Post your tips!

[livin4lax09]

Post your tips for stringing or dying here. They can involve anything, including sidewalls, shooters, mesh, traditional, splatter, dye-time, types of dyes, etc. The only rule is that there will only be tips posted. Any other posts will be deleted. If you have a question, PM the author of the post.


-Brent

this thread is not for discussion. If you want to talk about a tip, contact the poster via PM, or make a new thread about it. Also, this is not a place to ask for tips about whatever you may want. This thread, like i said, is for posting tips and trick. If your post varies from this simple rule, it will be deleted and you will receive a warning.

[nylaxmaster24]

ya, i don't know if this is widely known, but to make a single color fade(dark to light) all you need to do boil the dyue first, and dip half of the head in over night, then re heat the dye not as hot though and do the same thing, it worked great for mw.

[kermlax5]

I know alot of you like to experiment with the rockit pocket and i know alota people that have done the twists first. My suggestion is always do the track(center) first of the rock-it pocket then you vcan string the rest of the pocket around the ball like the RP is supposed to be...also this will cut down on adjustments on the twists ..which can be very long and hard

[mdawg]

i know when most peolpe pinch their sticks they use the boiling methond or the heat method. those work well, but if you dont want to affect the strength of your head you can do this. take string and wrap it around the head a few times. then pull it really tight so the side walls are 1.5-2" away from each other. let the stick sit for a few days. then untie it and your stick will be more pinched then when you tie it up. its a good idea to do it really, really tight cuz when you untie it, it will expand alot.

[MrTibs]

Before stringing your leathers rub them with neetsfoot oil. It helps break them in really well.I just put some on a rag in my hand and pulled the leathers thru a few times stretching the leathers and stuff.

[BTlaxripper]

for pinching in stead of wraping yards and yards of string around your head, get a cross lace and tie a knot in one end. loop it through the hole on the opposite side of the head. Aplly pressure to the head to pinch it (i.e. stand on it). Pull string taut, make a know, and slide it down and pull tight. And voila! you have a head ready to pinch with using only 1 foot of string!

[joeyp2003]

adding shooters...okay when i add shooters i like to first put the whole ball and knife thing so the pocket is tight then i add the shooters acrosse i find it makes installing the shooters alot easier...note: this only works well with shooters going accross do install a U or V i dont use the knife and ball i just install them normally...hope this helps, least it does with me

[lzlax09]

When pinching do NOT use moccasin style shoe laces to wrap around the throat. Doing this causes the brownish yellow pigment in the laces to dye onto the head wherever it is toutching. I did this with my torque and now there is yellow lines on it which arent that noticible. But all in all just dont do it it is impossible to get it out I tried to use bleach, dye remover, and oxi clean and nothing worked so dont do it.

And just some other tips for pinching boil the head for about 2-5 minutes without strings on the head then take the head out and tie it up with strings. Put it back in the boiling water for about 5-10 minutes and take it out put it in the fridge for a while, and after that just let it sit overnight in room temp, this method has always worked for me and there has never been a problem with "unpinching."

Dyeing For dyeing all you really have to do when covering the whole head in dye, make sure the dye water is boiling to ensure good, pure, even distribution of the dye to the head. Also save your dye in water bottles or old milk jugs so that you can just reheat it add a little more dye and then your set.

Stringing a no-whip pocket in hard mesh, towards the top put one tight nylon. Next a row or two of diamonds down put a straight across shooter, then one or two more down put a big ^ shaped shooter. This is almost certain a no-whip pocket, also make sure that the pocket is low.

[joeyp2003]

i dunno if this is a new thing but my friend just told me bout it...when slicing a hole in a leather just use a nail clipper makes a clean cut hole

[senor_k]

You know how those nice rubber warrior butt caps eventually end up getting cut up by the shaft? The trick to stop that is to put a quarter in the butt cap before you put the shaft in. :guns:

[kryptic]

Another butt end cap trick,

Use a plastic water bottle cap, and tape around it, mine hasnt broken for a while now

[elementsk8r070]

like traditional, string your stick up with just sidewalls. then string on the mesh and sidewall again and then you get a bigger pocket

[Dpolelax]

To get rid of that sticky tape feeling when you put a fresh roll on your stick, throw some baby powder on it. The baby powder clings to the tape and makes it smooth.

[Orange]

Instead of using any type of string to pinch your head, or any heating method, use the plastic lock things. I dont know exactly what there called but there plastic and u stick on end into the other and pull, it works great and doenst mess up the scoop of the stick either or give it a chance of melting.

