C4 NEW BLADES (T700 HT Vgr series)!!!

[spaghetti]

Amazing. Italian company C4 is preparing to launch a totally new series of all carbon fins, called VGR, with four models:
C4 Flap VGR
C4 Falcon VGR
C4 Mustang VGR
C4 Fuego VGR (which seems will replace the Superfalcon).

The new features are both in the water rails (VGR: "variable geometry rails") but mostly in the blades, which will be made of a better type of Carbon (Carbonio T700 HT, "high tensile"), which is said to be much more durable and snappy than the previous. Blades will be 100% carbon of this improved quality.
Here's a presentation pic of the new fins:

[ulysses]

I get the feeling we are frequenting the same Italian forum

Cheers,
ulysses

[spaghetti]

Originally Posted by ulysses

I get the feeling we are frequenting the same Italian forum

Cheers,
ulysses

paisà, statt' citt'! acqua in bocca

[portinfer]

Any prices on them yet ? Does this mean that shops will be looking to 'get rid of' old stock at silly prices

Been thinking about getting carbon fins for a year or so now but having trouble deciding what to go for ...
Ed

[spaghetti]

well Ed these ones are not yet available, it's just a preview: the production is just about to start as far as I know.
(As for the silly prices of old stocks, well bah, I wish but I don't think they'll be so silly. Early this year, after C4 discontinued the Monoscocca spearguns, the prices of the remaing "Mono's" raised by 15-20% !!!).

[trux]

Originally Posted by spaghetti

... Blades will be 100% carbon (no more carbon+epoxy)...

Hmm, that's sounds really weird, if not unlikely. I believe pure carbon cloth sheet, without any material to keep together the fiber, would be rather soft (like any other textile). I cannot imagine there is no filling/gluing material used. I suspect it is some kind of misunderstanding.

Otherwise, interesting news! Looking forward to some tests and reviews.

[spaghetti]

Originally Posted by trux

Hmm, that's sounds really weird, if not unlikely. I believe pure carbon cloth sheet, without any material to keep together the fiber, would be rather soft (like any other textile). I cannot imagine there is no filling/gluing material used. I suspect it is some kind of misunderstanding.

Otherwise, interesting news! Looking forward to some tests and reviews.

Let's wait and see.
Could be there's some kind of misunderstanding about the "pure carbon and nothing esle" thing. Not my cup of tea, I must confess. But I'm quite sure it's not going to be any softer.
I've now asked a friend of mine who is a chemical engineer, and he says that this new T700 carbon is used for making racing bike forks as one of the toughest and tighest type of carbon fiber...

[trux]

Originally Posted by spaghetti

I've now asked a friend of mine who is a chemical engineer, and he says that this new T700 carbon is used for making racing bike forks as one of the toughest and tighest type of carbon fiber...

Yes, I believe that, but still cannot imagine that's only pure carbon cloth with no epoxy (or other material) to keep the fiber texture together and in the desired shape. Can you ask your friend about it?

I also wonder when we'll see fins made from carbon nanotubes instead of carbon fiber I guess the price would skyrocket at least ten folds

[spaghetti]

Originally Posted by trux

Yes, I believe that, but still cannot imagine that's only pure carbon cloth with no epoxy (or other material) to keep the fiber texture together and in the desired shape. Can you ask your friend about it?

I also wonder when we'll see fins made from carbon nanotubes instead of carbon fiber I guess the price would skyrocket at least ten folds

In facts Trux you were spot on and I'm a jackass. The "glueing" material is present to keep together the 100% carbon fiber (no fiberglass).
...
By now, a detail of the VG rails side view: cool, no doubt looks cool!

[twentytwomonk]

What's the difference between those and the rails on the original Mustangs? I thought those were already huge?

[trux]

Originally Posted by spaghetti

In facts Trux you were spot on and I'm a jackass. The "glueing" material is present to keep together the 100% carbon fiber (no fiberglass).
...
By now, a detail of the VG rails side view: cool, no doubt looks cool!

No, no jackass - we can't all know all the details about the technology. I thought that the claim about no epoxy at all came directly from C4 and was wondering what exactly it meant. After your explanation I understand now that they speak about 100% carbon cloth, with no glass fiber, and of a superior quality than previously. I wonder though if the current Flaps and Falcons are made of carbon/glass composit - I always believed they were 100% carbon too. I hope the C4 girl peeks in sooner or later with some info. Perhaps we should ping her by PM or email - if she does not come regularly and does not use RSS notification about C4 threads, there is little chance she spots this thread

As for the rails - I wonder how long they keep (the old ones) on your blades. I find them extremely thin and fragile, and lost practically all of them within few weeks of use. I though about getting rails from Breier, which are much more solid, but am not sure if it would not make the blade less flexible and responsive. Well, now I broke one blade anyway, so will have to decide whether I get a new C4, or rather other blades

[ulysses]

Originally Posted by portinfer

Does this mean that shops will be looking to 'get rid of' old stock at silly prices

Apparently: YES! => Pinne : Scubazar, Aquista qui la tua attrezzatura subacquea

Happy Shopping Ed

Cheers,
ulysses

[spaghetti]

Originally Posted by ulysses

Apparently: YES! => Pinne : Scubazar, Aquista qui la tua attrezzatura subacquea

Happy Shopping Ed

Cheers,
ulysses

wow, thanks Uly: that's news to me And the new Flap Vgr are available from today!

[twentytwomonk]

Hey Spaggers, did you ever get a set of the VTR 30's? If so, hoe'd they work out for you?

[Nata]

C4 girl is there

I'm sorry if I'll be confused and if I'll make grammar mistakes, but I just come back from 1 week hollyday in Santo Domingo, jetlag makes me confused...

Well, that's true, we have a new VGR series.
Those 4 new type of fins and blades have:
- new water rails VGR - variable geometry rails - Patent pending
- 100 % T700 carbon fiber

The T700 carbon fiber is a HT fiber ( hight tensile fiber). This is an important carachteristic for fins, because those are more resistant ( +40% ) than the others, but with the same flexure.

In attached there is a file that maybe can help you