win a ball from Bowling.com

Author Topic: Blade  (Read 18818 times)

admin

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1241
Blade
« on: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM »

Color: Blue/Yellow

Coverstock: Reactive

Core: 2-piece

Factory finish: Matte

Lane Conditions: Medium Oil

 

Gene J Kanak

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3005
Re: Blade
« Reply #16 on: March 01, 2003, 04:44:30 PM »
Was going to pick up the X-Factor Deuce but the pro shop guy told me that this one would be just as aggressive so, since I already love the Blade Pearl, I decided to get this Hammer into my arsenal as well. The ball is 15lbs, 2-3" pin, not sure of top. The ball is drilled 3-3/8" leverage, pin slightly above and right of ring finger, cg in line below, everything in strong position, box finish. Used the ball today in an event on the Amateur Bowlers Tour. Didn't start using it until game three of my first set, shot 234 with it out of the gate, +27 for the set. Decided to bowl another set since I liked the look it gave me on the lanes. Good move. Shot 280, 192, 211= +128 and a spot in the seminfials tomorrow. The shot was solid medium through the heads and midlane, clean backends, not sure how far down. The ball clears the heads nicely, starts reving up in the midlane and makes a great move on the backend. The ball does struggle a bit with carrydown, but finding more dry, turning it harder or using more axis rotation helps fight that. The carry with this one is great. Not enough games to give a true rating but it sure seems like a 10 so far!

sluggo

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 9
Re: Blade
« Reply #17 on: March 20, 2003, 09:31:50 AM »
Got this ball about 2 months ago. At first I could not figure out how to score with it. The guy in the pro shop said to give it a few weeks to "track in". I never had to do that with any other equipment, but I was willing to give it a chance. Ball is drilled with the pin in the medium flare position according to the Hammer drill specs. the C.G. is in the C position for medium roll. There is no real track visible on the surface, but the ball is definitely rolling better now. Very predictable reaction which has allowed me to make more spares. It seems to carry light hits better than any ball I have ever used. I am a lefty and light hits usually equal 7 pin. The pin I leave the most now is a 6 pin. That is much easier to make than the 7. Carry of any pocket shot is the best I have ever had. I can play up the second arrow or swing it out from the 3rd or 4th arrow out to the gutter and get excellent results.  Overall an excellent ball for the price. Equipment like this makes you wonder why anyone would pay the premium price some of the balls sell for. I have used the overpriced Lane 1 duds and some higher end Columbia, Ebonite and Storm equipment and this is equal to or even better than balls that cost twice as much. SO save your money and get a Blade, you won't regret it.  Overall rating 10.

all55

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 20
Re: Blade
« Reply #18 on: April 25, 2003, 07:12:38 PM »
this balls got all the shots!!
i threw my high series of the year a 781 a cold 8 pin blew my 800 and 300
in the last game that is my only complaint it hooks and keeps hooking i even had to polish the piss out of it oh ya hammer has a damn fat ass!!!

stormfanken

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 141
Re: Blade
« Reply #19 on: June 27, 2003, 11:55:18 PM »
Bought the Hammer Blade recently, I had heard about how it was just as good as the x-factor deuce and what great backend it has. I am sorry to report that for me this is completely untrue. For me the ball starts to hook but never really makes any kind of a flip on the backend. I am going to try polish this thing in hopes of getting a little more length and some backend flip. I also purchased the Blade Pearl but have not thrown that one yet.....I just hope that I am not as disappointed in that one as I am this one

G_Dawg

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 1
Re: Blade
« Reply #20 on: September 19, 2003, 01:50:05 PM »
This ball is GREAT, hooks so much I can't use it in many leagues around here. I put down a hard pattern, 20 units of oil gutter to gutter, 50 feet down, boy was that tough, this ball barely worked, need a particle ball for that. All around great ball for medium heavy oil, and maybe medium if you go DEEP, perfect roll, nice and smooth, no hops skips or jumps.
--------------------
G_Dawg In the House

Deadbait

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 53
Re: Blade
« Reply #21 on: October 03, 2003, 04:37:36 AM »
This ball is great if drilled tame.  5 x 5 or so.   Maybe 4 x 5.  Lot of easy revs, long arc.  Needs oil or shined if medium or dryer.   Up the back type bowlers will love this one if tweaked to match up.

