TennisManiac
Hall of Fame
Has anyone out there played with this yet? If so, please describe it characteristics. And can anyone compare it to Alu Power? I see that TW doesn't sell Tier One. But there are other places to get it.
TRU PRO (formerly Tier One Sports) T1 Black Knight
- Thread starter TennisManiac
- Start date
TennisManiac
Hall of Fame
Won't last as long as Alu?
That's terrible. Alu only last a few hours. I guess I won't be giving this one a try then.
mikeler
Moderator
One of my favorite polys but only the 2nd best from Tier One for this player:
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/mikelers-polys.373884/
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/mikelers-polys.373884/
Matto
New User
I just played with it for the first time this morning. There probably is a lot of recency bias in what I am about to say.
I strung the 17G in my Vcore 97 310 at 48/45. I did have one issue when I was tying off the bottom cross. The string ripped off before I finished tying it. I still had enough string to tie a good knot. I know this issue has a lot more to do with the user that the string. I just want to give you an idea of how soft it is. I will be more aware of this next time.
I played a near perfect set and a half. I have not played with Alu power. I can compare it to Solinco Revolution, which is my favorite of the Solinco strings. Both BK and Revolution are hexagonal shaped strings. However, the vertices on Rev are sharper. Without reading the package detail I would have thought BK was round. BK's coating is quite slick. I was just using Yonex PTP right before this and would say the coating is slicker than that. I have only used it for an hour so I will have to see how long that last.
Overall it was a very comfortable string. BK seems similar to revolution in term of trajectory, spin, and power. From the first hit, I was able to swing out fully as well as spin short angles off the court. The difference is that BK seems to have a crisper more direct feel.
I strung the 17G in my Vcore 97 310 at 48/45. I did have one issue when I was tying off the bottom cross. The string ripped off before I finished tying it. I still had enough string to tie a good knot. I know this issue has a lot more to do with the user that the string. I just want to give you an idea of how soft it is. I will be more aware of this next time.
I played a near perfect set and a half. I have not played with Alu power. I can compare it to Solinco Revolution, which is my favorite of the Solinco strings. Both BK and Revolution are hexagonal shaped strings. However, the vertices on Rev are sharper. Without reading the package detail I would have thought BK was round. BK's coating is quite slick. I was just using Yonex PTP right before this and would say the coating is slicker than that. I have only used it for an hour so I will have to see how long that last.
Overall it was a very comfortable string. BK seems similar to revolution in term of trajectory, spin, and power. From the first hit, I was able to swing out fully as well as spin short angles off the court. The difference is that BK seems to have a crisper more direct feel.
TennisManiac
Hall of Fame
Thank you
alidisperanza
Hall of Fame
Left my BK frame in the hot car for 3 days to see if I could "kill" the string bed. Still played great, still has plenty of snap back.
alidisperanza
Hall of Fame
Finally cut it out after about 10h plus intentional temperature abuse. Still more than serviceable as a hitting stick but not quite match worthy. Notching was at a surprising minimum for the 1.28.
I am using BK as my cross. Playing blade 98S CV, 47-Hyper G as main and 46-BK as cross.. I’ve been playing with this setup for over a year now.. usually it will last me 3 weeks but after that I can feel now really feel the tension lost.. sometimes it’s good depending on the weather (hot/cold). Lots of spin and easy on the arm. Can feel the ball more compared to other hybrid I’ve tried. I usually will test a new setup during off season (winter), current testing wholesalenaturalgut 54-mains and hyper-g 47-cross.. liking the later setup as well due to more power but less on spin, next I will be testing it reverse if I can get the spin back as my initial setup with hyper-g/bk..
Overall, at the moment I still prefer my initial setup for match play...
Overall, at the moment I still prefer my initial setup for match play...
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
Review in my thread, 2nd to last string reviewed.
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/jollys-polys.611354/
J
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/jollys-polys.611354/
J
ckhirnigs113
Rookie
Any comparisons between Black Knight 1.23 and 1.28? Is tension maintenance any better with 1.28?
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
J
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
I've only played the 1.28 but it was very different from the beginning to the end.
It was a little too boardy in the beginning but once I put a bit of a whooping on it it settled in nicely.
I strung it at 50# in an 18x20 MP.
J
ckhirnigs113
Rookie
I have a set of 1.23 that came from a Tier One variety pack, so I’ll be trying that first. I think I’ll go mid to high 40’s. I’ll order a set of 1.28 too as well as the new Ghost Wire to try out as well. I used Yonex Ai98’s which are 16x19 but rather dense in the sweetspot (8 mains in the throat).
I tried FireWire Boost and liked it, but my normal setup feels better overall. I use guy/poly in my two main sticks and poly or poly/syn gut in my third “wet weather” racquet. I’d be ok with finding a poly that played comfortably enough and consistently enough to make the switch from gut/poly. I string for myself but still require more that 4-6 hours usable string life. I’m hoping Black Knight fits my needs.
I tried FireWire Boost and liked it, but my normal setup feels better overall. I use guy/poly in my two main sticks and poly or poly/syn gut in my third “wet weather” racquet. I’d be ok with finding a poly that played comfortably enough and consistently enough to make the switch from gut/poly. I string for myself but still require more that 4-6 hours usable string life. I’m hoping Black Knight fits my needs.
ckhirnigs113
Rookie
@TierOneSportsOfficial Have any of you tried Black Knight mains and Ghost Wire crosses? "Black Knight Boost" if you will. I imagine it would play slightly spinnier/softer than a full bed of Black Knight. If you guys have tried it and found Black Knight to play more predictably in a full bed that would be good info to have!