[Dpolelax]

If you ask anyone how to form a good pocket they will all tell you the ball and butterkinfe trick. Well I never really liked that because it was so hard to get the ball in the position you want it and you risk fraying your sidewalls a little with the edge of the knife. To fix this problem i use a screwdriver. It's narrower so it fits through the sidewall and the sidewall stings better and when you rotate the screwdriver you can actually change the postion of the ball. Some kids use a pencil or two, but i dont think that they are strong enough.

[Tbone]

You know when you have a realy hard peice of mesh, and your to lazy to pound a pocket into it (god forbid)? This is what i do... Fill a small pan with hot water, and then add a capfull of liquid fabric softener. Stretch out your mesh and put it in the water. Let it sit for like 10 minutes. Now string it up, with the mesh still wet. Now your mesh smells good and you'll have a nice big pocket with no work at all. :bye:

[Dpolelax]

When stringing your sidewalls, it is important they are both symetrical. I found the best way to do this is do both sidewalls at a time. Do one sidewall hole, then repeat the same procedure for the opposite side. This way you are positive that both sides are identical and you didnt forget how you did the otherside. Do this the rest of the way down the head and you have perfectly symetrical sidewalls.

[laxdevil666]

someone mentioned this before, but i haev a better way to cut the slits in the leathers, go to your local hardware store, ask if they have a pair of horizontal wire cutters, they cut those badboys really easily. no work at all.

[laxdevil666]

another thing, when cutting strings, adn then burning them, intead, burn the string a centimeter from the edge and then cut them, make sure you reall hold them under the lighter for a second or two. when you cut it, it should come out with a nice hard thin tip that is really easy to string through the holes.

[laxmann1993]

POCKET STRETCHER

i figured this out 5min ago looking at this fourum: You just get a pen/pencil and a roll of athletic tape. First put the pen in between the sidewalls and the mesh, then pt the tape under the pen and vualla!!

[mdawg]

to expand apon the idea post above me.
take an old slippery ball you dont use and tape it to a pencil w/ athletic tape. then you have a pocket strecher

[faceitoff]

You can use both sides, arguably.
I personally, now, use the rougher side, but many manuals instruct you to do otherwise.
The rougher side is believed to give you better hold, while the smoother side gives you a smoother, cleaner release.
My first stringing, I used the rougher side, and my hold was amazing. The next year, I strung the softer side, without knowing. I suddenly "lost" my ability to hold on to the ball, but as soon as I got used to it, I loved the way my stick passed/threw. Now, I restrung my stick to the rougher side, but I may go back to the softer side.

The End.

[LCNlaxman]

Stretching Leathers:

take a pencil (preferably unsharpened) and wrap the leather around it. keep wrapping (TIGHTLY) until you have wrapped the whole leather around the pencil. there you are, stretched leathers :-)

Annoying Pre-Cut Holes:

Take the same pencil (or a different one, better unsharpened) and push it through the pre-cut holes of the leather. now it's easier to push the end of the leather through.

[LCNlaxman]

An Easy Way to Pinch a Head:

go to your local hardware store (if you have one close by, Home Depot. they rock.) and see if they have Quik-Clamps. they are small hand clamps that clamp the more you pull the handle thing. Take your head and put the clamp around it, but first put the clamp VERY loose. put a 6 1/2" - 7" pencil in the sidewall holes near the scoop (to keep it legal) and put a baseball in the throat. Tighten the clamp so the baseball won't come out. Take a hair dryer (*GASP* a guy touching a hair dryer?!??!?!!?11 Yes.) and set it to hot and run that over the sidewalls of the head for approx. 20 minutes total. Try equaling out the length each side is exposed to the heat otherwise you might get a lopsided head.

[Lacrosstitute]

If you're having problems with shooting and passing with your soft mesh, I found a way to string the shooters that keeps ALL the hold but eliminates most of the whip. This shooter configuration gives me consistent 80+ mph shots, which is much faster than I've ever achieved.

String a tight straight shooter on the third row down, then another below it. Both of these need to be tight, the shooters aren't graduated like they would normally be. The part that really makes this work is the V shooter. I think the reason why the V works so well is that the tip acts as a release point, so it wont hook like some soft mesh pockets will. On the row below your second shooter in the middle of the row is where the tip of the V will be. Make it fairly tight, but so that it will conform with the pocket and not tighten it up. If my camera worked I would put up a picture, but I'll try to get some up. I'm sure a lot of you have figured this out, but I see a lot of new people who need a fix for their soft mesh problem.

