So, I’ve gotten tired of breaking hockey sticks everytime that they get stepped on (yeah, I’m a floor hockey player and not a real hockey player. It’s all that I can get living South o’ the Mason-Dixon. Yeah, that’s the reason and not my inability to skate… :wally ) and my last stick, a nifty carbon-fibre job that I expected to last for a long time, lasted just 4 games before the blade got snapped off.
So, I’ve decided that I’m going to try and beat the problem by getting a two-piece stick so that the next time I break a blade, I can just replace it and continue with the same shaft. However, I have no idea how the blade actually attaches to the shaft, so before I go out and buy one I’d thought I’d turn to the Dope for the answer. I guess, as a secondary question, is there any other equipment/material that I’ll need to buy other than the shaft and a blade or two?
I would just go and ask all these questions at a store, but well, Sports Authority ain’t exactly known for their knowledge, ya know?
Hmm, I don’t know Sports Authority, but I buy my 2 piece sticks at a local hockey shop, and they pull out a heater (hairdryer) and heat the glue that is factory installed on the blade. When hot enough, you shove the blade into the shaft, and wipe off the excess glue (with a towel, not your hand as it will be very hot). To remove you follow the same process, heat then yank.
Remember, it’s nice outside in warmer climates, so outdoor is the only way to go. I’m in Southern California, and play roller hockey in a beautiful slice of the Santa Monica mountains. Too gorgeous for words.
Ahh, but roller hockey still involves a sort of skating. I can do it straight-line, but any sort of quick turns and I’d be done.
Is it just a simple hair-dryer that is used? Or could it be a heat gun? I hope it’s the former, because I already have one of those…
Former upstate NY hockey player checking in. We used to use an actual torch (propane) for the job. Perhaps the ambient temp. in an actual hockey barn is too low to use a hairdryer. Or perhaps we were just into overkill, or didn’t want to be seen as sissy using a hairdryer when a torch is so much more macho (but how did we dry our hockey hair then? Hmmm? Not even a hockey player is macho enough to dry his “Business Up Front, Party In The Back” with a BernzOMatic.)
I used to use a heat gun. It’s just a big glob of hot melt glue, so just about anything hot can do it. You could probalby use a toaster oven if you wanted.
It helps sometimes if you heat up the end of the shaft too, it expands it a bit and helps it seat better.
Though I haven’t put one together in a while, as I’ve gotten rid of all my two part sticks in favor of composite one piece ones. I found that two parters tended to break more easily, and after a lot of slapshots the end of the shaft would get to wide to properly hold the blade.
i’ve had my two-piece stick for nearly 10 years, and i find that the blades last about the same length of playing time as the one piece wood sticks, maybe slightly less; and likely much longer than the one-piece composites, though i’ve never used one myself - from observation they are not long-lasting. (i haven’t been playing much these last several years, so my current blade is actually three years old. it’ll likely break within a few shifts the next time i play.) the manufacturer suggests using a hair dryer to heat the glue for both blade insertion & removal, and warns not to ever use a torch. i’ve always used a torch anyway, and have had no problems.