Matto
New User
I played with the 1.23mm in my Vcore pro. You will be good in the mid to high 40s. Black Knight plays very predictably. It is a soft control oriented string. As a comparison with Firewire and Firewire Boost. I could not tell where a small percentage of my shots were going. The Boost is slightly better than FW but BK is the most playable and predictable of the bunch.
I normal play BK in a full set up. This past month I tried it in the cross with a gut main hoping for a little more easy power. I am actually not a huge fan of gut strings. I have tried it a number times and have never really gelled with it. However, with the BK it was something I could use. The BK started chipping off and finally broke around 15hrs. The gut mains were still in really good shape.
Whether you play full bed or gut you get definitely get some usable hrs with it. The BK is kind of amazing how long it last. In a full bed, I get around 10 hrs on it. Only cutting it out if I'm getting bored. Like J said, the feeling is a little boardy at first but breaks in quite well and maintains playable feeling for a while.
I normal play BK in a full set up. This past month I tried it in the cross with a gut main hoping for a little more easy power. I am actually not a huge fan of gut strings. I have tried it a number times and have never really gelled with it. However, with the BK it was something I could use. The BK started chipping off and finally broke around 15hrs. The gut mains were still in really good shape.
Whether you play full bed or gut you get definitely get some usable hrs with it. The BK is kind of amazing how long it last. In a full bed, I get around 10 hrs on it. Only cutting it out if I'm getting bored. Like J said, the feeling is a little boardy at first but breaks in quite well and maintains playable feeling for a while.
1990's Graphite
Hall of Fame
ckhirnigs113
Rookie
Sounds good. I think I’ll try it full bed first at 48/46. I’ll report back after trying it out.
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
Going through this Black Knight at a rapid pace.
Is everybody else breaking crosses?
@TierOneSportsOfficial
J
Is everybody else breaking crosses?
@TierOneSportsOfficial
J
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
Black Knight 17G 1.23
@22/21kg (48/46) in an Angell TC100 V3
The first hitting session with this string was two hours and it played exactly like I wanted, low to moderate power level, good spin, great arm comfort. Could really swing out without the fear of overhitting. Afterwards I did understand why this string is marketed towards players with a higher level because you need to make full swings to make this string work otherwise the balls will fly long and lazy footwork will be punished.
During the next hitting session the strings didn't feel as crisp anymore and it felt that it generated less spin and that the power level increased which made some balls fly long. I played with this stringbed a couple of times after this session and it felt the same for all those sessions so tension maintenance looks good after the first session. If I had money to spare I would play with a fresh strung bed of this string everytime but that is unfortunately not the case.
Black Knight 16G 1.28
@22/21kg (48/46) in an Angell TC100 V3
After reading some reviews here on the forum I hoped that thicker version of this string would give me the feeling that I had during the first hitting session of the 17G but then for a longer time. That's why I strung it at the same tension. At this tension it was unplayable for me. It was really difficult to generate any spin and the power level was way too low so most of my balls were sitting ducks for my opponent. After a couple of sessions I restrung it with a lower tension.
Black Knight 16G 1.28
@20,5/19,5kg (45/43) in an Angell TC100 V3
At this tension it felt much better and the spin and power increased however I noticed that it made my shoulder sore. I do have a sensitive shoulder/arm and it was reason enough for me to stop playing with string.
@22/21kg (48/46) in an Angell TC100 V3
The first hitting session with this string was two hours and it played exactly like I wanted, low to moderate power level, good spin, great arm comfort. Could really swing out without the fear of overhitting. Afterwards I did understand why this string is marketed towards players with a higher level because you need to make full swings to make this string work otherwise the balls will fly long and lazy footwork will be punished.
During the next hitting session the strings didn't feel as crisp anymore and it felt that it generated less spin and that the power level increased which made some balls fly long. I played with this stringbed a couple of times after this session and it felt the same for all those sessions so tension maintenance looks good after the first session. If I had money to spare I would play with a fresh strung bed of this string everytime but that is unfortunately not the case.
Black Knight 16G 1.28
@22/21kg (48/46) in an Angell TC100 V3
After reading some reviews here on the forum I hoped that thicker version of this string would give me the feeling that I had during the first hitting session of the 17G but then for a longer time. That's why I strung it at the same tension. At this tension it was unplayable for me. It was really difficult to generate any spin and the power level was way too low so most of my balls were sitting ducks for my opponent. After a couple of sessions I restrung it with a lower tension.
Black Knight 16G 1.28
@20,5/19,5kg (45/43) in an Angell TC100 V3
At this tension it felt much better and the spin and power increased however I noticed that it made my shoulder sore. I do have a sensitive shoulder/arm and it was reason enough for me to stop playing with string.
408tennisguy
Semi-Pro
Just yesterday i broke a cream 17g cross with a 17g tier one firewire main. 50lbs for bothGoing through this Black Knight at a rapid pace.
Is everybody else breaking crosses?
@TierOneSportsOfficial
J
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