On a further note, make sure your sidewalls and bottom strings are completely tight so the mesh wont bag. Hope this helps some of you, this really is a great pocket for any position. I dont know about attack, but if it works for defense and midfield I'm assuming it will. Have fun.

[DUMLCmike]

I made my last pocket by putting the ball in and then resting a beer can on top as its pretty heavy and small enough to fit in the stick! Also, run warm water over the mesh first to loosen it up for stretching.

[Poppingseed]

insted of heating and boilling, just do the zip tie thing, and just put it in the dashboard of your car the sunlight and ish will do the same thing and you won't have to worry about screwing up your head over a fire or stove.

[Poppingseed]

alright heres a way i started to stretch my mesh roll it up and twist it like your de-watering a wet rag,it stretches the diamonds out and often times you don't need to use conditioner or anything else...

[FeelTheRain]

if your stick has "lip". simply tighten each section of your top string and your in business.

[rebellax10]

Somtimes is you take mesh in the shower and string it on after it drys hard and lop sided. A way to eliminate that and keep the mesh is to Put the ball and butter knife in, then you run it under hott hott hott water until its all wet. Then you let it dry with the ball and knife in it and you have a perfect pocket.

[mdawg]

when you get dyed sidewall strings from jimalax or somewhere, wash them under water to get out any excess dye. if you dont, when your head gets wet you will have little dyed marks on your head where the strings were. believe me i know. my evo pro has orange circles around the sidewall holes, it sucks

[moondog]

For Dpole pockets; keep 2 diamond rows open at the top of the head, put in a nylon shooting string, then 2 hockey laces in consecutive rows. Then, put 2 consecutive V's in, as pointed of V's as you can do. Make the pocket as big as you can. It should throw perfectly out of the top, yet you can throw around one-handed dodges and the ball stays in. The "pure hold" gives you a fast and accurate shot, yet you can still throw ridiculous fakes.

[whslax1990]

The zip tie idea works great. But if you want perfect pinching Shape the head like you want with the zip ties and use a blowdryer to make it more pliable. Leave it for about an hour and walah! perfectly pinched head and best of all it doent take too long

[main32event]

my fav way to pinch a stick is to just bake it. set the oven at 350 and leave it in for about 5 mins, and just mold it the way you want. Works well for me

[cdlax_08]

I think they created a new rule this year that says butt ends must be an "official" one and cannot be a plastic bottle end or beer cap end.


Another butt end cap trick,

Use a plastic water bottle cap, and tape around it, mine hasnt broken for a while now

[MacLax1212]

To get rid of that sticky tape feeling when you put a fresh roll on your stick, throw some baby powder on it. The baby powder clings to the tape and makes it smooth.

If tape is used to give your shaft more GRIP, why would you put baby powder oin it to make it SMOOTHER

[freddybignutz30]

:whyme: :whyme: I BEEN SEARCHING AND SEARCHING I CANT SEEM TO FIND STICKER LETTERS SO I CAN USE THEM TO DYE MY STICK IF ANY ONE KNOWS ANY WEBSITES OR PLACES THAT SELL THEM PLEASE POST THANKS ALOT GREATLY APPRECIATED. :whyme: :whyme:

[LaxAttack2]

If tape is used to give your shaft more GRIP, why would you put baby powder oin it to make it SMOOTHER

well personally, i would like that more, because the tape would still give you grip, but it wouldn't be enough grip to actually have that hold on your gloves, it's almost like just a marker, with a slippery shaft just a little tape, even covered in baby powder, can make all the difference

...and my tip
It has been mentioned many times before to cover the ends of your tape (after its wrapped and everything) with wax, and wax them down with the hot liquid wax you get from burning a candle, i found that this works very well, but what i do which think is even easier is just heat up a hot glue gun, put a little hot glue on the bottom of my tape and press it down, it stays pretty well and if it starts becoming undone just do it again

[kryptic]

I think they created a new rule this year that says butt ends must be an "official" one and cannot be a plastic bottle end or beer cap end.

I thought it was just against a metal end cap, such as a beer cap, not a plastic one.

Oh well, mine are covered in tape anyways..

[SharpShooter3]

Ok. I have found that the best bottom strings are made from shoe lace. WHy? Because shoe lace stretches slightly. Thus when catching a ball the pocket will expand slightly to ease the ball in and then act like a slingshot when throwing. its also great when power cradling b/c the pocket expands.

