True Blade Durability?

[Davideo 99]

I've been a consistent two piece stick user since the old Easton aluminums and recently set myself up with a True shaft and blade. It has been my favorite setup and I was going to buy a few more blades to have on hand. However, I wanted to get a bit more feedback on durability. I'd like to assume it was a fluke, but last night the blade snapped off just below the shaft at the start of its fourth use. Aside from a couple scratches it still looked pretty new and it broke on a poke check, so far from a high impact maneuver.

I don't think I've ever gotten less than 25 skates out the few dozen composite blades I've used over the years, so I'm hoping I can get some reassurance that this was just a fluke. I attached a picture.

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

I'm interested as well. Right now, I have 3 A6.0 SBP shafts, one standard and other two tapered. The standard blade broke at the insert during my FIRST ice session  (was coaching practice). This was over 2 months and I'm still waiting on True to fulfill the warranty due me ha. As for my tapered blades, I've only used them for one game (this past Tuesday). I had to switch sticks because the one became loose (I'm assuming/hoping its a lack of glue). It's been almost ten years since I've done the shaft+blade combo. Not exactly smoothing sailing early on but I want to give True a fair chance. Hopefully things will start to look better for me haha...

[Buzz_LightBeer 969]

Ive got an arsenal of 6.0 Standard shafts and blades. Had that happen once with the short hosel variation but no issues with a dozen or so other blades i've used

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

That's good to hear. While things haven't been smooth, I do like the way True sticks feel/work. 

[Fletch 219]

I had the exact same thing happen to me with two of their blades in the 6.0 shaft, unfortunately.  Definitely contact their warranty department about it, they were able to help me out.  Also, there are a couple True reps here on this board - if you need anymore info from me, shoot me a PM.

[Fletch 219]

20 hours ago, 215BroadStBullies610 said:

I'm interested as well. Right now, I have 3 A6.0 SBP shafts, one standard and other two tapered. The standard blade broke at the insert during my FIRST ice session  (was coaching practice). This was over 2 months and I'm still waiting on True to fulfill the warranty due me ha. As for my tapered blades, I've only used them for one game (this past Tuesday). I had to switch sticks because the one became loose (I'm assuming/hoping its a lack of glue). It's been almost ten years since I've done the shaft+blade combo. Not exactly smoothing sailing early on but I want to give True a fair chance. Hopefully things will start to look better for me haha...

I have the same issue with True and Warrior blades, about them being loose in the shaft.  Just get two strips of tape and vertically wrap them on the piece with the glue, one on top of the other, then heat it up that way and insert it.  Works like a charm.

Edited November 3, 2017 by Fletch

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

2 hours ago, Fletch said:

I had the exact same thing happen to me with two of their blades in the 6.0 shaft, unfortunately.  Definitely contact their warranty department about it, they were able to help me out.  Also, there are a couple True reps here on this board - if you need anymore info from me, shoot me a PM.

Will do. I reached out via email at the beginning of this week. If I don't here back soon, I'll send the PM. Thanks.

2 hours ago, Fletch said:

I have the same issue with True and Warrior blades, about them being loose in the shaft.  Just get two strips of tape and vertically wrap them on the piece with the glue, one on top of the other, then heat it up that way and insert it.  Works like a charm.

Thanks for the tip!

[jdksaves 56]

22 hours ago, Davideo said:

I've been a consistent two piece stick user since the old Easton aluminums and recently set myself up with a True shaft and blade. It has been my favorite setup and I was going to buy a few more blades to have on hand. However, I wanted to get a bit more feedback on durability. I'd like to assume it was a fluke, but last night the blade snapped off just below the shaft at the start of its fourth use. Aside from a couple scratches it still looked pretty new and it broke on a poke check, so far from a high impact maneuver.

I don't think I've ever gotten less than 25 skates out the few dozen composite blades I've used over the years, so I'm hoping I can get some reassurance that this was just a fluke. I attached a picture.

Sorry to hear of the issue. You can reach out to our warranty department to discuss options warranty@truetemper.com.

 

[Davideo 99]

I got it from someone who had a couple blades he hadn't used. So unfortunately no warranty coverage. I guess I'll get a couple more and hope for the best as I did really like it. The only thing I don't like is I live in the middle of nowhere and have to order online so I get a couple for free shipping, so really only the first one gets warranty coverage (unless I break two in 30 days...)

