Problem: Reebok 10k Stick - Crunchy Blade?

[steeze 0]

Soo - I purchased a Reebok 10k OPS just a little over a month ago, I play about 3-4 times a week and have recently noticed a sharp decline in the flex - response of the actual blade (mainly on the toe end). After playing last night I untaped the blade and inspected it to see if I could find any cracks / fractures - There were none visible, yet when I applied pressure (pinched) to the toe end / mid way down the blade it sounds as if there is a "crunching" noise from inside the blade - almost as if the foam on the inside was cracked and being compressed. Anyone else have this problem before?

[Brian Harte 1]

sounds like it's on it's way out.

I've got a SE16 with the same thing. No visable cracks but "crunching" inside.

[Scotty 8]

When they crunch, they're done. Kinda like a wood stick breaking internally. My One95 shaft started crunching and was in two pieces within 2 uses. An S17 that I turned into a shaft had a slight creaking/clicking to it and lasted me through only one shot during the next game before it completely split in two while I was defending against a two-on-one last week. :(

[TBLfan 25]

The true test is to see how it holds up submerged in milk.

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

My S17 blade has been making that noise for over a year. I can't seem to break it no matter how many slap shots I take

[Chadd 916]

When they get soft enough to do that, they're dead as far as I'm concerned.

[shotty 7]

same. if I can so much as flex the blade semi-easily, it becomes a back up/stickhandling twig.

I've botched far too many great opportunities with soft/crunchy blades to continue to use them past their prime.

I'd say chop the blade off and throw a new one in.

[txhockey 0]

When they crunch, they're done. Kinda like a wood stick breaking internally. My One95 shaft started crunching and was in two pieces within 2 uses. An S17 that I turned into a shaft had a slight creaking/clicking to it and lasted me through only one shot during the next game before it completely split in two while I was defending against a two-on-one last week. :(

The stick is done, that is what happens to a lot of my sticks. I don't ever break the shafts, since I don't take many slapshots, but I play a good bit of defense, between stick checks and working in the boards, the blades see a lot of abuse, and eventually they just crack down the middle, and if I flex the blade I will start to hear that distinct crunching sound. I am thinking of going back to a two piece, since I could just be replacing blades instead of entire sticks, and my game does not really rely on some 280 gram bullwhip.

[Kiernan97 0]

The true test is to see how it holds up submerged in milk.

what???

[jimmy 194]

A lot of sticks get like this because the hard composite filler gets cracked. If you don't want to throw the stick away, take it to a shop that does stick repairs and have them put a layer of carbon over the soft spot. This will stiffen it up nice.

[rachael7 1]

what???

To see if it keeps its crunch, dude. Haven't you ever seen a cereal advertisement?