Blade Help

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My current shaft is an Easton Cyclone 95 flex. I've used Modano focus flex blade for about a year. Last night during warmups, I took one of my laughable slapshots and the blade blew up. I'd like some advice on which pattern to replace it with..

I like the Modano because it's flat, so I'm balanced between what I can do forehand & backhand. I have no problem getting pace, elevation & accuracy on wrist shots, snapshots, and backhanders. I don't want anything twisty or curvy..

What I want to fix - my slapshot is junk. I know what it's supposed to feel like because I hit a few good ones with this stick during a practice session at the end of last year. I felt the stick load up and release and the puck just popped off faster than I've ever hit it. It was awesome. Problem is - over the summer I lost it and haven't been able to hit any good ones since.

When I try a slapshot, I try to plant the hosel in the ice so that I flex the shaft more and the blade less. When you look at my blade you can tell, because it shattered at that spot on the bottom edge. (I'll post pictures tomorrow)..

Keep in mind, I'm a pretty new player (3 yrs) and I have a lot of work to do on technique. Because of that, I have a hard time believeing that I have the ability to transfer enough power down to shatter a blade - even over the period of a few months. I think that something else is wrong. Either I shouldn't be trying to load up on the hosel, or my blade's lie is off.

So finally I'll get to my questions..

1) The Modano pattern has a pretty flat lie. Is that why my blade crapped out at the hosel?

2) When you take slapshots, what part of the blade do you plant into the ice? The hosel, or more in the middle? Where do you try to catch the puck?

3) Should I go with a blade that has a steeper lie?

4) If the answer to #3 is yes, how much steeper, and what pattern would you reccomend?

(jeez, this turned out to be way longer than I wanted.. sorry..)

[Mikael21 0]

this is impossible to answer. Every player have a special tecnic when they shoot, skating, and you know...But of course if you do like the school book you may shoot harder I dont know. But when I take a slap shot I try to hit the puck in the middle of the blade and I use the Drury pattern..

[Chadd 916]

Sounds like your plroblem with your slapper is more a matter of form than anything else. Flex is probably the second most important factor in good slappers, is the flex right for the type of motion you are using?

I would avoid trying to bury the hosel in the ice. The motion that works best for me is a low sweeping motion where I catch a little bit of ice behind the puck. Despite the fact I'm a pretty big guy (6-1, 225) I perfer something like a TPS R flex(90 or so) as it requires much less effort to get the shaft to bend. I have a decent slapper using this method but it took some trial and error to find the right mix.

I also prefer Modano or smaller curves so that isn't going to be a problem. Check your tape wear and see if it is primarily wearing in teh middle, that will tell you if you need a different lie.

[chippa13 1844]

It sounds like you're taking too much ice in your slapshot and that is probably why you aren't getting much velocity. The recoil of the stick is happening after the puck has gone.

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My shaft is a 95 flex, and my blade was the Easton focus flex - which is supposed to lower the kickpoint like a one-piece..

I think that the recent slapshot troubles have been because of the blade itself. I can't see getting much pop on them with a blade that's trashed..

I'm about trying the Iginla pattern. It's fairly straight and closed like the Modano, but it has a little more lie..

[Chadd 916]

My shaft is a 95 flex, and my blade was the Easton focus flex - which is supposed to lower the kickpoint like a one-piece..

I think that the recent slapshot troubles have been because of the blade itself. I can't see getting much pop on them with a blade that's trashed..

I'm about trying the Iginla pattern. It's fairly straight and closed like the Modano, but it has a little more lie..

If you don't plan on listening to advice, don't bother asking next time.

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If you don't plan on listening to advice, don't bother asking next time..

HUH?

You asked about my flex & I answered.. I want to get an 85 flex OPS but not till I decide on the right pattern..

I just mentioned that I'm considering an Iginla.. I'm honestly sorry if I came off like I wasn't listening. I'm just thinking out loud and was hoping for more experienced folks to throw in some opinions.. (It's a moot point anyway, I can't find a low priced Iginla blade..)

Wait a sec - if I have too much wear on the heel, should I go to a larger lie (5.5, 6) or a smaller lie (4.5, 5)?? ePuck's site says that the Modano's low lie is good if you've got too much wear on the heel.. I thought it was the other way around..

[Chadd 916]

Lower lie is better for heel wear but if you're trying to mash the hosel into the ice the wear may not be accurate.

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Got it - I'll work on not mashing the hosel.. Again - sorry for the mixup...

I'll take pictures of my various blades & post them tomorrow to see if that helps... Since I don't go through very many sticks/blades I don't have the opportunity to try lots of patterns out like you guys seem to. If I'm going to be stuck with a blade for a year, I want to try & get it right..

[notorious#29 0]

WOW a lot of questions asked. I will try to help you out the best I can. First off I use the Modano and I hit the puck in the center of the blade,and Im pretty sure no matter what the curve,around the center is probbly the best place to hit the puck. I tend to hit the ice about 2 inches behind the puck to get some extra whip from my stick. Also do what Chadd said and check your tape to see where the most wear on your blade is (a 5 lie might not be good for you). If alot of wear is towards the toe then try a 6. Really its all about trying different stuff out till you find what you like. Also you could do this (depending on how much money you have) go out and buy all different kinds of curves in wood blades since they tend to be pretty cheap on the price side. Thats usally how I do things when trying to find a new curve. Then you could sell the others to friends of something. Hope that helps somehow

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Ok, here are the pics I mentioned..

This is the Modano blade that broke. I left the tape on so you could see the wear.

Same thing, after removing the tape..

A closeup of the damage..

Here's another blade that the same thing happened to (also recently)..

Here's a shot comparing the lie of this 2nd blade with the Modano.. (looks the same to me)

Here's the tape wear on the blade that I'm using as a replacement. It's a Sherwood Leclair from about two years ago..

Here's a shot comparing the lie of the Leclair blade with the Modano blade..

I don't try slapshots with the Leclair stick because the shaft flexes about like a telephone pole. It doesn't move at ALL, so I don't bother..

Ok, so what do my wear patterns look like to you guys? I'm really starting to agree with Chadd.. The lie on the Modano and the 2nd blade look about the same, and the wear on them looks fairly even (aside from the destroyed hosels). The Leclair seems to have a different lie, and more wear on the toe..

[Chadd 916]

The Leclair is a lower lie so the difference in the wear makes sense.

[LetsGoWings13 0]

geez you must take a ton of ice. Maybe even a whippier stick would help.

[Chadd 916]

geez you must take a ton of ice.

Looks like that is the problem

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geez you must take a ton of ice.

Looks like that is the problem

I'll work on taking less ice. Problem is, when I try that I end up taking no ice and just get a golf shot.. Oh well.. Practice, practice..

Other than the trashed hosel, how does the tape wear on the Modano look?

[Chadd 916]

geez you must take a ton of ice.

Looks like that is the problem

I'll work on taking less ice. Problem is, when I try that I end up taking no ice and just get a golf shot.. Oh well.. Practice, practice..

Other than the trashed hosel, how does the tape wear on the Modano look?

It looks fairly even. Make sure you tape your stick as far to the heel as you can and monitor the wear. See if it starts to wear unevenly at all.