[seamercer00]

:whyme: :whyme: I BEEN SEARCHING AND SEARCHING I CANT SEEM TO FIND STICKER LETTERS SO I CAN USE THEM TO DYE MY STICK IF ANY ONE KNOWS ANY WEBSITES OR PLACES THAT SELL THEM PLEASE POST THANKS ALOT GREATLY APPRECIATED. :whyme: :whyme:

Go to a craft store they usually have them like the rag shop or michaels craft store..

[gigo567]

My way of expanding a pocket takes awhile to do but it is worth it. First take a shirt and soak it in water. then put it in the stick. after putting the shirt in the pocket pour hot water on it and let it sit for a half hour. Then leave the shirt in the pocket pour hot water on it and leave it there. Repeat this four more times and then just let it sit there for the rest of the day. After that take the shirt out and you will have a deeper pocket.
Tell me if this works for you.

[benz7583]

When i pinched my head, i just put a bungie around it and used a blow dryer. It was easy and took about 3 minutes to heat. Then i put it in the freezer. Then i went extreme to get the scoop larger but the throat more narrow. I put the bungie around the throat and the put the stick in the hallway to smash it down and apart. its hard to explain, i put the lip of the head against the wall and put the butt end of the shaft on the other wall and pushed down uptil i got the shape i wanted. I heated it and left it over night. Now its legal measurements. Please note that any alter of a head is illegal.

[MrTibs]

When doing the ball and butterknife trick, tape the edge of the butter knife so it doesnt cut and fray your sidewall strings.

[libertyvillelax]

instead of messing with boiling water and all that just put ur mesh in the washing machine with the rest or ur clothes be4 u string ur stick

[dlaxer]

I think they created a new rule this year that says butt ends must be an "official" one and cannot be a plastic bottle end or beer cap end.
i think not . . .

[mustang_lax]

butt ends cannot be consisted of metal. You must either use a:
1) Rubber end cap
2) Power Butt (or w.e it's called)
3) A plastic bottlecap
4) Tape completely surrounding the metal end

[LCNlaxman]

I thought it was just against a metal end cap, such as a beer cap, not a plastic one.

Oh well, mine are covered in tape anyways..

It IS just a metal end cap. Plastic caps are still legal.


Please note that any alter of a head is illegal.

Alter of a head to gain an advantage. Pinching is perfectly legal, while you could argue it's to gain an advantage, it really isn't. It closes up the catching space, truly. You could also argue it help to keep the ball in your head, it still can pop out unless it's illegally pinched.

[stickphD]

forming my pockets:
i use a paint can opener, the little hook on the end catches on the side wal to hold it in place. Also i tighten the side walls as much as possible then use my paintcan opener, leave that in over night then i adjust my side walls, this is so the mesh is actually broken in.

[sweet_ceX]

when you dye a head and put your boiling water in, dont do it on a counter top, the heat will crack it after a while.

[waxon]

When breaking it new mesh, I have found that lathering it with shaving cream breaks it in very nicely.

[TitanLax]

When I burn my ends i have a wadded up paper towel beside me. as soon as i burn it i pick up the paper towel wadd (with several folded layers between me and the string), feel for the stringing and pinch off. the end point becomes better than even a tipped lace is. best advice i've made yet

[a2lacrosse]

when screwing a head onto a shaft. Never make it as tight as possible this rips the threads out of the shaft. or just got 3/4 the way and use one of those anti-slip washer things.

[Dpolelax]

When I burn my ends i have a wadded up paper towel beside me. as soon as i burn it i pick up the paper towel wadd (with several folded layers between me and the string), feel for the stringing and pinch off. the end point becomes better than even a tipped lace is. best advice i've made yet
I am assuming that you want a wet paper towel. That way it cools the nylon back to a solid state and wont stick to the paper towel. I do the same thing, i just use my fingers. If you just let the tip sit for about a second after you hold it up to the lighter and wet your fingers, you can control how you want the end of the string and it wont burn your fingers. Warning: if you do use your fingers and do it to soon after heating the nylon, some may stick to your hand which will hurt some.

[mrmccool]

i think not . . .
There was definately a new NCAA rule this year that bottle caps are no longer allowed as butt caps. So he's right. But, that doesnt mean you cant use a bottle cap of your favorite brew and then just tape the end, because if they cant see it, and it's all tape, you're straight.

