Does tape protect your blade?

[ParabolicActivity 48]

Sorry if this doesn't belong here, but I am wondering how you guys feel about tape protecting your blade. I usually tape a full sock to protect the blade but lately I am liking just taping the middle of the blade. Do you think I will see an increase in life shortening damage to my blade?

[bondoao1 8]

I think it does protect it to an extent. 
Other people with more knowledge will chime in tho.

[boo10 323]

It definitely reduces chipping of the toe.

[start_today 770]

What’s the incentive to not tape the toe?

[nutters 218]

It reduces the chipping, sure, but a poorly construted blade (looking at 2016 CCM) will break in chunks under the tape.

Went to retape my supertacks once and more blade came off with the tape😄

[colins 246]

3 hours ago, nutters said:

It reduces the chipping, sure, but a poorly construted blade (looking at 2016 CCM) will break in chunks under the tape.

Went to retape my supertacks once and more blade came off with the tape😄

Super Tacks was a ... unique disaster of a stick. One of the worst blades in the history of composite sticks w.r.t durability. 

Taping absolutely helps extend blade life. Especially for Centers - if you take lots of face-offs a full heel to toe tape job helps reduce the amount of nicks and chips you get from the contact that happens when taking lots of draws. In general, taping the full blade heel to toe will help preserve and extend the life of your blade.

colins

[strosedefence34 175]

14 hours ago, start_today said:

What’s the incentive to not tape the toe?

My favorite player as a kid didn't tape the toe of his stick so naturally I didn't tape mine.  Every time I tried taping the toe I feel like I don't shoot as well.  It's probably purely a mental thing but whatever if it ain't broke don't fix it.

[start_today 770]

I meantime specifically for the person who currently tapes it, but is looking to explore a new taping lifestyle. 

[shoot_the_goalie 281]

I used to not tape the toe, but now I do, as I have seen how many less chips the blade suffers when fully taped.  With that said, tape only does so much and it does add a slight a bit of weight (with wax) and does change the balance a tiny bit.

[bondoao1 8]

18 hours ago, nutters said:

It reduces the chipping, sure, but a poorly construted blade (looking at 2016 CCM) will break in chunks under the tape.

Went to retape my supertacks once and more blade came off with the tape😄

Wait, you are supposed to retape sticks? LOL
I used to retape my stick after every game, but I've been lazy lately I haven't taped my 2N since I got it.
I have about 10 pick up games on the stick now. I have put an extra strip along the bottom of the blade tho. 

[caveman27 208]

I've never not taped a stick. I actually add an extra strip of tape along the bottom edge as that gets the most wear. 

[All Flash 49]

Depends on your level of OCD in the amount of attention you have with your gear I would say. I personally use to tape my stick every game. Spent 30 mins most times getting it just right. Then 15 years ago I switched to blade tape and now it's not a thing anymore. And yes people always say well that leaves the bottom of the blade and toe exposed but since I stopped worrying about that when I started using blade tape my sticks usually outlast my blade tape. As an added bonus the stick slides nicer on the ice and the grip is always there when needed.

Edited July 17, 2019 by All Flash

[Davideo 99]

Why did taping the toe first become popular? 20 years ago it seemed pretty uncommon. Did it have to do with the introduction of composite sticks/blades?

Edited July 18, 2019 by Davideo

[boo10 323]

1 hour ago, Davideo said:

Why did taping the toe first become popular? 20 years ago it seemed pretty uncommon. Did it have to do with the introduction of composite sticks/blades?

I started doing it with wooden sticks around 1985.  I found that wood blades would split at the toe, then soak up water and get mushy.  The tape worked well to stop this from happening.  At the time I was on the ice over 200 times per year, and my parents couldn't afford to be dropping $30 on a stick every 10-15 games/practices.

[nutters 218]

6 hours ago, bondoao1 said:

Wait, you are supposed to retape sticks? LOL
I used to retape my stick after every game, but I've been lazy lately I haven't taped my 2N since I got it.
I have about 10 pick up games on the stick now. I have put an extra strip along the bottom of the blade tho. 

I always try not to... but once the heavy wear areas get exposed I need to twist my own arm to retape.Just finished a game after a new tj (sorry everyone for using that term) and it's all ripped and torn.

 

Like you, I'll do patch work

[z1ggy 81]

On 7/16/2019 at 6:02 PM, boo10 said:

It definitely reduces chipping of the toe.

This. Used to never tape the toe... after a few months of beer league it would be chipping and falling apart. Starting taping toe... Now the only reason I buy a new twig is because the old one is losing a bit of pop, or I just want something different. Toe (and blade overall) holding up way better, no chips or things falling off.