switching back to wood

[pondchief 2]

I recently purchased a sherwood PMPX 90something wooden stick as a backup for 30 bucks. Wouldnt you know it my Easton stealth shattered into pieces a couple days later so I grabbed my backup and finished the rest of the game which was only a couple minutes. A week went by and i forgot all about buying a new stick and used the woody for a whole game for the first time in prob 11 years and I actually liked it. Catching passes and battling for pucks is the most noticable diffrence, and my shot is just as good if not better. When going into a corner with a tree branch in your hand against someone that can barely tell if they are holding a stick or not it seems like you can just lift theyre stick like nothing and take the puck. All my freinds say Im crazy but when you think about it none of us have used a wood stick in so long that they prob dont know if they like it or not. So what do all you think I say we make a push for wood to come back.

[Souldriver 64]

You could also try a 2 piece with a wood blade.

[strosedefence34 175]

I always opt for the $100 price point OPS. When the RSII came out the guy at my LHS let me jump on a team order and pick up some for $150 each and aside from hating the pattern I could not stand how light the stick was. My one .6 falls around 525g compared to about just over 400g. So I know what you mean when you talk about the weight factor.

[bunnyman666 445]

Wood is good, fo shizzizzle.

While I haven't tried an all-wood stick since 1988, I prefer wood blades.

Sher Wood is making good, wooden sticks, then?

[Law Goalie 147]

If you want to add weight to a shaft/blade *and* make it more durable, just fill it (or have it filled) with urethane foam. That's what goalie companies do with foam-core paddles (both wood and composite), and it works just fine, though it will mess up the flex of the stick (read: stiffen it unpredictably).

Alternatively, for weight alone, just push a block of silly putty in to the point at which you want to add weight.

There's been a suggestion from someone who would know (makes masks, boats, and planes out of composites) that even two more layers of fibreglass on a shaft at key points would dramatically reduce breakage from shots and slashes, so you might be able to add a little sleeve or slash-guard yourself.

[stevelknievel 51]

I've been considering going to a wood stick if for nothing else to save some coin while I'm trying to find my ideal curve.

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

Wrong forum to post this in. Moving to right one.

[donkers 31]

I always keep a couple 5030's lying around the house.

[bunnyman666 445]

There's been a suggestion from someone who would know (makes masks, boats, and planes out of composites) that even two more layers of fibreglass on a shaft at key points would dramatically reduce breakage from shots and slashes, so you might be able to add a little sleeve or slash-guard yourself.

It depends on what type of mat you are using. Most of the product you would see at the DIY stores and Autozone would take many layers to reduce breakage. But an aircraft supplier would be the best place to go for that stuff, as well as a boat repair supplier.

You could conceivably stiffen it up with balsa wood and an expanding glue, tough it would be stupid heavy. Again- flex would end up in the 250's. Conversely, when I built bicycle frames and I had a wacky shape, it too FAR less carbon material to make a rideable bicycle when I used a foam core. I am surprised that there aren't foam core player sticks (the entire stick, not the blade). Maybe there are and I am unaware.

I've never built a mask or helmet (yet).

[Chadd 916]

It depends on what type of mat you are using. Most of the product you would see at the DIY stores and Autozone would take many layers to reduce breakage. But an aircraft supplier would be the best place to go for that stuff, as well as a boat repair supplier.

You could conceivably stiffen it up with balsa wood and an expanding glue, tough it would be stupid heavy. Again- flex would end up in the 250's. Conversely, when I built bicycle frames and I had a wacky shape, it too FAR less carbon material to make a rideable bicycle when I used a foam core. I am surprised that there aren't foam core player sticks (the entire stick, not the blade). Maybe there are and I am unaware.

I've never built a mask or helmet (yet).

I may have to go down to the hangar and see what they have laying around.

A foam core shaft is going to weigh a lot more than a hollow one. I don't think manufacturers see enough benefit to make up for the increase in weight.

[bunnyman666 445]

I may have to go down to the hangar and see what they have laying around.

A foam core shaft is going to weigh a lot more than a hollow one. I don't think manufacturers see enough benefit to make up for the increase in weight.

Certainly a cored shaft would weigh more than a hollow one. The only benefit with a core I could see is making a super-tapered stick, and that would probably be unusable for 99/100 players. Also, that "pop" would probably be absent from a cored stick.

I think you'd find some useful stuff. West Systems epoxy would be an excellent product to laminate the fibreglass. And you could compact it with electrical tape with holes in it. Just sand with 80 grit paper before and clean with MEK.

[pondchief 2]

bunnyman666 the exact stick im talking about is the sherwood pmpx9950. I ordered two of them and they are both very good sticks. Im sure they are made in estonia or somewhere, but im planning on ordering more of them. I also heard of the company Boa hockey who are the only people in the US or Canda to stick produce wood sticks.

[TeamHonda401 54]

Eleven hockey still produces wood sticks in the US.

http://www.elevenhockey.com/

[Souldriver 64]

Some of the best wood sticks are the ones that were hybrids and had fiberglass or abs to mightn it. The koho bullet was one of them, the shaft had less wood and was bound on each side with the plastics and the blade had a wood bottom for feel and the top half was the plastics. They were about $30-40 bucks but it was a good stick imho.

[Chadd 916]

Certainly a cored shaft would weigh more than a hollow one. The only benefit with a core I could see is making a super-tapered stick, and that would probably be unusable for 99/100 players. Also, that "pop" would probably be absent from a cored stick.