The Lurker

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 3
Re: Blade
« Reply #22 on: November 30, 2003, 07:59:48 PM »
I got the Blade this past summer at the lanes where I helped install some new syntehtic lanes (can we say freebie!!!). I have it drilled just as in the BTM review for a stroker.

The ball started off to be very hard to figure out. I didn't have to try and make it hook it just did. I would either hook it too much or it would burn up and roll out. Well now I have it figured out! p.s. I love it!

My regular line was not working for me, standing at 20 and trowing up ten is my saftey game and I move from there. I have found that the ball for my game works best moving farther in and throwing over the tird arrow out and breaking at 8.

The ball rolls extremely well. The way the ball is colored helps me figure out if I messed up at the release. It's easy to read the side roll and rev rate. I reads the mids extremely well and doesn't get caught up in the heads. Once it does get to the mids it will be easy to tell what it do at the break point. If you throw it well it will not exactly flip, but it will just turn hard and kinda pimp slap the pins (it was like an extra little move in the back end right before entry into the pocket).

The ball reved up nicely for me and has become a bench mark ball for me to figure out the lanes. The tell tale sign to put it away for me is what it does in the mids. If the ball will not push out to 8 for me after a couple of moves, but still has some back end I go to my polished pearl ball (Stinger 2-piece). If it goes out to 8 but doesn't make a move or a weak move then I go to my V2 particle.

The hit on the ball is awesome. Solid pocket hit, sound like a hammer cracking a cinder block in half. Light hit also carry well. I don't go left of the head pin much with it, but sometime the ball will go to high and tend to leave the 3-6-10 and the 3-6-9-10. Not so many corner leaves but I have seen more stone 9's with it.

I think the ball is comparable in hit to the Monster SmashR (one of the hardest hitting balls I have seen, the Blade has it beat or just even), but the move is more predictable and not as early.

I have not been as impressed with a ball since I first threw the Stinger 2-Piece pearl (my favorite ball). Just an awesome ball that lives up to the "Nothing Hit Like a Hammer" mantra.

-The Lurker
--------------------
Consistantly inconsistant.
Consistantly inconsistant.

Postel

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 9
Re: Blade
« Reply #23 on: December 18, 2003, 03:33:35 PM »
Have this ball drilled 6 3/4 w/1000 grit, at 15 lb.  

Ball rolls so smooth that it couldn't miss.  I wanted a ball to roll very smooth and still have some sort have control and this ball was recommended w/this drilling so it would do what I had asked.  

First of 2 Hammer products for me and probably won't be my last.
--------------------
That is all,

Postel

river rat

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 3
Re: Blade
« Reply #24 on: February 02, 2004, 06:49:05 PM »
Picked this ball up first week of January.  My previous ball was an original Blue Hammer.  Before that I threw THE ANGLE.  I actually averaged 200 with that ANGLE back in 1989. (When averaging 200 meant something).  Not now- when I see  seventeen year-old's shooting 300's and 700's after bowling for four years.  O.K. back to my review.  

This is my first "high tech" ball.  Told the guy who drilled it my bowling style and he drilled her up for me.  First night I threw a 716 with it.  The next two weeks were 646-625.  Originally did not have thumb plug put in.  Had driller guy put one in on 625 night.  This past week I threw a 780.  My first game was a 203 and I left five ten pins.  I then proceeded to throw 22 of my next 24 balls for strikes, 17 in a row at one point.  279 second game followed by a 298.  All this from a guy who had never strung more than seven in a row and never even had a sniff of a 300 game or 800 series.  Is it the man or the ball.  Of course, I love this ball and look forward to bowling every week now.  If you used to use Hammer products, go back to them, they got something.

PS-average with OLD BLUE was 198- 230 for one month with THE BLADE.  In reality, if your throwing at your home lanes, I would say averaging 220-230 in this day and age would be comparable to a 200 average 15 years ago. So don't chest thump if your average is around 200 with all this new ball technology.

PSS- I can shoot spares too. (unlike these young guy's who are spoiled by these balls) THE RAT.

g_thing

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 10
Re: Blade
« Reply #25 on: October 11, 2004, 12:34:43 AM »
Yet another overdue review.  I had 3 of these, though nothing quite felt like the first one.  Actually, one I traded off in part for the Big Blue Solid and the other I did drill up.  Different drilled could be the result though.

