Stick balance

[odp 0]

Now before everybody jumps on the PP bandwagon, I thought I would approach the topic from a different angle.

Would there be any way to quantify what a balanced stick is for each person? ie, this stick "feels balanced" to me, can I measure it somehow so I can replicate it or know how to make an unbalanced stick more balanced to me? Perhaps a balance point weight ratio?

Anybody with a greater knowledge of physics (that shouldn't be hard - I don't remember any of my first-year physics class and hardly remember any high school physics) should feel free to chime in with a good idea. I've got an idea, but would love to hear what others might come up with first.

While I'm at it, one more question - do sticks come from the factory relatively balanced? Or do they rely on players to add some length to or cut the shaft, tape up the blade, and make a butt-end to balance it out for themselves?

[jcp2 2]

I had the same question as you, so what I did was to balance my favorite wood stick on the edge of a ruler until it was even and then I marked the spot. Using this point as a guide, I cut my other nonwood sticks to the same length and then marked their balance points. By adding weight to the butt end of these sticks using lead tape, I was able to move the balance points on these sticks to match the one on my wood stick. This really heped me with replicating the feel of the stick. In my experience, wood sticks are not as blade heavy as shaft blade combos or one piece sticks. I put a layer of duct tape on the blade under regular tape to help soften the blade feel as well.

Obviously, stick weight is not high on my list of priorities :)

[odp 0]

That's pretty much what I was thinking as well.

The best way I can think of would be to take 2 measurements - the length of the stick (butt-end to heel [despite most blades being rockered, defined as the backmost point where most of the blade is on the ice, if that makes sense) and the balance point of the stick. (measured from the top of the shaft to the point where the stick is equally balanced)

Then take the ratio of these measurements to find the weight ratio on the "upper half" (upper shaft) and "lower half". (lower shaft + blade + hosel)

As an example, I'll use one of my sticks that feels "balanced" to me.

It measures 57" to the heel. The balance point is 35.375" from the

butt-end, 21.625" from the heel. So that puts 62.06% of the weight on

the upper half and 37.94% weight on the lower half.

Now here's what I'm leading to - is there an optimum balance that we should attempt to hit? The Stealths seemed to advertise "3:1 shaft to blade weight ratio for optimal balance" while most other sticks don't even mention balance.

[cobrAA 0]

for me a perfect balance is the synergy SL.

So for my pp, i would want a 280-300gr shaft with a 150gr blade (Z-carbon,ptc). which result to say 3:1. IMO, you have to keep like 35-40% for the blade and the rest for the shaft.

[odp 0]

Hmmm, quick thought.

If 3:1 is the desired ratio, when one tapes up their stick, would one have to apply three times as much tape to the shaft as one applies to the blade to keep the balance? (less if you cut the shaft down)

[NuggyBuggy 0]

The Stealths seemed to advertise "3:1 shaft to blade weight ratio for optimal balance" while most other sticks don't even mention balance.

This seems to be a pretty silly thing to advertise, since this weight ratio will only be true for one particular length. If, as I assume, most people will need to either cut it or put a plug in, that ratio won't really mean much to them.

[Lester8 11]

I think looking at the balance point is one-dimensional. Consider placing two 10 lbs plates at the ends of one barbell, two 10 lbs plates in the middle of another, and space out four 5 lbs plates on a third. All of these have the same balance point, yet handling them is very different.

There are more facets to "good balance", I'm just not sure what they are.

[sabre09923 0]

An interesting thing about the Stealth that IF the weight was true (~400 grams), the blade part would have to be abotu 100 grams, and the shaft would have to be 300 grams... I wonder if anyone who's had a stealth made into a shaft has actually weighed it since that would be useful for that purpose (balance) as well. IMO the Stealth is pretty well balanced, and I think only the XN10's were better balanced then they were.

Again, if advertised weight is correct, then the XN10's were 265g in the shaft and 130 grams in the blade. Since the R2XN10 was 265 grams and it's virtually the same thing as the OPS (shaft), you just subtract 265 from 395 to get the blade weight, which is 130g.

[odp 0]

Intermediate 05 Stealth grip without 3" int plug - 400g (supposed to be 385g)

SR Redlite XN10 48" shaft - 268g

Lightest blade I own is a tapered Christan - 149g

[TBLfan 25]

I normally look for a stick that's balance point is 6-8 inches below normal placement of the lower hand. After I tape it, it feels right for me.