shaft questions

[aerialis]

hey, ive just got a few quick questions

whats the difference between "normal" and "tapered" shafts, and can normal wooden blades be inserted into composite shafts?

forgive my ignorance, but im primarily a goalie, so when i skated out i just used plain $20 wood sticks. however, last weekend i tried out an ops and was absolutely amazed. i might be shopping around for a shaft+blade for roller hockey (don't want to wreck the fancy one), hence the questions

thanks

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[Brodeur]

No worries, I didn't know the difference until recently either.

Tapered shafts only take tapered blades. Tapered blades have shorter hosels (the part that connects into the shaft). This is presumably so the two piece will feel more like a one piece. The tapered shaft itself will be longer than a standard shaft, in order to compensate for the shorter hosel. If you look at the bottom of most standard shafts, a lot of them will get gradually larger to fit the standard blade.

Standard blade.

Tapered blade.

But to answer your questions, wood blades fit fine. Just make sure you buy the right one (they make wood blades for both standard/tapered shafts).

The 2006 merchandise will be coming out in a few months, so look for the 'older' equipment to go on sale soon. Just a few recommendations:

- Easton Ultra Lite Shaft - 275/280 grams, HockeyGiant is selling these for $69 now. I picked one up last night, sadly because it was the 2006 one with the new paint job (I'm lame, I know).

- Nike Apollo Shaft - HockeyGiant has these on clearance for $39. Used to be the top of the line shaft from Nike, probably a tad heavier than other top shafts, but the price is certainly right.

- Easton Synergy 350 - 535 (?) grams, this is the new pricepoint one piece stick from Easton. Epuck is selling these for $79 for the next week or so. Noticeably heavier than the other one piece models, but the price is decent. Each company seemingly has a one piece stick under $100: Mission Z-1, Bauer V/VI/VII, TPS Intrigue, CCM V80/V100.

 

[aerialis]

cool, thanks!

 

[Brodeur]

I have a sickness in terms of finding/buying equipment, so if you give me a certain price range, I can give you links to cheap stuff online.

I'm normally a goalie too, but that doesn't keep me from buying sticks I don't get to use.

 

[DaveyCrockett]

I'm normally a goalie too, but that doesn't keep me from buying sticks I don't get to use.

You know your addicted to hockey equipment when.....

 

[technophile]

Brodeur covered the difference between standard/tapered, but I asked a similar question over at ModSquadHockey that might answer any other questions you have.

Brodeur, know any good places to get a new or barely-used UltraLite shaft (senior, 85 flex) for < $50?

 

[technophile]

Also, that Nike Apollo at hockeygiant looks pretty decent -- does anyone know what a Nike "Regular" flex is equivalent to in Easton numbers? 85? 87? 100?

 

[technophile]

Not to hijack the thread :p but does anyone know for sure if the Bauer Supreme 4000 blade uses a standard or tapered hosel? The only page I've seen that mentions either specifically is the page at hockeygiant, which confusingly says "0.620 inch taper system". As far as I know, 0.620" is the standard hosel, right? The "taper" in that sentence is just a nonsense word and not referring to a true tapered blade?

 

[Brodeur]

Not to hijack the thread :p but does anyone know for sure if the Bauer Supreme 4000 blade uses a standard or tapered hosel? The only page I've seen that mentions either specifically is the page at hockeygiant, which confusingly says "0.620 inch taper system". As far as I know, 0.620" is the standard hosel, right? The "taper" in that sentence is just a nonsense word and not referring to a true tapered blade?

I believe that's standard (.620), their Vapor XV blade which is tapered has the .520" hosel: http://www.hockeygiant.com/bauvapxvbldsr.html

As for the Ultra Lite.........HockeyGiant has them going for $69 right now, in 85 flex. Decent price, most local shops would have it for ~90, most online shops from $75-80.

I'd check ModSquad's sell section, you never know what people are selling. Although be careful with who you deal with there. I was lucky and bought two brand new Cyclone shafts for $20 apiece from an established seller.

Later I had agreed to trade a Synergy SL for a pair of Bauer XXX gloves to a different user, but the guy basically was scamming me (and four others). Still in the process of getting back the stick, after claiming he had already sent it back, he is now claiming he has no money to send the stick........just a freaking moron.

 

[technophile]

I believe that's standard (.620), their Vapor XV blade which is tapered has the .520" hosel: http://www.hockeygiant.com/bauvapxvbldsr.html

That's what I thought -- the picture certainly looks standard length as opposed to tapered.

As for the Ultra Lite.........HockeyGiant has them going for $69 right now, in 85 flex. Decent price, most local shops would have it for ~90, most online shops from $75-80.

There was a guy over on ModSquad offering one (used 3 times) for $40 shipped but it seems he found another buyer.

Later I had agreed to trade a Synergy SL for a pair of Bauer XXX gloves to a different user, but the guy basically was scamming me (and four others). Still in the process of getting back the stick, after claiming he had already sent it back, he is now claiming he has no money to send the stick........just a freaking moron.

Yeah, buying/selling online is always a tricky thing. I pretty much don't do trades unless I've dealt with the other guy before, because it's too easy to get scammed on those. It's harder to get scammed on a pure buy because you can always get Paypal to reverse the transaction etc.

 

[Brodeur]

Yeah, buying/selling online is always a tricky thing. I pretty much don't do trades unless I've dealt with the other guy before, because it's too easy to get scammed on those. It's harder to get scammed on a pure buy because you can always get Paypal to reverse the transaction etc.

Yeah, I guess it was a somewhat expensive lesson to remind me that I can't assume anything on the Internet. Although it's somewhat comical to hear the guy's constant excuses [my buddy who deals with these sort of situations found his phone number and calls him weekly]. The guy apparently made up a fake cousin persona to try to dodge the allegations. Out of the four sticks he took, he's returned one that we know of.

 

[Gallagbi]

There is a tapered blade that isn't short hoselled, the T-Flex blade, but it's no longer produced and hard to find. The 4000 is standard. Off the top of my head these are the tapered shaft/blades. Essentially tapered shafts are One-pieces which aren't fused (permantly pieced together). I'd done over 50 transactions on MSH and had 1 instance where I got ripped off.

Tapered shafts: CCM (V-130), Easton (Synthesis, Synergy II), Bauer (XV), TPS (R2, XN10 R2), Mission (L-2)
Tapered Blades: V-130, Synthesis (wood and Comp), Synergy II, XV, R2 (Wood and Comp), Bauer 7500, Christians "T-line", L2