I think you'd find some useful stuff. West Systems epoxy would be an excellent product to laminate the fibreglass. And you could compact it with electrical tape with holes in it. Just sand with 80 grit paper before and clean with MEK.

Usually we just use speed tape

[quinton1 4]

Love the feel of wood sticks, I just go through them way to fast.

Last time I bought 2 woodies and broke both them both them within two games,

Just not worth the money for me.

If I was rich, then yes wood forsure! But definitely getting more into 2 pieces now that I have tried them!

Love the feel of wood sticks, I just go through them way to fast.

Last time I bought 2 woodies and broke both them both them within two games,

Just not worth the money for me.

If I was rich, then yes wood forsure! But definitely getting more into 2 pieces now that I have tried them!

[flip12 699]

bunnyman666 the exact stick im talking about is the sherwood pmpx9950. I ordered two of them and they are both very good sticks. Im sure they are made in estonia or somewhere, but im planning on ordering more of them. I also heard of the company Boa hockey who are the only people in the US or Canda to stick produce wood sticks.

Last 5030's I saw in person were made in Ukraine, which made me happy.

I've thought about Boa sticks or blades for customs until I can afford to pay for a composite mould fee. The Boas look like they're essentially Christian's old diamond weave blades, which were the only woodies I really liked.

[zebra_steve 11]

When I last used wood sticks, they were primarily KOHO Pro Fibers and I was going through almost 2 dozen a year. I liked them better than the Aluminum or Composite 2 piece when I got a good dozen but there would always be a several that were stiffer or weaker than I liked, or the blade construction was a bit off. I torched and custom bent every blade so I paid attention to the blade construction but the bend and twist definitely shortened the blade life. I seldom broke the shafts (I still have some that show a bend from flexing them)... the blades either broke or went soft. I finally went composite 2 piece in the 90's and concentrated on getting good blades and at one point I considered doing a custom blade pattern.

Now, I don't play much, and the majority of my time on the ice with a stick is done while coaching so whatever twig I grab will work. I have gone out with all composite, all wood, wood\glass lam, aluminum and composite 2 piece with both wood and composite blades. I think that I probably try to use wood blades if I were playing regularly just for the feel of them...

[Neo5370 132]

Wanted to wait a little before I added to this topic because over the last month I've transitioned back to wood and after the first two weeks, I was convinced I would NEVER go back to a composite....maybe a shaft/wood blade combo...but never composite. Another two weeks later, and the honey moon phase is over, BUT, I am now convinced I will always look at wood for my first option for stick/blade purchases. I've jumped in the time machine and I'm not coming back.

For me, puck control is 100% easier, and at my skill level (low rec), OPS's improved my shooting only marginally. The confidence I gain from being able to hold onto the puck longer more than makes up for the weaker shot as I am more confident in maneuvering myself into a better shooting or passing position. In essence I gained more vision (awareness?) since puck handling requires less concentration. Just my opinion. YMMV.

Another benefit is finding my preferred curve isn't much of a problem since I can torch/bend and experiment. The downside though, and it's a big one, is that finding my preferred flex and lie is tricky. Weight is not an issue. I "trick" my muscles into thinking a stick is light by stick handling for a while w/ two sticks at the same time.

[Souldriver 64]

here is a thought. for you guys going back to wood, how old were you and how developed were your skills when you went to composite? i would find it interesting for those of you that went back to wood for the feel and now have gotten better at that skill to go back to composite and see if it helped with the comp stick. maybe it is some feel and maybe the wood helped you retrain your confidence and peripheral vision.
not saying either would be better it would be interesting from an experimental standpoint.

[donkers 31]

Used wood until I was 14 ('02) then switched to composite. I used wood for a span of maybe 2 months a little bit ago but went back to composite because my snap shot was terrible with wood sticks.

[Neo5370 132]

here is a thought. for you guys going back to wood, how old were you and how developed were your skills when you went to composite? i would find it interesting for those of you that went back to wood for the feel and now have gotten better at that skill to go back to composite and see if it helped with the comp stick. maybe it is some feel and maybe the wood helped you retrain your confidence and peripheral vision.

not saying either would be better it would be interesting from an experimental standpoint.

[Neo5370 132]

I only started using OPS's (SE16's) consistently around Oct. 2010. Been playing recreationally since 1994. However, I began playing significantly more in 2010 (hence the investment in high end OPS's). Your suggestion is interesting. I'll try to do some more comparisons at stick-and-puck this weekend.

[Souldriver 64]

well for me a lot of us switched to Comps when we were still getting used to things so our sense of feel hadnt been developed or at least not for our grown bodies. going back to wood or practicing with wood may give some a sense of feel they may not have had and it would be interesting to see if that stays with them if they switch back or not.

[Neo5370 132]

well for me a lot of us switched to Comps when we were still getting used to things so our sense of feel hadnt been developed or at least not for our grown bodies. going back to wood or practicing with wood may give some a sense of feel they may not have had and it would be interesting to see if that stays with them if they switch back or not.

I see. Then I probably couldn't tell you if there's a "real" difference as I grew up w/ wood. Even in the '90's when shafts/blades were the most prevalent, I could never really afford to try many composite blades. In fact, I can count how many comp blades I had on one hand; an Easton Ultra-Lite Graphite, a 2nd gen Easton Z-Tac, a Franklin Air-Core (the model below the top-end kevlar one), and a 2nd gen Easton Easton Z-Carbon (w/ the silver hosel).