OSP-FL
Flared handle
The lower part widens toward the end of the handle, helping the grip settle into the palm and reducing the tendency to slip during forceful strokes.
Common choice for: all-round and offensive play
FROM THE WORKSHOP
Handcrafted table tennis blade handles: shape, fit and function
A table tennis blade handle is not a decorative attachment. It is the part through which the player controls the blade, senses its balance and receives much of its vibration feedback. Its dimensions, contour, material and connection to the blade all influence how securely and naturally the racket sits in the hand.
I have designed and shaped table tennis blade handles for more than two decades. During that time I have made standard models, individual adaptations and fully custom handles for players with very different hands, grips and playing styles. The observations on this page come from that workshop experience, from documented orders and from player and coach feedback.
WRITEN FROM PRACTICE
Róbert Palatinus
Master craftsman and table tennis blade maker
This guide explains what I consider when selecting or adapting a handle: handle shape, neck geometry, palm support, material, balance, surface finish and the player's way of holding the racket.
DOCUMENTED WORKSHOP EXPERIENCE
What more than twenty years of orders show
70%
Popularity does not make one handle universally better than another. It does show which forms accommodate the widest range of players. The final choice should still be based on hand size, grip habit, forehand–backhand transition, wrist use, balance preference and the demands of the player's game.
Approximately seventy percent of the catalogue and custom blades we have made left the workshop with a
flared handle. Squared straight accounts for roughly fifteen percent; the remaining share is divided among
rounded straight, Palatinus straight, anatomic, conic and penhold forms.
HANDLE CONSTRUCTION
What determines the feel of a table tennis blade handle?
Shape and cross-section
Width and thickness alone do not define a handle. The cross-section, corner radius, side planes and longitudinal contour determine where pressure is carried by the fingers and palm.
Material and mass
Handle material changes total weight, balance point and vibration feedback. Density matters, but so do internal construction, glue lines, hollowing and the mass of the finished handle as a whole.
Neck and shoulder geometry
The transition between blade face and handle affects thumb support, index-finger position and the freedom to change grip. A small modification in this area can be felt more strongly than a larger change at the handle end.
Balance and hollowing
Reducing handle mass shifts the balance toward the blade head; a heavier handle moves it toward the hand. Hollowing is therefore not simply a method of reducing weight: it is a way of tuning the racket's balance.
Surface finish
A playing handle must remain secure when the hand becomes warm or damp. For this reason, I favour a finely finished matte or low-sheen gripping surface rather than a highly polished surface on areas held during play.
Handle-to-blade joint
The attachment must be precise, stable and symmetrical. This joint affects structural integrity and the way vibration travels into the hand, even though it is largely invisible on a finished blade.
A historical example is the Stiga Ehrlich handle: hard wood was combined with drilled or hollowed construction and carefully shaped edges. The result demonstrates that handle material, mass distribution and form must be considered together, not as separate styling decisions.
HAND FINISHING
Why the final contour is still shaped by hand
Modern machining gives me accuracy and repeatability, but it does not decide the final feel of the handle. After machining, I refine the neck, shoulders, edges and palm area by hand. This is where a technically correct blank becomes a handle that feels coherent in the player's grip.
Hand finishing also allows me to assess transitions that are difficult to describe with a single dimension: whether an edge is too dominant, whether the thumb area closes the grip too early, or whether the palm support is present without restricting movement.
The goal is not to make every handle soft or rounded. The goal is to preserve the intended geometry while removing what does not belong there.
CHOOSING A HANDLE
How to choose the right table tennis blade handle
Begin with your established grip
A suitable handle should allow both a secure and a relaxed hold. It should not force the wrist into an unnatural position or make forehand–backhand transitions unnecessarily difficult.
Use measurements carefully
Length, width and thickness are useful, but they do not fully describe a three-dimensional grip. Photographs, drawings and a well-described reference handle are often just as important in custom work.
Consider the whole racket
Handle choice cannot be separated from blade weight, head size, balance and playing style. The same handle may feel different on a lighter defensive blade and on a heavier offensive construction.
Ask for adaptation only where it has a purpose
A custom handle should solve a real ergonomic or technical requirement. Sometimes one millimetre at the neck or a small change in palm swell is enough; a completely new form is not always the better answer.
“For beginners, the Squared Straight offers a clear and stable reference. For backhand-oriented players, the Conic shape leaves the wrist freer. For defenders who rotate the racket, the Rounded Straight supports a loose grip and smooth twiddling.”
István Szabó — my mentor, the coach who led ATSV Saarbrücken to the 1986 European Champions Cup with Jan-Ove Waldner in the team, and my son's coach for six years
STANDARD AND CUSTOM WORK
When is a custom table tennis handle worthwhile?
A standard handle is often the correct solution
Our standard forms already cover a broad range of hand sizes and playing styles. They are the result of long-term refinement, not generic catalogue shapes selected for convenience.
Custom work is justified by a specific need
Individual dimensions can help when a player has an established reference, unusual hand proportions, a particular grip, or a technical reason to change balance, neck geometry or palm support.
Before I build a custom handle, I review the requested dimensions and intended use. When a proposed detail would compromise comfort, strength or manufacturability, I discuss an alternative with the customer before production begins.
TECHNICAL QUESTIONS
Table tennis blade handle FAQ
The squared straight (SQst) gives the fingers a clear positional reference and can help a developing player maintain a stable grip. A flared handle is another sound starting point because it fits a wide range of all-round and offensive styles.
A flared handle widens toward its end and settles more firmly into the palm. A straight handle allows the hand to move and rotate the racket more freely, which is useful for defenders and players who twiddle.
Handle shape primarily changes grip, wrist freedom, balance perception and control of the racket. Handle material and mass can also change the actual balance point and the vibration feedback reaching the hand.
Not by itself. Hollowing reduces handle mass and shifts the balance toward the blade head. The racket may feel more head-heavy and dynamic, but speed is determined by the complete blade construction, not by the hollow handle alone.
In many cases, yes. Accurate measurements, photographs and a clear description of what should be preserved or changed are required. Because contour and cross-section matter as much as width and length, the reference must be assessed as a three-dimensional form.
Yes, provided the requested form can be made safely and remains structurally sound. I review the dimensions and intended grip before production and confirm the specification with the customer.
FROM EXPERIENCE
The handle should support the player's technique, not ask for attention
A well-designed handle does not need to advertise itself during play. It gives a secure reference, allows the necessary movement and lets the player concentrate on the ball. That quiet function is what I look for when I shape one.
No handle can replace training, timing or sound technique. It can, however, remove an unnecessary compromise between the hand and the blade.
CUSTOM – MADE BLADE PALATINUS BLADES PLAYERS FEEDBACK