[gibalax269]

you dont nessesarily need a big pocket that is barely illegal, sometimes a smaller pocket can be good too. A smaller pocket allows for a quicker shot and will improve your stick skills as well.

[sglaxr009]

aerbanother way to slice a leather is to use an x-acto knife cut on a piece of wood or something cause i goes thru easily and slices w/e is under it

[West-Strat_LAX]

idk kno id this is in here or not but i found that mehs breaks in really well if u soak in saopy water then throw in the washer.

it comes out really flexible and broken in and ready to string

[roycegracie47]

This is for us office guys who'd rather sit at our desks and sting heads and surf TLF than work on our TPS reports (yes they're real I deal with em every day).

I found those heavy duty black paper clips are great for keeping strings tight while stringing since you can pull the string as tight as you want it and attach the clip to the sidewall while you do that voodoo that you do so well.

[gaitlife123]

if you want to soften or stretch out some hard mesh, all you have to do is put it in the washer machine with a load of wash. you can even add some fabric softener if you want it even softer. this will also save you time from breaking it in.

[TitanLax]

THIS WORKS FOR GAIT HEADS MAINLY
when i make my pocket and "ball and knife", i use a wooden chopstick and put it through a stringing hole i'm not using. it makes the pocket just that much legal rather than illegal, like some of mine where i ball and knife

[UNCdefense]

ya, the easiest butt end thing is to ya just use tape, cause then its lighter anyway & looks sweet....pinching, go w/ the boil, its the quickest way....it will weaken your head a little, but o well.lol......tie a string around it pinched, boil it for 4 or 5 minutes, throw it in a freezer for at least a day & a 1/2, & then u can take it out(quickest way ive ever heard of....cause without weakening you head if you just tie it up you have to leave it tied for like 4 days at least, then it still expands alot more)

[UNCdefense]

oh ya, & as far as dye goes if you want a really good fade look, dip the head in, then slowly drag it out, then dip it in again & slowly drag it out, the end thats in longest will have the darkest color obviously, & it provides the best transition fade that i know of

[olax]

two tips use a hairdryer to break in fresh mesh and when u want to shoot underhand three strait shooters makes for wicked crank shots

[olax]

one more dont use an end cap just make a tape knob

[mmlaxplaya17]

when stringing a stick try stryinging the sidewalls with nylon strechable rope it helps to absorb the weight of the ball when cradiling and catching

[Ghslongpole14]

I always had problems with my strings unraveling and such after I strung them, so I was messing around one day with my lighter. I realize that if you first burn the string before you cut it, it works a lot easier.

1. Get a string.
2. Pick the spot where you are gonna cut the string.
3. Take your lighter and burn the spot that you're about to cut, for about 3-5 seconds.

4. Pull both ends of the string tightly.
5. Cut the string where you burned it.

Not only does this keep the ends together, but it also makes the string really small at the ends, to help with all those real small holes, and to keep a huge burned ball from being created.

Hope this helps! It works for me.

[Lax4life24]

migtht be posted but test new dye techniques or a color on a white brand new ball so u dont mess up ur new head

[slinkyspine]

ok i gots a tip if yuo have whip and have tried furiously with no sucess to remove it just place a shooter goin up the mesh veritcaly instead of horizantal from top to bottom in other words i used three on dimon a part and it solved the whip crisis it does reduce hold slightly but not enough to do anything

[OutBurst]

Never, and I mean never undestimate the power of dying every color at least twice.

[michaganlaxer]

when pinching a head tie a knot through a side wall and tie it off realitively loose then take a pencil or some thing long and put it through the middle of the loop and start twisting until it becomes tight twist until it pinches your head to the point where you want to pinch it. while keeping the string tight put the pencil on the scoop so it doesn't unwind then bake your head. (i am sure that made no sense so i will try to post pics)

[3rdPersonPlural]

I got my 10 year old a Gait Icon as it was recommended on these pages as a fine starter stick. The lack of pinch between the ballstop and the throwing strings certainly makes it easier to catch, but it allows the ball to rattle around in the pocket a lot more than I think would be ideal in game situations.

After shaking the ball around in the pocket for a while, I decided that extending the 'stiffness' of the plastic sidewalls down into the mesh would snug things up a bit. I had some leathers lying around from a disassembled trad. pocket, and I attached the 'top' (the end that has slits cut into the leather for attaching to the scoop end) to the mesh just far enough above the ballstop so the leather 'bracing' wouldn't interfere with the 'roll out' test, then laced it parallel to the sidewall until I reached the 'U' shaped throwing string that defines the top of the pocket.

