stick wax

[guitarfreek92 7]

alright ive never used it before but know a bunch of people who do and like it are their any tricks to applying itand i guess the big question is does it actually do anything?

[MC917 2]

It's supposed to keep ice off of your blade so that the puck doesn't slip off your stick.

[Stewie 721]

protects your tape so it lasts longer, can help grip. really you just want to play around with it to find how you like applying it, but a good basis would be checking out the how to apply video on howies hockey tapes website. some people like using more, some less. i like a fairly light application heating lightly into the tape via heat gun (at a distance).

[Amiroo39 121]

sex wax. try it!

[Souldriver 64]

i use sex wax and love it. used to gob it on and melt it. it would make tape last forver. problem was that it would be on so long neither the wax or tape would be effective. now i just apply it to the top and bottom and very lightly on the faces and melt it on the tops and bottom. those are the two spots that take the most abuse.

[norwood 1]

I use one of my wifes sented candles.....

[Chadd 916]

The original post didn't ask what you use, he asked if it works.

I used to go through a long ritual and melt it in, but just rub it on and you're good to go. My tape jobs usually don't last through a game without wax. So I would say that it does work for me.

[Stewie 721]

people will differ on wether or not to heat it in. When i was younger i used a candle (usually the same one that i applied to the blade) to melt it all in, but that was with wood blades, definitely dont recommend this on a composite.

I have found in my experience, without heating, that applying it a good couple days before a skate, helps it "set in" better, and protect the tape better, but maybe thats just me. either way, grab some wax and check it out at some stick times or pick-ups.

If you are in fact looking for brands/types/etc, thats another thing your going to need to get a feel for. Some people use Parrafin waxes, others, like me, prefer microcrystalline types (howies/zoggs/etc). Microcrystalline waxes are tackier, better for grip.

[HockeySavants 5]

I tape up my blade like normal then apply wax until it 'froths' up a bit, then I take a a used spindle from scotch tape roll and use that to spread the wax evenly over the blade until there is no exposed tape. You will have to put some pressure to heat the wax a bit to get that even spread. I find using a puck very messy (OCD in me).

Not only will your tape last you all game, you will probably be set for another.

I use Sex Wax, smells incredible (adds nothing to the performance but whatever).

[Mikej411 2]

i use sex wax and love it. used to gob it on and melt it. it would make tape last forver. problem was that it would be on so long neither the wax or tape would be effective. now i just apply it to the top and bottom and very lightly on the faces and melt it on the tops and bottom. those are the two spots that take the most abuse.

Why would that be a problem 'being on so long'. Why would that make it ineffective, as you say?

[XveritasX 13]

Once I have taped the entire heel of my stick, I will rub it down with a puck. After that I take sex wax (strawberry scented) and rub a layer on top of the tape. Then, because I don't have a heat gun, I turn on the stove element and pass my blade overtop so the wax melts in. I do that twice. I find when I do the entire process my tape job happens to last a fair bit longer than if I just tape it before I step on the ice.

[Morten 2]

Once I have taped the entire heel of my stick, I will rub it down with a puck. After that I take sex wax (strawberry scented) and rub a layer on top of the tape. Then, because I don't have a heat gun, I turn on the stove element and pass my blade overtop so the wax melts in. I do that twice. I find when I do the entire process my tape job happens to last a fair bit longer than if I just tape it before I step on the ice.

Second that, use a heat gun though(try on old stick first to get the hang of it), let it cool and rub some more on.

I like it, tape dont soak water and it sheds snow easier.

Also doesnt ping as much, dampens puck recivings.

grip wise, dont know.

Try it!

[Chadd 916]

Second that, use a heat gun though(try on old stick first to get the hang of it), let it cool and rub some more on.

I like it, tape dont soak water and it sheds snow easier.

Also doesnt ping as much, dampens puck recivings.

grip wise, dont know.

Try it!

If you're going to do all that, you might as well use friction tape.

[jere26 5]

Stick wax is useful in prolonging your tape and you can apply more or less to get the damping and feel you like. It's pretty cheap to try out and see if you like using it. I discovered that they make "combs" for spreading wax down on a surfboard. They use the comb edge to carve ridges and groove patterns for added traction. It's basically a stiff (but flexible) plastic spreader. They also make boxes to hold the wax and keep it clean. These wax combs are perfect for putting wax on a stick blade. With a soft wax formulation and the comb, you really don't need to mess with the inconvenience of melting in the wax.

Here's the Sex Wax comb and box that I have.

[Stewie 721]

interesting! might have to try something like that out =) not that my heat gun is all too inconvenient for me, but in a pinch that might work better.

[Morten 2]

If you're going to do all that, you might as well use friction tape.

yep

Tried that, very good but comes undone easier, still wears fast.

Skate cuts against blade/tape is also better protected with wax.

[hunt3rsean 44]

I somehow inherited a teammates soft wax brick that I've used on my tape. I just press firm and rub down the fresh tape job. Have never tried to heat it up or anything like that to help it bond. Just rubbing on the softer wax has definitely helped the life of my tape. Not sure if I'd go through the trouble of using a heat gun or running it over a hot stove to help it melt into the tape. But, to each their own.