Thoughts on leverage and stick length and flex

[puckpilot 312]

I just got a new Super Tacks 2.0, and as I was playing around with it, it felt a bit stiff. So when I was in my local hockey story getting my skates sharpened, I decided to check out the same stick with a lighter flex. Since I use junior sticks, that meant going down from my usual 50 flex and sheepishly taking a 40 flex stick down to the shooting area.

As an employee taped up the blade so I could shoot, he took notice of the extremely light flex and gave me a funny look. So I had to once again share my big spiel on how junior flex sticks seem to fit me better.

That got me thinking about junior stick flex and I have this theory that I wanted to put out there and see what others thought. Hopefully, this isn’t too rambly and makes some sense.

When you cut a stick down, it technically doesn’t change the flex rating. What the stick is made of doesn’t change, just the amount of leverage a person has to be able to bend it does. The shorter something is the less leverage one has to bend it, so it feels stiffer. IMHO, that’s why taller people can use higher flex sticks more easily.

So intermediate sticks uncut are usually around 58” and they can range from 55 flex to 75 flex. 50 flex junior sticks are usually 52”. If I were to extend a 50 flex junior stick’s length to 58” it would still be a 50 flex stick, so there should only be a 5 flex difference between a 55 flex intermediate and a 50 flex junior.

So now, when you cut a stick down, the rule of thumb is that the stick will feel around 3-5 flex stiffer for each inch removed. So wouldn’t this mean that a 50 flex 52” junior stick should feel 18-30 flex stiffer than if it were a 58” long stick? And when compared to a 55 flex 58” intermediate, the 52” junior stick would feel like a 68-80 flex stick?

I know junior shafts are smaller, and I’m not sure if that factors in or not, but what does everyone think? Am I out to lunch on this?

[bnr032 11]

In theory what you are saying in the first part is correct. however, companies may use a different measuring points for the different sizes (jnr, intermed, snr) So the 2 fix points become closer on the smaller sized new sticks for the rating system. (we would need someone from a manufacturer to confirm)

When you extend a stick, you get more leverage on the original sticks flex, however even though minute, the flex of the extension can be also in play, as it will either flex more/less or the same as the rest of the stick - which can result it either more/less leverage .

but i also think what plays on stick flex rating numbers is i think different brands may measure differently (ie bauers 85 may not = ccms 85 but will be close).

 

[Kgbeast 195]

From what I understand, the flex is measured on the middle 36", so the flex number would represent the same thing, be it a 50" of 58" stick. So if you get 55flex 58" long stick and cut 8" off, it should feel the same as the 55flex  50" long from factory.

[Kgbeast 195]

3 minutes ago, Kgbeast said:

From what I understand, the flex is measured on the middle 36", so the flex number would represent the same thing, be it a 50" of 58" stick. So if you get 55flex 58" long stick and cut 8" off, it should feel the same as the 55flex  50" long from factory. But of course how stick is made and what is it made of, will affect the flex profile. So one model in 55 flex would feel different than another model in 55 flex.

 

[Vet88 673]

22 minutes ago, Kgbeast said:

From what I understand, the flex is measured on the middle 36", so the flex number would represent the same thing, be it a 50" of 58" stick. So if you get 55flex 58" long stick and cut 8" off, it should feel the same as the 55flex  50" long from factory.

? I hope you are talking about the manufacturers flex rating here and not the impact on a human flexing it. A human will DEFINITELY feel the difference if you cut 8" off the stick.

In terms of the manufacturers rating of a stick, what you say can be potentially true. The distance between the 2 points that is used to measure the flex of the stick may not change if you cut the stick down (eg cut 2" off a warrior stick when they claim to have a 4" free zone) so technically it still rates the same ie it will flex the same amount when placed on their measuring machine.

[innotastic 12]

i think you're taking some liberties with how stick flex is measured. there is no one industry standard for measuring stick flex, not at all. the way a stick bends affects our perception of its flex, combined with how the company actually measures flex as well. this is simply why one 85 flex sticks will feel stiffer than another 85 flex stick and vice versa.

even looking at an image like this, where a company chooses to clamp a stick will affect our perception of its flex.

and obviously they wouldn't use a machine at those settings on a junior stick.

but essentially this, adding an extension will make a stick feel whippier from its baseline, and cutting a stick will make it feel stiffer. if you're targeting a certain flex, adjust your purchasing decisions according to how much you will cut/add and what model stick you're purchasing.

[asgoodasdead 74]

i went from using long 100 flex seniors to short 67 flex intermediates and its been a great change