Stick Tech Article #8

 Hey Walax, 

I have covered the stringing of a mesh pocket in a step-by-step fashion previously for the Stick Science section, however the pocket I strung was meant for more of an offensive minded individual. So, in honor of the original Warrior Revolution and Gait Ice longpole I found at a garage sale last weekend and paid a combined total of $5 for, I figured it was time to show the D-men some love (not in that way…) using some 7 Diamond mesh.

As mentioned previously, for a players stick (as opposed to goalie), 10 diamond mesh is the most common. However some people opt to use a mesh with a bigger diamond pattern, because when strung correctly it should provide more hold on the ball than a comparable 10d pocket and rest a little higher in the head, with a slight decrease in shot speed. This should work well for a defensive-minded player such as a close D guy or LSM, because the ball will reach its desired spot in the pocket quickly on ground-balls, and a decent amount of hold on the ball should make for an easier time getting out of traffic dodging when involved with a clearing effort, namely, the “Hot Pizza” dodge. T

The Warrior Revolution head and subsequent line of heads, are traditionally geared towards the defensive-minded player for several reasons; the heads range on the heavy side of lax heads available from the major suppliers.  Lighter heads usually have more of a tendency to warp after enough use, and on the Revo, the sidewall pattern allows the head to remain very stiff.  Finally, the maximum height of a sidewall on a lax head at any point is 2”, and this 2” tall part of the sidewall occurs closer to the scoop of the head than most others available, can promote a higher pocket formation.
 

 Prior to doing any stringing, it is important to have the right tools. Scissors, a lighter and occasionally a poking device are extremely helpful when stringing, but make sure to have the OK from any parents or guardians before using any of these!

Top String

After a thorough cleaning of my new Revo, (http://www.walax.com/?q=stick_tech_article_6_spring_cleaning), it was time to start on the top string. My 10d top string method has been covered previously (http://www.walax.com/?q=stick_science_top_strings), however the 7d mesh requires some more planning first. Fold the mesh over on the 6d row, cut the proper length of string, tie a knot in one end, and perform the ‘taper’ method of heat-sealing with the use of a lighter (http://www.walax.com/?q=article_5_stringing_tips).

The knots for the top string will be that same as used for the 10d pocket, however the knots will occur between the 1 and 2 diamonds, on the third, fourth, and then again between the 5 and 6 diamonds. No Lock-off on the sidewall is necessary prior to stringing this 7d pocket. Remember, do the string loosely at first, then make adjustments and tighten.

Sidewall Strings

For the sidewalls, have your string prepped, and perform the Lock-off knot to start the sidewall. Since the top string was done on the 6d row, that means the 7d row underneath it will be place to perform the lock-off. Then, the same inside-to-outside interlocking knot will be used for the entire sidewall (http://www.walax.com/?q=stick_science_sidewalls). For this Revo, I performed the lock-off on the second sidewall hole on the head. Then I skipped the third hole, and performed my interlocking knot on the following two sidewall holes to their own diamonds on the 7d rows. These first three knots ensure the pocket will retain some sort of channel through which to funnel the ball for an accurate release. Now, since this will be a D-man’s pocket, two rows of 7d will be strung into the following interlocking knot in order to make it deeper towards the top of the head. I did this twice in a row on the next two sidewall holes (essentially four 7d rows of mesh strung between two sidewall holes).  Finally, back to regular, single interlocking knots down the rest of the head.

Bottom String

I  got a little funky on the bottom string for this head, as you can see. I took one piece of string and ran it trough the 7d row of mesh at the bottom of the head, skipping the center diamond in the row to the two outside bottom string holes. Then, using a second string and the two interior bottom string holes, I wrapped the string around the previously strung bottom string, and performed a twist down to the bottom. I think it looks pretty cool, and it helped me since the piece of 7d I used was rather short.

Shooting Strings

After some through pounding of the newly strung pocket, it is time for the shooters. In my experience, rolled shooters can work better with mesh such as 5d or 7d, since the increased mesh diamond size can allow your weaved shooting string to slide up and down on the interior of the diamond. This shifting can result in an inconsistent release, so I would advise against it.  Sometimes a rolled nylon shooting string on 5d or 7d mesh can seem ‘weak’ in that it doesn’t seem to provide as precise a release point as string of a thicker gauge would, so I used the rolled double shooting string method for the nylon shooting string. Cut your string about 7” longer than you normally would for a rolled shooter, and locate the two rows of diamonds you want to use for this shooting string. Using the empty sidewall hole, lay two rows of string down on the backside of the mesh as shown.

Take the remaining string that should be lying to the inside of the head, and perform the rolled shooter technique across the head. Remember to string it loose the first time, then adjust and tighten. This rolled double shooter, especially with 5d or 7d mesh needs to be tight in order to provide a crisp release point for the ball.
 

Finally, I added some black hockey lace rolled shooting strings, and trimmed and burned all the excess string.
 

Here you are, a Defenseman’s Dream! A clean, mid-high 7d pocket on an OG Revo, with a cool color scheme.  Here’s a pic just to show you it has some hold.
 

 As always, get at me via [email protected] with any comments, questions or ideas for future articles!

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