upside-down OPSs--the same as non-tapered shafts?

[cause4alarm 7]

This is related to an earlier thread I started. In that post, I mentioned reading how the flex characteristics of a stick change if you use it upside-down, that is, if you break an OPS and insert a blade into the non-tapered butt end. It seems clear that the stick will no longer act like a tapered stick, but does that mean it would now flex like a regular non-tapered shaft?

Another way to look at it is, do upside-down sticks flex and function essentially the same as a non-tapered shaft or are there still fundamental differences?

[kovalchuk71 212]

No, you loose any sense of a kick point. Its a pretty big difference IMO

[cause4alarm 7]

No, you loose any sense of a kick point. Its a pretty big difference IMO

So you're saying non-tapered shafts also have kickpoints only on one end? In other words, if I were to take a non-tapered shaft such as an Easton Ultra-Light, it would behave differently depending on whether I put the blade in the correct end or in the other end, even though it would fit perfectly fine in either place?

[Hockeyman9621 0]

I honestly can't tell the difference. I don't understand how people notice, I think it's just psychological.

[djinferno 2]

I honestly can't tell the difference. I don't understand how people notice, I think it's just psychological.

it's not, the balance of the stick is way off, the flex is all messed up and stuff, can you play with it? Yes! will a real one make you better? no!

theres a big difference and it's not psychological

[notquitedeadyet 13]

I honestly can't tell the difference. I don't understand how people notice, I think it's just psychological.

I tend to agree. With all the stop-action photos on the web, has anyone ever seen the "flex zone" loading while someone was shooting?

Seems like marketing hype that got outta control.

The only difference that I notice is that tapered blades are lighter & seem to give the stick slightly better balance.

[top 0]

i've been thru a bunch of OPS sticks, and some i got lazy and just turned them around, and some i chizzeld the little peice of out them, and i had a synthesis form of one and i had one turned around with the same curve and flex both drury 100 flex, and you guys may not believe this but i had a way stronger shot with the flipped over OPS, i dont know i prefer them turned over then tapered, the only stick i really found a difference when it was flipped over what the ccm vector, but i can agree it with some ppl it maybe have a difference but its not that big of a diff unless you make it seem like it, im sure some poeple had the same experiences as me

[David13 0]

I always hear people talking about tapered shafts here on msh but i dont know much about buying shafts whats the difference between a tapered shaft and a non tapered one?

[AlabamaICE 0]

I did that to a Vector 110 OPS and I honestly like it. I cannot tell any difference.

[Cheesehead 0]

I always hear people talking about tapered shafts here on msh but i dont know much about buying shafts whats the difference between a tapered shaft and a non tapered one?

the tapered shaft is more like a OPS. it has a low kickpoint similar to a OPS. the only difference is that u can change the blade on them, unlike a OPS(example: Mission L2)

a standard shaft has a higher kickpoint. an example is an Easton Ultra lite

[AlabamaICE 0]

I had to shave down the edges of my Easton blade to get it to fit into the 110 shaft. I found that a roto-zip tool works great for this.

[sdcopp 1]

This is related to an earlier thread I started. In that post, I mentioned reading how the flex characteristics of a stick change if you use it upside-down, that is, if you break an OPS and insert a blade into the non-tapered butt end. It seems clear that the stick will no longer act like a tapered stick, but does that mean it would now flex like a regular non-tapered shaft?

Another way to look at it is, do upside-down sticks flex and function essentially the same as a non-tapered shaft or are there still fundamental differences?

You won't lose all snese of a kick-point, but it will completely disrupt the feel you have. Every OPS has three kick-points or flex zones. One is the taper, one is the middle-shaft (although the taper and middle usually feed into each other) and one is on the blade. Most of us only get good use out of the two on the shaft, so when you flip it, you are losing a huge area in the taper and some in the middle, making it no better than a composite 2X4.

[Jason 65]

I had a pro-stock Synergy SL shaft that i flipped and inserted an Easton Z-Carbon blade into. This is the only time I have used a flipped ops as a standard shaft and I really liked it. I thought that it was every bit as good as my SL (which I also really like). It does change the balance a little, but I shot harder with that stick than pretty much any other stick I've used. The key would be finding a blade that balances nicely with the shaft. Lighter blades will probably work better. Definitely not a bad investment if you can buy a broken ops for cheap or if you have one that is not under warranty anymore.