Replace your broken stick with a new hockey stick. Maybe that’s not the answer you were hoping for, but if you try to fix your broken hockey stick, you’re likely to end up disappointed in the results. And while having your broken hockey stick fixed professionally may sound like a great option and might be much cheaper than buying a new one, there are some excellent reasons not to do it—and it may not even save you any money.
Fixing Your Broken Hockey Stick Is Not a Long-Term Solution
Some people may tell you to repair the stick. They’ll tell you they always fix their sticks and they’re as good as new. But while you may be able to heal the splintered fibers and strengthen the stick to withstand a few practices or maybe a game, the chances of the fix holding are questionable. You’ll find stories all over the Internet of the player who thought they had fixed their broken hockey stick only to watch it come apart again the first time they tried a slap shot. Or maybe the fix lasts for a bit but then fails in a game at a crucial moment, costing your team a scoring opportunity and maybe even a win. How well the fix holds will depend on a lot of factors, from the stick’s material, where the break occurred, and how you make the repair. There are companies who will repair your broken hockey stick and guarantee it, but it costs money, your stick will be out for a while, and even if they claim the fix won’t affect how the stick plays, this may hold true only for a low-end stick, less so for a high-end stick. But why would you pay $60 to fix a $75 stick?
Fixing Your Hockey Stick Means It Will Never Be the Same
If you choose to fix your broken hockey stick, know that it won’t be the same stick. No repair will restore the performance and benefits for which you bought it. Even if you can repair the stick, its flex likely will be altered, perhaps drastically. This is particularly true of the flex point and the feel of the stick. Depending where the repair occurs on the shaft, the stick’s balance is likely to change. In short, there are many ways that fixing a broken hockey stick will leave you with a lesser stick. You spent top dollar on an expensive stick made with the best materials, and a custom kick point with a specific flex, all balanced in a lightweight package—a stick repair could change all that.
Making Home Repairs to a Broken Hockey Stick
If you’re lucky and know somebody who fixes hockey sticks in their garage, or if you’re interested in learning about repairing sticks, it might be something you want to try. And while it could be a fun hobby, you’ll probably never return a broken hockey stick to its former glory. But if you enjoy tinkering and want to, you’ll find many online resources. Building up a collection of rebuilt sticks can be fun and useful for pickup games of street hockey, or for quick trips to the rink. Repairing a hockey stick does take time, however—it’s not something you can do overnight, as most of the epoxy or whatever bonding agents you use to repair the stick take three to four days to harden. But if you’re replacing your gamer, finding a new stick that offers the performance characteristics you’re after to begin with makes better use of your time and money.
Repairing a broken hockey stick may give you an emergency backup, or a stick to use for ball hockey or street hockey, but fixing your broken composite hockey stick is usually not worth the time, effort, and expense, because the stick will never be the same.