I then laced through the mesh following the curve of that string up to the center of the pocket, and repeated the process on the other side.

Since there was enough leather left to 'double up' the reinforcement, I then ran each leather down, back toward the ballstop, one meshline in from the first, and then locked it in place by weaving the ends into the unused lacing slits in the sidewall.

What I ended up with was a double row of leather reinforcement bolstering the pocket from the top and sides. This effectively narrowed the pocket and created a berm across the center of the upper pocket. My concern was that the berm would result in a whip, but for some reason the throwing characteristics of the stick remained unchanged.

The positive results are that the ball nestles nicely into a snug pocket and moves noticably less in the pocket when cradling and dodging.

And, as an official, I can assure you that it's legal........

[tkdlaxer]

ok so when u need to unstring a mesh stick and want to salvage the strings u used instead of prying all those knots with ur fingers (cuz that hurts) take a paper clip and bend and edge out slightly so u have a "V" shaped paper clip then use that to pry it the knots out i find that this works very well abd doesnt cut ur strings so u can usethem again!

[Tman188]

If you want to use old leathers in your stick, and they have like indents from previous stringings. What you want to do is fill your sink with HOT water and let your leather soak in there for a couple hours(depending on how bad of shap the leathers are in). And then throw them in the dryer, then you are in business.

[lax4life6]

when im stringing i keep a little cup of water next to me so when i burn teh ends i just dip my fingers in it and then pinch the string. its like when you use your fingers to douse a match

[hankooklax]

a couple of tips

(1) When stringing, I like to burn all my ends first and make points where i'm going to string to make it easier and have less fraying

(2) always cut more string than you'll need

(3) when lighting ends, burn the ends a little, let them cool, then do it again. You'll get a nicer burn if you dont expose the nylon to the heat for a long time, but rather a couple times on short intervals of cooling and heating.

[Tman188]

when strining traditinal remember to keep the dimonds loose while the pocket is flat or else you will never be able to form a pocket.

[lilloaf1990]

A skinny U or V in a stick can take the place of a pinch job by holding the ball in the designated (sp?) area.

[Laxman3]

I wanted to give you guy a little tip that I found. My mom sews things on the side of banking. Certain materials fray very easily so she has to put this stuff called Fray Check on it. Anyway, I put this stuff on my top string after stringing to prevent fraying and it seems to make it much more durable. It would help ounce your string starts t ofray if you want it to last longer too. This just seems like a better idea that glue since it was made to prevet fraying. You can get it at just about any craft or sewing stor like Michaels, JoAnnes, Pat Catans, etc.

Here's a link to show what it looks like:
http://www.dritz.com/brands/showcas...hp?ITEM_NUM=674

[laxgod1790]

Simple Tips on traditional-

When I started stringing traditional I had to keep replacing my pockets after like 4 months of use because the nylon connecting to the sidewall would rip. I'm not sure if this is commonly known. But know I've used double knots on the sidewall and I have never had a problem with them ripping.

Also on my traditionals I use a top coil as seen in a RP. It doesn't allow for the ball to hit the top and works very well.

[alexhawk]

If you're not entirely sure which holes in a mesh you should be using try getting some wire ties (sandwich bag ones will dothe job aswell). Then you can attach the mesh to teh sidewall holes to chech if it works, saves realising your first loop was i the wrong place and having t oback track.

[West-Strat_LAX]

if you are using non-tipped shooters (such as jimalax's) it helps to tear a peice of paper and so when u burn the tip to tip it u wrap it with the paper, twist hard and remove and that gives u a nice little point instead of frays or it jsut being flat.

[brolax20]

A little tip i just discovered how to do is to make the plasticy, hard shooters soft, just scrape at the side with scissors. careful not to cuturself or slice the string.

[gaels-lax-11]

you can use quaters and beer caps as long as you cant c them just put tap or something thats wut did

[dtl42]

To flare a head what you need to do is to have your head on a shaft and press down until you like it. You need to have the mess up, facing you. Becarfull though don,t do it to hard or you'll crack your head.

[FaceOffMan4]

for butt ends, if you had a roll of tape that was nearly gone you could just shove that last bit of roll on witht he cardboard roll still inside the tape. then just get your new tape and cover it. but caps and stuff work just as good

[Ghslongpole14]

One problem I alwyas have with my sticks is the top shooter always coming loose. My laces never come undone, its just the top nylon string in my pocket.

