What do you do if your shuttles are of the wrong speed--either too fast or too slow for your local conditions during a tournament and you have no time to change your stock?

The shuttles should then be "tipped" in such a way that their speed would be either increased or decreased. Please note I am writing this from the officials' point of view.

How do you tip?

Well, tip outwards to slow down the speed. Tip inwards to increase the speed.

What exactly do you mean by tip?

Bend the tip of the feathers either inwards or outwards.

What's the procedure?

There is no standard procedure but trial and error over the years point to the following. If the shuttles are found to be too fast, then begin by tipping only one in four feathers (i.e., four in every 16 feathers) should be tipped outwards in an attempt to slow the shuttle down to an acceptable speed. If that is still to fast then one in every two feathers should be tipped if necessary. Please note that the game is for the players and therefore every effort under the circumstances must be made to modify the shuttles to meet their specifications and for the matches to be conducted.

What is the 'tipping method' if the shuttles were found to be too slow? How can a shuttle be speeded up?

If tipping outwards slows down the shuttles, then the reverse, tipping inwards will speed up the shuttles.

Is there any method to ensure consistency in feather tipping?

You need to ensure the tipping is consistent in terms of

Length of the feather to be tipped
To what degree (angle) inwards or outwards to tip
How many feathers to tip

In the absence of specific IBF instructions, all the above is a matter of trial-and-error. However, there are certain procedures that can significantly reduce variations.

The length of the feather tip to be bent could be specified-5.0 mm from the tip is suggested. To ensure absolute consistency, a commercially available broad tweezer with a pincer grip should be used or the IBF can actually have a standard tweezer for every tournament Umpire to be used in case of an emergency. Please note that the present practice of using the fingers and thumbs can be a rather painful experience at the end of a long day.

It is virtually impossible to ensure that the angles of the bents are similar in each feather. However, a good rule of thumb is to bend the feather till the shaft snaps but not till it is broken. The feather so tipped will not return to its former "untipped" position. There is a discernible "crack" that can be felt. Experience shows that this method produces the most consistent angles, whether inwards or outwards.

It is suggested that initially one (1) in four (4) feathers should be tipped. If these do not produce the desired results, then one (1) in two (2) feathers should be tipped.

The bottom line is, always ensure you get the right shuttle speed for your local conditions so as to avoid these problem.