[areed89 3]

I had the same problem with every true blade I used. Very light and very stiff but ever single one broke at the hosel, even the warranty replacement. Two of the four broke within the first handful of shots.

[Davideo 99]

Well, it sounds like a relatively common point of failure. I have two blades arriving next week and we'll see how they last. If they don't, it will be back to Warrior/Bauer for me, but I'm hoping they do.

I also noticed that the shaft portion of the standard True blades (basically from the ice to connection point) are longer than other brands necessitating fiddling with shaft extensions.

[Cosmic 178]

I had a couple of True A6.0 blades. They both snapped about 3/4 inch away from the top of the hosel. I think that the open top hosel is the problem. True customer support was great and they warrantied me out. Their blade had the best feel for 2 piece that I ever experienced, by far and way, and pretty much on par with the blade feel of my Tacks 7092 one piece (which I greatly appreciate). However, I think that the open top hosel may be the only one of its kind, and the lack of material there compromises the strength of the area around it. So, no more True blades for me, obviously.

I have one True A4.5 shaft and it's a tank and still going strong.

Edited November 4, 2017 by Cosmic

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

So good shafts but slipshod blades? Got it. I think I'll be done with this combo going forward.

[Buzz_LightBeer 969]

1 hour ago, 215BroadStBullies610 said:

So good shafts but slipshod blades? Got it. I think I'll be done with this combo going forward.

There are two different generations of True blades, one short hosel, one long. I think the earlier ones were more the culprit for breaking

[Davideo 99]

15 minutes ago, Buzz_LightBeer said:

There are two different generations of True blades, one short hosel, one long. I think the earlier ones were more the culprit for breaking

Well that would be good. Except now I need to purchase an extension for my True shaft cut two weeks ago based on the old hosel height...there's another 20 bucks for essentially nothing. Is someone able to confirm this so I can get one ordered now and not have to wait till after the blades are delivered?

[Buzz_LightBeer 969]

I think the older ones were shorter

[Davideo 99]

11 minutes ago, Buzz_LightBeer said:

I think the older ones were shorter

Thanks for the info. Well that is good in that I don't need to fiddle with extensions. Though it was a long hosel one that snapped on me.

[Fletch 219]

On 11/3/2017 at 11:43 AM, 215BroadStBullies610 said:

Will do. I reached out via email at the beginning of this week. If I don't here back soon, I'll send the PM. Thanks.

Thanks for the tip!

 

On 11/3/2017 at 9:34 AM, Fletch said:

I have the same issue with True and Warrior blades, about them being loose in the shaft.  Just get two strips of tape and vertically wrap them on the piece with the glue, one on top of the other, then heat it up that way and insert it.  Works like a charm.

Here’s a photo of the method I use for this, in case anyone is interested.  The tape adds just enough thickness to make things a little more snug while still maintaining some adhesive properties in place of the glue that it’s covering.  

[Davideo 99]

So I received the blades and the transition where the blade goes into the shaft is very uneven and looks like it was just crudely machined out. Obviously this makes for weird gaps when inserted into the shaft. I've never seen this on any other blades that I can recall. I don't know that it makes a difference beyond visually looking terrible. Is this normal? Is this an issue? It's certainly not what I would think a higher end blade should look like.

And both blades looked about the same. I didn't pay much attention until I inserted one and noticed it was nowhere near flush.

  

[Buzz_LightBeer 969]

almost all cosmetic. OPS would fill that gap with resin and paint over it. Not much to worry about IMO

[icewalker_bg 126]

^still, that is pretty bad, I have never seen anything like this. 

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

Mine looked similar ha. I guess that's how True does their manufacturing? Maybe they will improve with their second go-around? 

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

Any word on if True is making a refreshed version of tapered blades? I don't have any additional TC4 blades and it seems like there aren't any new ones out there to be had.

[leftwinger37 43]

I'm still an active two-piece user, and True has the best combo on the market IMO with the A6.0. I've only used the short-hosel tapered blades and have not had these issues in over a year of use. The blades on my 1st gen XC9 and A6.0 OPS did wear rather quickly (sounds like this has been corrected with the 2nd gen from what I have read), but no complaints about the two-piece blade durability.

I just hope they continue to offer the HCS/Lidstrom pattern. Currently, they're the only manufacturer that offers it retail. 😬

 

[Davideo 99]

As an interim update, I've had about 10 1.5 - 2 hr skates with the new True blade with no issue (aside from loosening up a bit, requiring two layers of tape on the blade). The performance continues to be outstanding.