To fix this problem, you can secure it with a zip-tie or braces rubber bands. Both work well.

[thunder_15]

if ur dying and using glue gun, try and get really cheap glue because some glues stick better than others and the glue i used isnt coming off

[gaels-lax-11]

yo if you need a tip on wut stick you want and wut mesh you want get the harrow monster with brine matrix head and snatch n grab pocket hells ya...

[slinkyspine]

To get a really good tip on your strings instead of butting the string just melt it like you would after you cut it but then pull them apart let it cool and cut the stringy stuff, BOOM pittped with a pint eaiser to get through holes

[goaliegirl33]

:whyme: :whyme: I BEEN SEARCHING AND SEARCHING I CANT SEEM TO FIND STICKER LETTERS SO I CAN USE THEM TO DYE MY STICK IF ANY ONE KNOWS ANY WEBSITES OR PLACES THAT SELL THEM PLEASE POST THANKS ALOT GREATLY APPRECIATED. :whyme: :whyme:
if you dont have a craft store nearby, you can get them at staples or officemax, they have them near the stickers that teachers give out and by the signs for offices.

[lilaxgurl23]

Traditional Tip-

For guys or girls, when stringing traditional, pay attention to your knots. I've noticed a lot of you have not interlocked them correctly (it's not one or two people, I've seen probably 20+ sticks with knots wrong and have mentioned it various times). When going down a thong, from one side the crosselace should go over and around and coming from the other direction (the other corsselace piece interlocking with) it should be under and around. If you string it wrong, you will probably have an X form instead of a smooth knot. If you don't understand this, I can provide pictures, but if you search around, you should be able to notice knots that are not properly interlocked from ones that are.

[Oside Lax]

if you are going to use the boiling water method, skip the boiling part and just use hot water from your sink. It saves time, and its hot enough to do the trick, and doesnt make the head very weak.

If your shaft is slippery, skip the tape and put on a bit of surf wax. I put some on my gloves for grip too

[fossil8412]

To reduce/ eliminate whip, weave a peace of crosslace through the tip top of your mesh as tight as you can, and tie it off... works INCREDIBLY, but make sure to get it as tight tight tight as you can, as it will stretch out a little bit. By the way, this does't eliminate hold either. If anything, it makes it better.

[FaceOffMan4]

yo all u auzzies out there!!! dont waste ur money on sidewall strings by buying them in a kit or buying them for that price coz its a rip!!!. instead head down to bunnings and they sell exactly the same stuff!!!!! for 50c a metre!!!!!!!!

[CMLax30]

for all u d guy's out there try hard mesh that is really boken in with 3 striaght shooter. it's wat ive been using and it works great. also dont use stx mesh it sucks.

[KILLA_B_gold]

Another butt end cap trick,

Use a plastic water bottle cap, and tape around it, mine hasnt broken for a while now
beer caps work great and fit nicely around the end, you should only hafta bend it a little to make it fit perfect, then just add some tape or a cap

[laxboy452]

The kind of dye that ive used when dying my sticks i use RIT dye you can get it at longs and other drug stores

[GO GAELS GO]

On one of my sticks i have the mesh going up and over the top of the stick.I find that it shoots very fast and has remarkable ball control. Also if u put like 3to6 shooter strings in a row u can't get a hook.

[ctl4lax]

for an unbeatable grip, use thick non-slip tape used on metal stairs or other big commercial places, it never wears down, tears gloves or slips

[ghser99]

If you dont want to mess around with a long section of cross lace, first wrap the excess crosslace around your index and pinky finger in a figure eight pattern then rubberband it, the lace will unravel out of the rubber band as you go, no more taking a minute to pull a piece of crosslace through!

[XebraStripes]

conditioner softens hard mesh nicley, and many people i know out strung heads in boiling water to picnh and expand the pocket, i've never tried but it might work

[MoOnCoW]

i took a few pencils and a old lacrosse ball and a shishcabob and taped it all together onto the ball... i prefer this over the knife and ball method... its easier to controll how and where you want your pocket...

[Buzz1991]

I use a butter knife and slide a ball under it and leave it over night.POCKET STRETCHER

i figured this out 5min ago looking at this fourum: You just get a pen/pencil and a roll of athletic tape. First put the pen in between the sidewalls and the mesh, then pt the tape under the pen and vualla!!

