Stick shaft longevity?

[nni 0]

have a quick question, i have an AK27, and i used to love it, it is over a year old, and i am starting to see diminishing returns. now, i am not one to blame the stick, but when i pick up my wood backup or my warrior i notice a big difference in performance. i dont see any cracks on the warrior, so i am wondering, do the composites have a shelf life? after using them so many times are there microfractures that decrease perfomance? thanks in advance for any input.

hockeymonkey has the ak27 pro stock on sale for $60. difference between retail and pro stock?

[Doctor Hook 0]

Sticks and shafts regardless of material lose their zip over time and usage.

[DamnLocust 0]

+1 to hook's reply on the sticks losing pop.

As far as the pro stocks go, some will have a different shaft shape, so that turns it into a crapshoot.

Although they don't have a ton of options left, pro stock also gives you more options for flex. Lots more info on the shafts here

[nni 0]

thanks fellas. i dont want to sound like an ass blaming the stick for my recent suckage, but when i picked up the wood stick and had much more control, i thought something was up.

thanks for the responses.

[TopProspect91 0]

It's all mental...

[Chadd 916]

It's all mental...

Yes and no. I have an old TPS response that was an S flex but now is closer to a whip. Meanwhile my XN10s held up pretty well for 2+ years.

[nni 0]

i thought it was mental as well. let it go for weeks, until i tried that wood stick and realized that there may in fact be something to it. for example, on a typical warm up slapper i have no issue placing it top shelf, lately 3 inches off the ice max, with the wood, back up top.

we will see when i get the new one.

[Steve123 0]

i thought it was mental as well. let it go for weeks, until i tried that wood stick and realized that there may in fact be something to it. for example, on a typical warm up slapper i have no issue placing it top shelf, lately 3 inches off the ice max, with the wood, back up top.

we will see when i get the new one.

I sense someone is going to mention how you're shooting and the curves you're using......

[nni 0]

i thought it was mental as well. let it go for weeks, until i tried that wood stick and realized that there may in fact be something to it. for example, on a typical warm up slapper i have no issue placing it top shelf, lately 3 inches off the ice max, with the wood, back up top.

we will see when i get the new one.

I sense someone is going to mention how you're shooting and the curves you're using......

same curve, who knows, could have switched something up in my stance. we will see.

[Hazard14 0]

pro stock also gives you more options for flex.

how is that, most prostock sticks are 100+ flex

[kovalchuk71 212]

Not if your purchasing Warrior from Hockeymonkey. Many different options (though there is some debate if they are actual pro stock or not)

[Hidious 0]

Well i noticed you didn't mention your composite blade (i assume it is) with your AK27. Blades can get "soft" with time and occasionaly they'll have some very minimal damage that you can't see but it will usually spread with use.

To know if that could be the case, flex your blade with your hand next to your ear in a silent place. You could hear some undesirable noises.

That's just a possibilty but i've had similar issues with my shooting and the problem was always the blade.

[Dougie8 0]

Well i noticed you didn't mention your composite blade (i assume it is) with your AK27. Blades can get "soft" with time and occasionaly they'll have some very minimal damage that you can't see but it will usually spread with use.

To know if that could be the case, flex your blade with your hand next to your ear in a silent place. You could hear some undesirable noises.

That's just a possibilty but i've had similar issues with my shooting and the problem was always the blade.

I've had that problem with especially Warrior blades. Assuming he's using a Warrior comp blade, you're right, that could be the problem also.

[Chadd 916]

pro stock also gives you more options for flex.

how is that, most prostock sticks are 100+ flex

Most pros use 100 flex or lighter sticks now.

[gxc999 7]

I really think people overrated stiffness as a good thing. A few NHL'ers even use intermediate sticks and/or 75 stiffness. If I'm not mistaken, Brett Hull loved whippy sticks...

[nni 0]

Well i noticed you didn't mention your composite blade (i assume it is) with your AK27. Blades can get "soft" with time and occasionaly they'll have some very minimal damage that you can't see but it will usually spread with use.

To know if that could be the case, flex your blade with your hand next to your ear in a silent place. You could hear some undesirable noises.

That's just a possibilty but i've had similar issues with my shooting and the problem was always the blade.

I use an easton wood hybrid blade. i changed the blades 2 or 3 times during this stretch which no difference.

[ktang 34]

I used a TPS XN10 regular flex shaft (cut from an OPS) for about 9 months before it broke. I just got a TPS R2 XN10 regular flex, and it is noticeably stiffer and crisper shooting.

I suspect that the resins and the carbon fibres weaken and fatigue after all the flexing, so the shaft doesn't spring back as quickly.

[sds 0]

I used a TPS XN10 regular flex shaft (cut from an OPS) for about 9 months before it broke. I just got a TPS R2 XN10 regular flex, and it is noticeably stiffer and crisper shooting.

I suspect that the resins and the carbon fibres weaken and fatigue after all the flexing, so the shaft doesn't spring back as quickly.

where did you "just" get one of those?

[ktang 34]

I used a TPS XN10 regular flex shaft (cut from an OPS) for about 9 months before it broke. I just got a TPS R2 XN10 regular flex, and it is noticeably stiffer and crisper shooting.

I suspect that the resins and the carbon fibres weaken and fatigue after all the flexing, so the shaft doesn't spring back as quickly.

where did you "just" get one of those?

I got one from malcb33 (very good seller). It was used, but not over-used or fatigued, and it has been my primary shaft for the last few weeks. I'm also in the midst of getting 2 whip flex R2 XN10s from ambro.

I have a couple of stiff flex XN10 shafts (cut from OPSes), if you really need them. I can only shoot slappers with these shafts.

[-brady2 0]

I really think people overrated stiffness as a good thing. A few NHL'ers even use intermediate sticks and/or 75 stiffness. If I'm not mistaken, Brett Hull loved whippy sticks...

yeah i have a brett hull pro stock in my basement thats around 75 if i could guess

[nni 0]

got the stick, used it in two games this past weekend. i was actually shooting the puck over the net getting used to the whip again. rang a slapper off the crossbar as well, which has been sorely missed. mental or actual, noticed a difference.

[Engine37 0]

Good to hear its working out for you. I've found my CCM V6.0 shaft (Mid Flex) has lost its pop after about 8 months of consistent use. It's still usable, but it seems to load up a bit differently now than it used to.