than narrow ones. And so on. Lots and lots of real world situations where surface area is related to forces required to effect movement because there is "grip" between the parts.

An extreme case is velcro.

So in real life, surface area is usually a big deal involving friction. Really.

The 99S's use of 15 crosses instead of the more normal 18 results in less mating area between strings and thus interstring friction which lets the mains slide more easily out of position and then snap back.

Chicago Jack has a thread relating to coefficients between various strings that is very insightful.

Harry

[JGads]

Originally Posted by corners

The Coefficient of Friction tests done by TWU used actual strings in a rig designed to simulate in-racquet conditions to some extent, so the very low CoF evidenced can be counted upon. Your point about the possibility of digging in at the corners could be a good one, but these are not sharp corners - the string is not a perfect rectangle. Tourbite has a square cross-section and by all accounts it slides and snaps back marvelously. And we're talking about using it in the crosses, where it is held flat by the mains, so any tendency to roll over would be greatly reduced; and in the crosses the ball would almost always be sliding along the length of the string, rather than catching it on the edge. Also, Polymaster is a flat ribbon that is thinner than a circular string, so the separation between the mains and the crosses, and thus the angle of the weave, would be less acute than usual, which should further reduce interstring friction.

I don't know either, as I haven't tried it. This is just theorizing. A couple people around here have tried it with gut mains and the reports have been positive. I've got a couple sets coming. The logic regarding diffused interstring friction-generated heat seems sound to me.

Can listen to Corners' mad racquet/string theories and explanations all day. Totally over my head, usually, but I love it.