What is the purpose of a square toe?

[IPv6Freely 2096]

Topic says it all. I rarely see them, and I know sticks in the mid 20th century were square... but is there something they are specifically designed for?

[Speedz98 15]

Makes it easier to pick the puck up off the boards.

[IPv6Freely 2096]

That's it? Okay then... thanks.

[nalindabenderz917 1]

supposedly they pick pucks off the board better. theres no difference between round and square. Although I prefer square

[sebseb 0]

I also think it's better for the toe drags

[Chadd 916]

I also think it's better for the toe drags

Nope, in fact, most people find it harder with a square toe

[sharks25 9]

I find toe drags somewhat easier with a Heatley curve, but the squared toe doesn't play much different from round toes besides that.

[Gefiltefish 9]

I use to be an avid square-toe user. I consider two toes square though, both the Lidstrom style square and the Recchi/Kovalchuk/Vanek square.

I found that the square toe just provided that little bit more of surface area. Just a mental thing likely. I know certain players in the NHL think that square toes help for deflections and also in face offs (saw a pre-game segment when Eric Belanger was with the Wild on his equipment). Some are just due to tradition since square toes were more common in the 80's and 90's. Players tend to use what they used when they first broke in...

[All Flash 49]

Round toe gets more of the blade closer to the puck making toe drags that much easier which is suppose to improve overall stickhandling. While square toes help with puck spin, leading to more consistent and better spinning disc shots and passes. After all that it still comes down to PP. I myself would prefer a square toe. Maybe a Lidstrom/Iginla cross custom...........

[HockeySavants 5]

seems to me that square toes have a tendency to chip easier, at least to on wooden blades

[GoBucky 0]

I also think it's better for the toe drags

I would think round would be easier because you wouldnt have a square corner trying to torque the hockey stick as it drags on the ice, so you dont need to keep the toe perfectly square on the ice.

[HolyRollie 0]

Maybe a Lidstrom/Iginla cross custom...........

Now you're thinking!

[nalindabenderz917 1]

Maybe a Lidstrom/Iginla cross custom

+1 oh definatly Id buy that in a second

[MLSman 22]

Square toe has more surface area...so initially it helps with toe drags when learning how to do it for the first time. Once competent, the square toe loses it's value and the round toe has many advantages in dangling through traffic with the toe drag in the arsenal over the square.

[IPv6Freely 2096]

Square toe has more surface area...so initially it helps with toe drags when learning how to do it for the first time. Once competent, the square toe loses it's value and the round toe has many advantages in dangling through traffic with the toe drag in the arsenal over the square.

I could see that being true.

[Mimizk 114]

Now I'm considering which is better to choose for my next custom stick order, round or square.

I've been using round shape toe for benefit of toe drag, toeing move.

The shape makes better feeling and effect because toe will be closer from shaft and contact at a point with ice surface.

But I think square's shot feeling is better than round toe.

Especially we shoot flex shot as snap or slap because under corner catches the ice as clow.

I'm FW so using round toe.

But we can find someone who is using square toe but skillful at puck control and handling for example Patrick Kane.

How do you think about advantages of square toe shape for forward players?

[Fred 0]

I personally play forward with a Lidstrom, but that's because I play more like a grinder, with quick rushes and just crash the net, I'm not a finesse/skills player.

I switched playing wing after playing some time at D where I loved having the Lidstrom square curve, it's not a big deal to use this curve while moving forward.

One thing I noticed is that square toe allows you to dig out pucks from board battles (but might be just me) and I can still land good hard passes even if the plays you have to make are different from D.

The cons is that you need to pick your spot good for shots, since most of the square curves are heel/mid-heel, it's easy to shoot crap if you don't cup the puck well

[IPv6Freely 2096]

I don't specifically look for sticks with a square toe like I used to, but I still definitely prefer them. I just care more about curve than the actual toe shape. I definitely do find picking a puck off the boards easier with the square toe though, especially in rinks where the ice around the boards is crappy and you have to work extra hard to pick up a puck on the fly.

[flip12 717]

I think it depends on what angles you're achieving in your natural reach for the puck. The best toe-action blades I've had have been round on top and more or less round on the bottom as well, specifically (round on top and bottom) the E4 with a little homemade toe kink and Montreal's extinct P.C. pattern, which had a toe a lot like the new W71:Pacioretty pattern.

It really depends on what feels good for you. There are examples of other forwards with good puck skills that have square toe blades: Viktor Kozlov and Leon Draisaitl for two that I can recall with some confidence.

[Mimizk 114]

I'm not tall.

168cm and cut my stick at chin or mouse.

So my stick is shorter than ordinary people.

I think perhaps it would be felt larger that the difference of length or reach by square or round than other taller person.

And I noticed that Patrick Kane doesn't use toe drag move which as completely raise the blade surface and point the ice floor by center of toe.

Even If he uses toe drag moving, he only raise the blade about 45 degree.

When I was using Lidstrom, Shanahan or Morrow, I couldn't do toe drag well.

But after I changed toe rounded patterns, I could that move so easily.

Long and straightly under line of square toe is better for shot but it would be felt longer when drag the puck by toe.

Then I also want to hear which square toe is do you think better that completely square as Lidstrom or little rounded square as Morrow.

If I will dare to choose square, I think I want to choose definite square as Lidstrom.

How do you think?

[ibeck 38]

I think the round toe/square toe argument to pick up the puck easier along the boards is rubbish. Ive been rotating square/round toe for the last 6 months and it makes no difference.

The only difference I find between round/ square is that with the square toe its easier to flip the puck (out of the zone, high off the glass, I play D) and I can flick it short side in tight easier on goalies.

[bunnyman666 445]

Square heels allow me to get right up on the boards to flip the puck forward when pinching up on the boards. Note: I was a D-minded left wing and would typically flip the puck to a D man. Between pushing guys off of the puck and flipping it to the point, I LOOOOOOOVE square toes...

[ktang 34]

I also think it's better for the toe drags

Nope, in fact, most people find it harder with a square toe

Square toe has more surface area...so initially it helps with toe drags when learning how to do it for the first time. Once competent, the square toe loses it's value and the round toe has many advantages in dangling through traffic with the toe drag in the arsenal over the square.

For the toe drags, it depends on the style of toe drag / forehand pull.

If the blade is perpendicular to the ice after the flip, then the square toe would be better.

If the blade is angled (e.g. 60 degrees) to the ice after the flip, and if you toe drag at different positions, then the roundness at the bottom corner would be better.

Or, a square toe with a pronounced kink at the end would let you toe drag / forehand pull with very little blade flip.

[Mimizk 114]

[hellaavangard 33]

It really depends on what feels good for you. There are examples of other forwards with good puck skills that have square toe blades: Viktor Kozlov and Leon Draisaitl for two that I can recall with some confidence.

Jagr has done a pretty incredible job with a square toed hook