A good hockey stick – especially one made of composite materials – isn’t cheap, and unfortunately it isn’t the sort of the thing that is treated with the utmost care and respect. It is in fact a tool that can be beat around pretty hard, and this in turn can get expensive when it breaks. One-piece composite sticks, made of layers of carbon fiber, can cost $300 or more, so not exactly cheap to replace.
But Randy Langille of Vancouver just sees this as an opportunity. He’s been repairing composite sticks since 2009 and now has 23 locations across Canada. His company Integral Hockey has adopted a process and special tools used in the manufacture of aerospace components to repair composite hockey sticks.
In addition to saving players some money, Integral Hockey also keeps the sticks – which are durable but do still break – from ending up in a landfill. The repairs include internal repairs rather than a more common plug system. In this the stick is hollowed out, which also allows it to flex through the repair, thus allowing it to retain its original performance characteristics including flex, balance and kick point.
This is necessary because if a repaired stick didn’t have the same attributes as a new stick what would the point be in bothering to repair it? This solution does add a little weight but it is reportedly a better option than using an epoxy or carbon fiber insert, both of which can throw off the balance.
We’re pleased to hear that someone is finding a solution to what could otherwise mean more carbon fiber in landfills. Thanks to Langille for sticking to it!
Integral Hockey Official Website
[Via The Province: Quick fix for hockey sticks]