Weighting up Blade 104 (2015)
- Thread starter SoccerGuy
- Start date
CopolyX
Hall of Fame
distribute some weight at 3 and 9 oclock.
https://www.racquettech.com/store/learningcenter/lc_twistweight.php
https://www.racquettech.com/store/learningcenter/lc_twistweight.php
LaZeR
Professional
Hey @ SoccerGuy I'm in almost in the exact same boat except I have an OLD Blade 104 and NEW Pure Aero +. I use the PA+ but if my arm starts to hurt, or opponents are less advanced players, I switch to the Blade. Just wondering ~ do you always keep BOTH racquets in your bag, take them to the courts, and interchange playing with them?
Agree with @ CopolyX ~ put a few grams of Lead Tape on each side of the strings at 3 & 9, but make sure the strips are the exact same length. Also, you could add some aditional weight around ~7.5"+ above the cap.
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skydog
Professional
Some ideas in this thread...
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...ade-104-2015-customized.536502/#post-10842724
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...ade-104-2015-customized.536502/#post-10842724
srvnvly
Hall of Fame
Try the latest Blade 104: http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Wilson_Blade_104/descpageRCWILSON-BL104.html
Excellent in stock form.
SoccerGuy
New User
I do keep both racquets in the same same bag when I go to play. If I’m playing singles I usually use my areo, and if it’s doubles I use the 104. But I’m trying to transition into the 104 due to wrist issues. I try not to interchange during a match.
I also did weight up my blade 104 with weight at 3 and 9 and some under the handle
georgiahank
New User
After testing out some different frames I am back to my weighted 2015 Blade 104. I have lead at 3 and 9 and silicon in handle to bring total weight to around 11.9 oz and around 6 pts HL.
The Big Kahuna
Hall of Fame
What about if you add a leather grip. That adds about ten grams to the handle. Does this look correct to you all? If not, what should it be? Looking for the same balance but a bit more stability and plow through.
Customization Options:
Weight: 325g
Balance: 9 points headlight
Swingweight: 286
Customization Options:
- 1 location: Put 3g at 12 add leather (1/3 10g grip) to increase swing weight
- 2 location: Put 2g at 3 & 9 add leather (1/2 10g grip) to increase swing weight + stability
- Leather Grip +8-10g over Wilson stock grip
Weight: 325g
Balance: 9 points headlight
Swingweight: 286
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1HBHfanatic
Legend
The blade line, i find is not easy to customize
it can get head heavy very fast,, with little possitive outcome,,,
not saying it cant come close to what you like,,,, but keep close eye on the weight
a small amount of lead goes a long way,,
Ive come close with my blade 98s, but it still does not feel right 2me for my 1hbh..
good luck with your project..
it can get head heavy very fast,, with little possitive outcome,,,
not saying it cant come close to what you like,,,, but keep close eye on the weight
a small amount of lead goes a long way,,
Ive come close with my blade 98s, but it still does not feel right 2me for my 1hbh..
good luck with your project..
The Big Kahuna
Hall of Fame
Quite literally in the EXACT same boat. Picked up an old 104 because I was having some joint pain with the PA+ but no matter how much lead I added. I got up to around 340/345g from memory I couldn't get anywhere near the stability I needed. I actually found the only thing that helped was adding an extra over grip to stop the thing from moving around in my hand but not enough to be content.
I get the lack of stability outside of the sweet spot bit but I'd get the feeling on dead centre hits.
How do you put weight at the 3 & 9 on those things with that parallel drilling stuff? I couldn't think of a way to add it it past where that starts.
Interested to see if this thread continues.
skydog
Professional
Using the thin lead tape 1/4”, you can lead tape any where on the racquet head. At 3&9 where the extended grommet holes are, just put it towards the outer edge. I had no issues with several layers of lead on my Blade 104’s at 3 & 9, as well as at 12. The only suggestion I have, which applies to any racquet, is to leave a gap in lead between the center two mains at 12 so that the lead does not get messed up on restrings.
The Blade 104 is plenty stable if you are willing to add weight and shift the balance point a bit. BlueTac and a leather grip to shift the balance point to a more headlight configuration with lead tape @ 3, 9, and 12. I ran my 104’s at 380g 10 pts HL with great results. The modified Blade 104 (2015) is my second favorite racquet of all time.
The Big Kahuna
Hall of Fame
How much weight exactly did you put at 3 / 9 / 12 and in the handle with the leather grip? I would be very grateful if you could share that.
At 380g did you lose maneuverability? I am anxious about taking the total weight over 340g into uncharted territory.
I have 4g at 3 & 9 now with a leather grip and I sit now at:
Weight: 325g
Balance: 9 points headlight
Swingweight: 286
I play almost exclusively doubles, so I need it to retain its quickness around the net.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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skydog
Professional
I will copy and paste my initial lead setup. I eventually removed a layer of lead ar 3&9 and added more tail weight and 12 weight to get it 10 pts HL.
With the tail weighting at 10 pts HL, I never felt as though I lost any maneuverability. I am a doubles player as well and valued the extra stability the weight brings when hanging out at net. The only issue I had during the transition to the 104 was adjusting to the extra length, but that passed quickly.
(Reposted setup...switched to the Kevlar/ZX hybrid setup and dropped a layer of 3&9 lead that was redistributed to more Blu Tac in th3 handle and lead at 12 to rebalance to 10 pts HL / 380g)
Blade 104 (2015)
- Replaced grip with TW leather
- Added approx 25.5 grams of 1/4 inch lead tape split between 3 + 9 (4 groups of 3 long strips with each layer progressively shorter)
- Added 20 grams of Blue Tack (1 strip of Blue Tack material) under the butt cap split between the two tubes.
- Kimony High Soft EX overgrip (orange)
- Kimony Quake Buster vib dampener
- Kimony Counter Shock on the tubes at the balance point
- Gamma Head Tape 1.5 inch width running from 4 to 8 o'clock
- Mains: Ashaway Monogut ZX 16g @ 57 lbs (pre-stretched @ 25% on a Wise 2086)
- Cross: Tourna Big Hitter Silver 16g @ 50 lbs
- Weight: 380 grams
- Balance: 7 pts head light
I was not shooting for a specific amount of weight at 3 + 9 with the lead strips, I just wanted to add as much weight as I could at 3 + 9 that would allow a balance of 9-10 points head light with the 20 grams of Blue Tack in the butt and would end up with a total weight around 365 grams. My numbers overshot a tad as I did all the weight and balance testing with a full bed of syngut that was in the racquet from the shop vs my actual string setup and using the wider head tape vs my usual 1 inch variety.
Reposted from: https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...ade-104-2015-customized.536502/#post-10842724
Documented most my changes in that thread.
