Some questions I need help with.

[sniper94 0]

Sorry if I sound like a newby but I don't know a lot about sticks.

1-What are these tapered shafts everyone is talking about? I don't use anything but Eastons and I have never heard of a tapered shaft or blade. Somebody please explain.

2-How good are these Z-Carbon curves everyone talks about. Are they worth the money.

3-Just out of curiosity, does anybody know what the Pro version Sakic and Scott Neidermier blades look like ????

Sorry for all the stupid questiions.

Sniper94

[kovalchuk71 212]

Search and you will find a butload of topics........Just use keywords

[Bruin88 0]

ooook ,tapered shafts are shafts that get smaller at the end of the stick and use tapered blades. if you only use easton look into the synthesis sticks ,those are tapered. the blade ur talking about is a "focus flex" i think ,and from what ive heard they do nothing but break easier.

[Eazy_b97 1]

1-What are these tapered shafts everyone is talking about? I don't use anything but Eastons and I have never heard of a tapered shaft or blade. Somebody please explain.

A tapered shaft accepts tapered blade. The shaft becomes thinner towards the bottom (tapers) and accepts blades with a smaller hosel (the piece that goes into the shaft). Most OPS (one-piece sticks) are just tapered shafts/blades that are fused together for a permanent bond. The Z-bubble and some other "Standard" shafts have low kick points or "tapers" but are either thicker to start off with, or flare out to accept standard blades.

For Easton - Tapered = Synthesis Standard = Ultra-Lite Standard w/ taper = Z-Bubble

2-How good are these Z-Carbon curves everyone talks about. Are they worth the money.

A Z-Carbon is a type of blade. They come in different curves. It has a "focus flex" that doesn't really flex at all. I haven't found them to be overly popular on the board, and personally, for the money, I'd look for an Inno, pro-stock blade or X1.

3-Just out of curiosity, does anybody know what the Pro version Sakic and Scott Neidermier blades look like ????

I threw up a picture of Sakics pro blade P119 in the sell section and in another post, you can try searching this forum. I'd think Niedermyers would be easier to find. I know its been discussed and he doesn't have a retail pattern. If I remember its a YP (Drury retail) curve and Sakics is very similar to his retail curve from Easton, but a little more to the toe and a little bigger.

All of this stuff will probably be a little complicated now, but as you read the forum more, you'll start to identify what people are talking and be able to jump into the conversation.

[Shorthanded67 0]

Eazy covered everything, but I'll add that in addition to the Easton Synthesis virtually every company makes a tapered shaft/blade nowadays.

Easton also made the T-flex (which I'm assuming was the original tapered shaft...unfortunately not too many blade/curve choices available.)

Other brands include the Mission L-2, TPS R2 & R2Xn10. Innovative also makes tapered versions of their Novius and 1100 shafts.