The Clipper, which Stiga now sells as Clipper Wood, is a seven-ply all-wood blade that Stiga first released in 1981. Stiga says it was developed in close collaboration with the Chinese national team and was used by Liu Guoliang as an active player.

Specifications

Figures are manufacturer and supplier data, cross-checked with a second published source (see the sources below). Brands use different rating scales, so compare numbers within a brand only. We have not run our own lab tests.

A heavy, thick all-wood blade

Seven plies make the Clipper thicker and stiffer than a five-ply blade. Stiga Japan lists it at about 6.5 mm and a standard weight of 92 g, and Tabletennis11 at 6.6 mm and about 95 g, so expect a solid, head-heavy feel once rubbers are on. Dandoy classes it as OFF with a hard feel; Tabletennis11 lists it as Off+.

What to expect

Stiga describes it as a blade for players who want extra power behind their strokes, and Tabletennis11 says it is fast enough to compete with offensive carbon blades while staying all-wood. In practice that means plenty of speed on drives, blocks and smashes close to the table, with the natural, longer feel of wood rather than the crisp rebound of carbon. Read our carbon vs all-wood guide if you are deciding between the two.

The weight question

The weight is the main thing to plan for. With two thick modern tensor rubbers the finished bat can feel heavy, so if weight matters to you, consider a thinner sponge or a lighter rubber on the backhand.

Rubber pairings

Hard European tensors such as Stiga Helix Platinum XH or Tibhar Evolution MX-P suit its power. Players who like a Chinese-style forehand often fit a tacky rubber like DHS Hurricane 3 Neo.

Who it suits

Intermediate to advanced attackers who drive and loop close to the table and want all-wood feel with near-carbon speed. Not a first blade for beginners.

Sources: Stiga (official) · Stiga Japan (official spec) · Dandoy Sports (supplier) · Tabletennis11 (supplier)