Curving a wood blade

[cmflynn 16]

Hey, my niece just started playing in a learn to play program and they gave her a stick with a straight blade. She's settled on shooting righty so I want to try to put a little bit of a mid toe curve on the blade to help make stick handling and shooting a little easier for her, any advice? Also, the blade is painted, would that affect what heating method I should use, I was planning to use a heat gun.

[boo10 323]

Heat gun will work fine. When I used wood, I used to heat the blade and then stick it in a slightly opened drawer. Just put the spot where you want the centre of the curve, right on the top edge of the drawer and apply just enough pressure to get the curve you want. You can also open or close the curve easily if you want to. Once you have the curve you want, just run it under some water for a few seconds to cool it down and help it retain the new shape. Did it this way for 30 years.

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

so true works well. Just make sure it is actually wood and not partially plastic. its ugly when you try and bed those ones.

[hawkeyfan 36]

I will be the one to give out a warning...Is this with a youth stick? If so...I would stay with the straight blade...I attempted curving a youth straight blade sher-wood and could curve it ever so slightly (not worth it for the little curve). The blades are super short and the legnth of toe to the heel tenon joint is really close together.

What I did do was torch the Fiberglass sock and eventually the joint at the heel of the stick (probably from the pressure of curving the blade)...which basically rendered the stick useless. If I would have let it be straight...the stick could have been reused by another in the learn to skate program.

Kids grow fast and before you know it...they will be outgrowing the stick. then they can also move up and into a curved blade stick.

Just my opinoin