Wood Blade

[Jesse_01 0]

Looking for a wood blade in iginla curve to use in my Warrior Dolo. What has everyone tried? Liked & disliked?

[myelinsheath 0]

I have liked the easton fibre comp blades. although i have heard they may be discontinuing them this year. check the catologue to be sure. They are nice and stiff for a wood blade thanks to the extra fibre glass wraps on it.

[Bnatural 0]

If your a lefty lookin' for a tapered wood blade PureHockey.com has Easton se16 woodies for 26 bucks in the iginla curve. They also have standard Easton synergy wood blades in right and left also iginla curve for 23 dollars.

[SolarWind 23]

apologies since it's off-topic, but related:

from personal experience I'd say suck it up, take time to adjust to composite & enjoy the benedift :)

Look at Crosby this year & his shot!

took me a few months to get used to composite (and even that I can't use just any blade - One95 is soft enough to be acceptable), but I'm not looking back

the benefits are many: improved shot of course, not having to replace blades every 10 games of so (as many woodies just shred in no time) etc

just .5 :)

[fiimb 1]

^ most people a wood blade can last a long time, especially if you don't take a lot of hard shots. also, a wood blade is much cheaper.

but anways, i've always liked bauer wood blades, and the X;60 wood blade is tapered and will fit your dolo shaft.

[SolarWind 23]

^ most people a wood blade can last a long time, especially if you don't take a lot of hard shots. also, a wood blade is much cheaper.

"most people"? I'd certainly not generalize it this way since most people I know (including me) couldn't get woodies to last much longer then a few months tops - they'd all shred at the bottom, mosture would get in & make the blade soft as a wet noodle

last blade I tried was One95 which is top of the line Bauer woodie - same story

composite blades are at least twice more expensive, but they also last MUCH longer.

[skyscrape 5]

"most people"? I'd certainly not generalize it this way since most people I know (including me) couldn't get woodies to last much longer then a few months tops - they'd all shred at the bottom, mosture would get in & make the blade soft as a wet noodle

last blade I tried was One95 which is top of the line Bauer woodie - same story

composite blades are at least twice more expensive, but they also last MUCH longer.

I have read on here a few different times that people are going through a comp blade a month.

[phunky_monkey 6]

I just don't dig the feel of comp blades, hence going back to wood.

Sure my shot has suffered, but I think my stickhandling improvemnt has made up for it. I'm also keen to see what people's opinions of different Iginla woodies are as it's my preferred curve too so any input would be appreciated :)

[Chadd 916]

"most people"? I'd certainly not generalize it this way since most people I know (including me) couldn't get woodies to last much longer then a few months tops - they'd all shred at the bottom, mosture would get in & make the blade soft as a wet noodle

last blade I tried was One95 which is top of the line Bauer woodie - same story

composite blades are at least twice more expensive, but they also last MUCH longer.

Even ripping the tape off after every ice time, wood blades only last a few sessions before they get soft for me. Composite lasts much longer but the feel isn't even close to wood, even with the best blades I've tried.

[Shayno 1]

I use the "cheaper" wood blades and like them alot!! I only play once a week..so maybe the minimal ice timehas something to do with the blades lasting longer?

Maybe because that's all I have ever used?

My 2 cents!

[Jesse_01 0]

I have used s17,s19, x60, One95, dolo, si-cores, s16, ST ops. So I have had experience with carbon blades. I still have a S17 and One95 in my collection that I use. I just was looking to try a wood blade to get some of that puck feel back. Just because its a wood blade/stick doesn't mean you will lose from your shot. ie(Al MacInnis, Bobby Hull, Brett Hull both used wood sticks/Blades back in the day and had a slap shot over 100 mph.

[BenderHockey 127]

ie(Al MacInnis, Bobby Hull, Brett Hull both used wood sticks/Blades back in the day and had a slap shot over 100 mph.

Yes, BOTH of them had a tremendous shot. Things of beauty, actually.

[the_sock 1]

You have the option of the Easton Synergy SE PRO, the hybrid blade. I used it before I switched to OPS, found that the stiff graphite blade gave me the accuracy while the wood hosel gave the forgiveness and the semi-feel of a wood blade.

[zebra_steve 11]

Composite lasts much longer but the feel isn't even close to wood, even with the best blades I've tried.

+1 on that Chadd..... The other thing is IMHO the composite pattern choices suck - mainly because they don't sell what I like.... I spent all of my serious playing days using a propane torch, hack saw, rasp, and file to shape the blade to what I wanted and not what they wanted to sell.... I considered them a "consumable" and figured that I would get a couple weeks out of them. How about they come up with a blade that's heat mold-able like the skates "supposedly" are..... heat 'em to what you like, and quench them in ice water to set them....

[phunky_monkey 6]

Just because its a wood blade/stick doesn't mean you will lose from your shot. ie(Al MacInnis, Bobby Hull, Brett Hull both used wood sticks/Blades back in the day and had a slap shot over 100 mph.

