increasing stick flexibility

[ghockey11 0]

Im sure everyone knows how sticks become more flexible with use

My question is are there any ways to make a stick more flexible in a faster way than just using it over and over again for weeks.

[fatwabbit 93]

trade for a lighter flex or using a longer end plug...

no use trying to make something work for you when there are other options available...

[interpathway 9]

Oggie Grips from Joe.

[ghockey11 0]

maby i should have been more specific, ive been using prostock one 95s from our affiliate team but ran out of them and i had sherwood team shafts laying around my room i love the feel and the shaft its self but they are a bit stiff for me, playoffs are coming up so i figured if i could tweak it a little bit i would be in buisness

[Jordan 13]

Cut it shorter and then add a shaft extension. It will make it flex more.

[vitaminZ 0]

Cut it shorter and then add a shaft extension. It will make it flex more.

how?

[gxc999 7]

Cut it shorter and then add a shaft extension. It will make it flex more.

I've done that before. Depending on how far you cut it, it could alter the flex by 3-6 lbs.

[fatwabbit 93]

interpathway has the right idea... use oggie grips. The add some flex to the overall shaft.

[Chadd 916]

Cut it shorter and then add a shaft extension. It will make it flex more.

I've done that before. Depending on how far you cut it, it could alter the flex by 3-6 lbs.

Unless you're using an Oggie, that's not possible. wood is usually stiffer than the composite you remove.

[lyle.m23 0]

Can somebody explain to me how the oggie increases flex ??

[TBLfan 25]

It flexes.

[pantherfan 0]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxrkangBnqA :)

[interpathway 9]

Wood plugs increase the stiffness, I don't know why everyone would recommend them. If you cut off 6 inches of shaft and add 6 inches of wood, you are also adding another 2-3 inches of a wood plug that goes inside the shaft. So that makes the stick incredibly stiffer than just leaving the shaft in its full length. Oggie grips can flex, Joe made a video about it that can be found on youtube.

[flyerman 0]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxrkangBnqA :)

Here's a whole thread on this topic:

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index...20Grip&st=0

Honestly, I have never thought much about getting one of these Grips until now. I have a 95 flex RM19 cut down about 8" (from 63"), making it extremely stiff, I'd say 115-120 Flex. I can't do anything with it, so I was just going to sell it.

But, if I can somehow add significant flex to it with an Oggie Grip, I might consider trying it out.

So, like the OP was asking, will cutting the shaft another 7.5" and installing an Oggie Grip achieve this? What is the Flex of the retail Oggie Grip (non-ergo)? What it is made out of?

[Jason Harris 31]

Maybe Joe would say otherwise, but it's kind of nebulous. I've helped Joe in his booth a couple of time and used his TruFlex machine, which consistently showed an increased flex between the same stick (cut in the same area) with an Oggie versus one without. However, I don't know whether it's quantifiable in general -- i.e., a rating of 6 less -- or dependent on each brand and model. I suspect it's more the later.

lyle.m23, it has a composite skeleton that flexes. The benefit of this, besides increasing the flex for those who want it, is having flex at the wrist has led to increased shot speeds.

By the way, Joe made a post on Facebook this week that the test on his all composite grips have gone favorably. If I understand what he's talking about, it would be all the internal benefits of the grips with a composite stick's exterior, so players would be able to tape it anyway they want. I like the shape of the Ergos too much, so I don't think I'd switch, but I could see a lot of people liking this if I'm correct in my understanding.

[fieldofdreams 0]

I also don't quite understand. Maybe I'm a little slow on the uptake here. I use 85 flex OPS that i generally cut down about 1.5"-2" stiffening up the stick a bit. Most LHS shops around here don't carry 75 flex sticks in SR size. If I get an oggie, I would need to cut down the stick to put in the grip, but wouldn't that stiffen the stick even more? Even though the grip flexes, would it flex enough to make the stick flex more once installed?

[Chadd 916]

I also don't quite understand. Maybe I'm a little slow on the uptake here. I use 85 flex OPS that i generally cut down about 1.5"-2" stiffening up the stick a bit. Most LHS shops around here don't carry 75 flex sticks in SR size. If I get an oggie, I would need to cut down the stick to put in the grip, but wouldn't that stiffen the stick even more? Even though the grip flexes, would it flex enough to make the stick flex more once installed?

Yes, you cut it down more and it will still end up at something like 80-85

[IniNew 53]

I also don't quite understand. Maybe I'm a little slow on the uptake here. I use 85 flex OPS that i generally cut down about 1.5"-2" stiffening up the stick a bit. Most LHS shops around here don't carry 75 flex sticks in SR size. If I get an oggie, I would need to cut down the stick to put in the grip, but wouldn't that stiffen the stick even more? Even though the grip flexes, would it flex enough to make the stick flex more once installed?

Depending on how large the grips are, you could get an Int stick in a lower flex then add an oggie grip and get something even whippier.

[scorer75 9]

How do the Oggies wear on gloves?

Could you put a Tacki-Mac on top of the Oggie?

[Jason Harris 31]

The outer shell is rubber, so they're sticky, but I haven't found mine to be overly harsh to gloves. Probably because I don't slide my top hand much.

I've only seen Tacki-Macs in photos, so this is just a guess, but maybe they could go over the Classic grips. I couldn't imagine them slipping over the Ergos.

[mwerth 5]

Another good way to lose some stiffness is to play with no end plug at all. I know it's illegal, etc., but the plug you put in retains some stiffness because of air movement within the shaft as well as the flex of the plug. If you play without a plug, the air can rush out of the shaft when you flex, creating less pressure within the shaft and more ease of movement for the composite material (a.k.a. less resistance). You also won't have to contend with the flex of the plug, so more force will go directly to the stick itself instead of a transfer of energy at the joint between the plug and shaft.

Signed,

mwerth, amateur physicist

[Hoser 0]

never thought of that, that makes sense!

[Jason Harris 31]

mwerth, one problem of not playing with an end plug is it's possible, in certain collisions, for your shaft to severely cut your finger through the glove.

A second problem, if I understand your theory correctly, is the flex at the wrist (i.e., at the end plug) appears to be desirable. Because Joe has consistently measured higher shot speeds, he once told me about wanting to build a machine to prove this -- I believe he talked with a professor of biomechanics -- but it's not in the budget currently.

[mwerth 5]

I definitely agree that it's dangerous, and part of the reason it's illegal to play without a plug is the danger of cutting opponents as well. I definitely do not play without an end plug- in fact, I like the added stiffness and feel from the wood plug. A good alternative to playing without a plug might be using those little plastic caps that come standard with many shafts. Poking a hole or two in there would likely create the same effect, although I've never tried this myself.

That said, the theory is that the flex in the Oggie grip leads to a more effective shot because more energy builds up behind the increased flex. The energy still has to pass through a joint, though, and some of it dissipates in the air space around and within the glue. This is also the basis of the perceived advantage of a one-piece over a two-piece, too. The bond between the factory-installed blade and shaft is much stronger and designed to be much more permanent and air-tight, resulting in the increased energy transfer from shaft to blade.

I definitely don't have any statistical backing here, but I would think that if a player applies force directly to the stick, more energy would go into the shaft itself since no energy is transferred over a joint/bond.

[TBLfan 25]

He could always use a plug from a U+ to keep it from cutting a finger or taking a core sample from some other player.