What is more exciting than stepping on a fresh sheet of ice with a brand new hockey stick cut to size and taped to perfection in your hands?! For a hockey player, it simply doesn’t get any better. Especially knowing all the effort behind the scenes…
Finding and buying the right hockey stick in your perfect combination of curve, flex, grip, kick point, and dare we suggest a fair price is hard enough — although our Ultimate Hockey Stick Buying Guide helps 😉 — but preparing your new hockey stick to dangle, sauce, snipe, and celly is another process in and of itself.
With a few tips and tricks, cutting and taping a new hockey stick is rather simple and straightforward.
So like any great teammate, the Hockey Players Club is here to help break it down.
Step 1: Cutting your new hockey stick down to size
Cutting your hockey stick to the right size is the most important step in preparing it for action. Unlike taping the butt end and blade of your hockey stick, which can be stripped and redone, this step is permanent! Granted, you can easily cut a stick shorter and plugs can help you add a few inches but getting it right the first time isn’t hard.
If you have an old hockey stick at a height you like, mark the shaft of your new hockey stick with a marker where you want it cut. And make sure to account for the plastic end cap, whether you use it or not.
If you’re new to the game and don’t have an old hockey stick to reference, most coaches suggest you cut your hockey stick to a height that lands between your chin and nose while on skates. Of course, everyone has their preferences but be careful of having too long of a stick that causes your hands to be up and against your body, inhibiting your stickhandling and shooting.
Once your new hockey stick is marked, it’s time to cut it down to size. Hacksaws and table saws all get the job done. And metal files do a great job of smoothing any jagged edges left from the saw.
Step 2: Taping your new hockey stick to perfection
With your new hockey stick cut down to size, it’s now time to tape it exactly how you like it. Check out our Ultimate Guide to Taping Your Hockey Stick for a comprehensive breakdown, but here’s an abridged version:
- Tape your butt end (aka knob). Make sure your end cap is in place or tape over the opening of the shaft at the top of the stick with a layer or two of tape. Apply your favorite style butt end, whether you use cloth or grip hockey tape or a combination of both.
- Tape the blade of your hockey stick. The tape job you apply to the blade of your hockey stick says a lot about you as a player, but ultimately, it doesn’t matter if you prefer to tape the blade of your hockey stick heel-to-toe or toe-to-heel, with regular width or wide cloth tape, or if you prefer a classic versus toe-covered tape job — it’s all preference!
With your new hockey stick cut to size and taped to perfection, you’re ready to go. Get after it!
If you have any questions, shoot us an email at info@hockeyplayersclub.com. We love helping hockey players!
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