True, but only if you're using fresh blades/sticks all the time. Once they go a bit soft my shot is definitely affected... in my head a t least! :P

[zebra_steve 11]

I prefer the feel of wood, but know what you mean about the stiffness. I liked some of the carbon blades I tried, but I refuse to try to relearn 30+ years of feel for where the puck is going because of a different curve. I'll stay with woodies for as long as I can get them.... I don't play that much anymore anyway.

[SolarWind 23]

True, but only if you're using fresh blades/sticks all the time. Once they go a bit soft my shot is definitely affected... in my head a t least! :P

my point exactly!

and re "Al MacInnis, Bobby Hull, Brett Hull " using woodies back in the day - aside of the fact that they were all very gifted specimen (who could have had potentially even harder shot with today's technology), who knows how often they were changing sticks? Once a game or even once a period?

physics can't be ignored - as soon as wood shreds & soaks water all bets are off - it WILL get soft in no time!

[OldNSlow 3]

How do standard wood blades compare to tapered wood blades in terms of weight and balance? Obviously the standard blades are going to be heavier, but does this translate to a more blade heavy stick? I'm wondering whether the standard wood blade provides a better balanced stick than a tapered wood blade since the weight in a tapered blade is not distributed as widely.

I have a nice setup at the moment, but my lovely standard wood blade + shaft is a bit blade heavy. I've had to compensate the heavier blade with excess butt-end tape going down about 12-15 inches. I've been able to balance the stick this way, but it is a bit too heavy. To make a long story short, I'm considering ordering custom wood blades since I can't find my wood blades anymore. My issue at the moment is whether I should order custom tapered wood blades to reduce the blade-heavy feeling. Thoughts?

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

How do standard wood blades compare to tapered wood blades in terms of weight and balance? Obviously the standard blades are going to be heavier, but does this translate to a more blade heavy stick? I'm wondering whether the standard wood blade provides a better balanced stick than a tapered wood blade since the weight in a tapered blade is not distributed as widely.

I have a nice setup at the moment, but my lovely standard wood blade + shaft is a bit blade heavy. I've had to compensate the heavier blade with excess butt-end tape going down about 12-15 inches. I've been able to balance the stick this way, but it is a bit too heavy. To make a long story short, I'm considering ordering custom wood blades since I can't find my wood blades anymore. My issue at the moment is whether I should order custom tapered wood blades to reduce the blade-heavy feeling. Thoughts?

I just picked up a tapered shaft/wood blade and a standard shaft/wood blade. I thought they were about equal in terms of blade heaviness. Personally I like the performance of a tapered shaft/wood blade combo better than a standard shaft with a wood blade. Go with whatever you prefer.

[Jarick 5]

I just got a wood tapered blade last week (Easton SE16) and it torques open on slappers brand new. Everything else is fine, but that slapper is annoying. Will be replacing it when funds allow.

Personally I like the feel of the better composite blades (like the Harrow, One95, Easton SE, etc) better than wood, feels more crisp, whereas the wood is really dead and muddled.

[Scotty 8]

All personal preference, as is shown by the opinions in this thread and further by the fact that companies like Reebok still make sticks for NHLers with composite shafts and fused wooded blades.

However, I think we can (or should) all agree that wood does not offer the same performance and will not last as long at all.

[OldNSlow 3]

I just got a wood tapered blade last week (Easton SE16) and it torques open on slappers brand new. Everything else is fine, but that slapper is annoying. Will be replacing it when funds allow.

Personally I like the feel of the better composite blades (like the Harrow, One95, Easton SE, etc) better than wood, feels more crisp, whereas the wood is really dead and muddled.

Jarick,

I recently bought a couple of wood blades. First, a retail Easton Pro. Second, a pro stock Easton. You wouldn't believe the difference in performance. The first was very whippy, and torqued like you say. The second is a tank that provides incredible feel and stiffness. Of course, its performance won't last that long, but they are great. Only problem is the weight IMO.

I wish Harrow made standard blades. I have a #4 pattern that I love but can't find a tapered shaft that I like. I bought an 8K shaft for the Harrow blade but the grip is unbearable. I just can't get used to comp blades, but I also don't play enough to conquer this problem.

[Jarick 5]

Yeah I figure the pro stuff has a lot more fiberglass for stiffness, probably don't do it at retail to keep the costs and weight down.

I only bought this wood blade to try the Drury curve, which I'm now in love with, so I'm saving up to either get a Harrow rig with the Drury or if the SE16's go on clearance I'll pick one of those up instead.

[Chadd 916]

Yeah I figure the pro stuff has a lot more fiberglass for stiffness, probably don't do it at retail to keep the costs and weight down.

I only bought this wood blade to try the Drury curve, which I'm now in love with, so I'm saving up to either get a Harrow rig with the Drury or if the SE16's go on clearance I'll pick one of those up instead.

Cheap sticks contain more fiberglass and less carbon.

[Scotty 8]

Cheap sticks contain more fiberglass and less carbon.

Which is why I've always been befuddled at the fact that Warrior openly states they choose to use fiberglass in their sticks.