xaero604

Thanks for the information. I guess I'll stick with my LHS's conventional method then. It's too out of the way and substantially more expensive to go to the other LHS that has FBV.

I apologize if I'm hijacking this thread but I wanted to see if there is any validity to some statements my LHS sharpening guy made about FBV. When I went in to get my skates profiled recently, the sharpening guy asked for some details and I disclosed that I was using FBV prior to the profiling request. He said it's great but only if the runner is straight. He mentioned that a warped runner will make FBV useless as the hollow won't be consistent throughout the length of the steel. Is there any truth to what he said or is he just trying to get back another customer that swayed to the new advances in technology?

Is it just me or does the dolomite DD flex softer than rated?

I was watching the canucks vs stars game tonight and I noticed that Modano was using a new stick. After a little bit of research on GettyImages, I just realized that it's the new dolomite spyne. JR, you're right, the dolo spyne does look a lot better in person (well at least on TV). The catalogue doesn't show its hyper dark chrome finish very well.

Background: 5'7" 150 pound forward; 3 years of pickup hockey, very limited game experience Shaft: 2007 Easton Z-Bubble 85 Flex Blade: 2007 Easton z-bubble sakic curve Initial Impressions I like nice-looking gear so the silver/chrome paint job is definitely a plus. The shaft without the butt-end and in combination with the z-bubble blade is the perfect length for my height (comes right up under my chin on skates). The girth is also just right for my small hands. Weight/Balance It's actually kind of heavy, especially when compared to an OPS like the synergy sl. Balance is pretty decent but it's a touch blade heavy unlike the SL. It does vibrate a lot though. I can't really describe it but it's not totally rigid feeling, like the synergy sl. 7.5/10 Shooting/Passing/Stick handling Thanks to the perfect length, 85 flex is the perfect flex for me so all my shots are at their best/most consisten. Shots just seem to catapult off. In a way, it feels like a tapered stick because the kick/bend in the shaft seems to be lower. 9/10 (+1 due to bias) Durability I'm good with my sticks seeing as I don't hack but I have taken a few of them and the shaft still looks fairly decent. It has gotten a tad whippier and it is especially noticeable when receiving passes or doing quick stick-work as the puck seems to catapult off. It has seen better days but it's holding up strong for the year that I've used it. Can't say the same for the blade though... 9/10 Conclusion I've come to like this shaft a lot and tend to use it as my main stick. It may be due to the fact that it's the only true 85flex stick that I have since the rest of them had to be cut, consequently becoming stiffer to flex. All in all, I feel that this shaft is a great purchase and definitely great for senior players looking for a shaft designed with an intermediate player in mind. 9/10 Z-Bubble blade review I also have to write a bit more on the z-bubble blade (as that isn't available in the blade review section). It's a great blade but like a lot of forum members have noticed, the durability sucks. I only used it for a year of weekly pickup (much less, realistically) and the damn thing broke. If you're set on pairing this blade with the shaft, I'd only recommend it on the basis that you have deep pockets. Don't get me wrong, it's got great feel, awesome for wristers and decent for snappers and slappers but it's going to probably going to break like a one-piece. The funny story is, I used to get decent slapshots from the blade but lately, I've been noticing that they've suffered. I thought that my stance/grip was off due to experimenting with different curves and lies but my wristers were still the same. After a couple of whiffling slapshots, I looked down at my blade and noticed that it finally split right across the face starting at the heel. I guess the blade was stiff enough for wristers, barely enough for snappers, but would eventually fail after repeated slapshots.

You'll love the thermoformable tongue. I used to have the worst pressure points on the top of my feet but these tongues solve that problem.

Stick/Product: Rbk 7k pro stock Affie Curve (short length, deep toe curve), 40kp/85(?) flex, spray grip Time of Use: 3 stick and puck sessions and 1 pickup game My size: 5'7 148, 1.5 years ice pickup experience, Forward/Defense Blade: It's very stiff, making hard passes a little easier to receive. It doesn't open up on slappers so accuracy is pretty good. It feels like slapshots come off really heavy, which is a good thing in my opinion. Rating 9/10 Flex: 40 kp which in my opinion is definitely stiffer than 85 on easton's scale. I cut the stick down quite a bit though so it's really stiff (more like 100 flex). Stickhandling/Receiving Passes: Receiving passes is great with this stick because of the stiff blade. Feel is pretty decent too. My only gripe is that the curve is not to my liking. The blade is too short for me to stickhandle decently. I really like the spray grip on this stick. I'm sure it's the same as retail and it reminds me of the CCM type. Rating 9/10 Shooting/Passing: My wristers suck with this stick since it's so stiff but slapshots come off as lasers. Shots don't flutter at all. Looking at slapshots alone, I give this stick 10/10 Weight/Balance: Balance is good and it's lighter than my z-bubble/z-carbon combo. I'm not sure if the balance is due to less material in the small blade to even out the stick, though. Rating 10/10 Durability: It feels like a tank during slapshots. A very solid feeling. I'll probably hold onto this stick even though the curve will drive me insane. Conclusion: I was interested in trying out a toe curve and unfortunately, I striked out. Maybe if the blade was longer, I'd like the stick more. However, personal bias aside, I think this stick is very well rounded and a gift in those who can use it properly. Overall: 9/10