Overall, I loved this ball.  Though it wasn't my oil ball, it did handle the oil, just from a different line.  Most of the time I played somewhere around 18 out to 10 or so.  If needed, ball played just fine straight up 5 or so.

The one thing that I loved, and hated, about the ball was the backend.  I found the ball easy to handle most of the conditions.  The only one I had issues with was the carry down as once this was able to grab, the snap was too much at times and being past the break, many a washout was the result.  That's when it was time to be put down for a little while.

Never really played with the cover either.  Matte finish on the ball was perfectly suited for what I was dealing with.  Now, I just wish I could get another one that felt good.  This review is based on what I had for 16lb.  Need a 15lb now!!

Overall, great ball!!  Loved it...and still do.
Forgiveness is Divine.....but revenge is the most satisfying way to resolve the issue!!

BallReviews.com.....going down the toilet....one nugget at a time!!

"In the Bowling Alley of Tomorrow, there will even be machines that wear rental shoes and throw the ball for you. Your sole function will be to drink beer." - Dave Barry

As sirhookalot says...."keep hookin it, and stop acting like me....I mean a jag off"

bOwLiNgPiMp243

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 24
Re: Blade
« Reply #26 on: November 26, 2004, 04:03:53 PM »
Eh....For slower ball speeds...But is a good start out ball
Lane Conditions: Medium-Heavy Oil
Typical Conditions: House Shot
Type of Lane: All Synthetic
What part of the lane did you play? Second Arrow
Did the ball track out? Normal
Weight of bowling ball: 13
Surface of bowling ball: Sanded
What grit was the surface of the ball? 800
Likes: This was my first start out ball and it did me well as my first hook ball, it got me some good scores....
Dislikes: Not for high speeds, good for slower speeds

IT WAS OKAY!

storm killer

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 1
Re: Blade
« Reply #27 on: March 02, 2005, 02:07:53 AM »
Great ball, the first set i bowled with this ball bowled a 660. then i bowled 2 more games and threw 214 and 205. had a 215.6 avg over my 1st 5 games with it. when I hit a little light it carried........when i hit a little high it carried....over all nice ball.  stick a few 10 pins and seven's once in awhile but as long as u can pick them up no biggie!!!!!



 also I am a stroker that throws from 10 out to 5 and back to head pin.

BR Likes Giant Coc

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Re: Blade
« Reply #28 on: October 16, 2005, 03:00:13 AM »
I just got this ball. Around 4" span. Not sure of the specific specs, i got it from a friend for free and didnt get the fingers fixed. First two games i bowled at my home alley, along the 9th board, 173 and 171. go to my next home alley, and throw 221, 178, 167, 158, 183. GREAT ball for strokers and in & out. I love this ball. i encourage ANYONE to get this ball. It is completely adjustable and it just cuts the pins like a BLADE.

supermotoman

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 2
Re: Blade
« Reply #29 on: December 10, 2005, 10:38:01 AM »
I purchased the 14# Blade about 3 years ago as a beginner ball. My local pro shop owner recommended it. Until the time of purchase, I had thrown a house ball. The Blade made it a pleasure to learn the hook method. First arrow straight and it HOOKS HARD into the pocket with the signature Hammer hit. An occasional 10 pin, but that happens with about any ball, right?  The ball has a long life span as long as you keep it clean. The OOB finish is fine for medium / heavy conditions on synthetic lanes. I polished it once to throw at a house with wood lanes and light / medium oil. The OOB finish was slightly strong for wood. The Blade does not have to be a beginner ball. I have observed veteran bowlers using this ball with much success. Even though it is now discontinued by Hammer, it can be purchased as the "Switch Blade." The Switch Blade is the SAME ball with factory polish. Just knock off the polish and you have the original in a cool new color! This was confirmed by Brian Graham of Hammer/Ebonite. I have now retired the Blade after 250 games plus. I always recommend the Blade series to anyone inquiring. The price is low and scores are high. What else can you ask for in a ball?

Kerns the bowler

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 5
Re: Blade
« Reply #30 on: February 21, 2007, 11:12:02 AM »
I do not no the drill pattern or pin placement i do no that it is 15 pounds and it is a great ball for oil pattern i have shot a 277 and 287 game with it and 684 this ball is the first ball out of my bage every time i bowl