[jpalmer91]

instead if leaving your shoots dangle, cut them, then take a pair of needle-nose pliers and clamp just a half centameter away from the end of the shoot. burn the end of the shooter, then to make sure that its neat, move the pliers right over the burn and clamp them on it. cutting you shooters on angles makes them look better, if you cut them straight acrosse the end up looking like bow ties.

[bhslax12]

when burning the tips of crosslace, sidewall, etc. put it under the flame for a good 5-7 seconds so all the nylon is melted up top. then, while still hot, take an old CD case or something and twist the melted nylon on it. it will make a small, pointy tip.

[Lax_Luver]

GET A HUGE POCKET

Take your mesh off the head and take all strings out
when you have just mesh soak it in hot water and add a little bit of fabric softener
This whill strech out your mesh and give u a bigger pocket when you put it on

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[MDlaxin69]

If you have had a low pocket for a while, and want to string a high pocket with the same mesh, you may notice that the pocket wants to form low again. NOT A PROBLEM!!!
turn your mesh upside-down, so the place it was broken in for a low pocket is now in a good place for a high pocket!

[et1705]

im sure you all have heard it....but....tape the sidewalls i dont think it works that amazingly but some do....

[LaxDman62]

you can strech a pocket by using a baseball bat weight doughnut. Also if you use a wiffle ball pushing down while in the pocket, it makes a big pocket and works well.

[laxobsessed]

easiest and cheapest pocket pounder ever that requires no heat and minimal risk of injury!!!! girls lax training ball ( the pink ones that are soft and smaller than regular balls) a drumstick.... STAB a hole in the lax ball and since its made of foam this is VERY easy then insert the drumstick and force it down... now you have a pocketpounder
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c199/Xxtrikee/photobucketlaxsticks.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
this is also the cheapest one ever made cause you can take the drumstick from the schools band room and the girls lax coach loves me so she gave me the ball

[Jephman]

THIS WORKS FOR GAIT HEADS MAINLY
when i make my pocket and "ball and knife", i use a wooden chopstick and put it through a stringing hole i'm not using. it makes the pocket just that much legal rather than illegal, like some of mine where i ball and knife

It is similar to that, but instead, use one of those cheap hotel or Bic pens. They will flex and will make your ball legal instead of doing the butterknife, and making it illegal.

[Acelax09]

To help remove the stickieness of a new tape job cover your hands in talc or baby powder and put some in your hands and rub your hands over the new tape.

To help hold a poket take hair gel or hair spray and go over you poket with them rubing them in to the mesh.

[Skimguitar4life]

If you use 6d mesh and you cut a hole in the diagonal directly where your ball lays, in your pocket, it gives massive control. It can also result in a little added whip, but nothing too outstanding. I did it on accident and its been amazing. Sounds crazy but it works.

To help understand why it works: Imagine putting a lacrosse ball on a cap about the size of a gatorade cap. It holds the ball perfectly because of its cylindrical shape. While the new "hole" is smaller and diamond shape versus cylindrical it has the same affect on the ball.

Make sure you burn the part that you cut so your mesh doesn't fray! :nahya:

[longpoleman]

This is obvious, but when using leathers, widen them where you normally catch the ball it your pocket. Then narrow them again at the top.

[starslax3]

String you side walls loose when the mesh gets broke in tighten them up! dont worry how it looks if you like how it throws

[keivan135]

or you can get a flathead screwdriver and a hammer. Put the screwdriver where you want the whole and give it end of the screwdrive a couple of whacks, it works for me

[vanslaxer]

one day i was playing lax outside with my friends and i accidentily schooled up the bull under sum sticky tarry mud. i washed it, but there was still a whole buncha that sticky stuff. it was kindof weighing my head down too. with no other way to turn, i just put bleach mixed with water on my traditional stringing it got most of it off. i left it over night with a screw driver and a ball. the next day, it came to me that the bleach actually stretched the leathers. WARNING: DO NOT USE TOO MUCH BLEACH. TRY TOO USE A LITTLE MORE WATER THAN BLEACH. I DONT KNOW IF THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BUT I HAD STX LEATHERS AND USED CLOROX.

[benjamming18]

when you are dying an old scraped up head lightly sand the whole thing before, it helps clean it

[TheCanaidan]

I havnt read through the above posts so this may have been posted, it probably sounds stupid and simple, but when string sidewalls string every single hole with everysingle diamond in the mesh, it makes a pocket higher up in yoru stick and looks a lot cleaner.

[gbwlaxer006]

I have a solution for pre or mid game head switches that turn out to have mis-matching screw holes for the head. if the hold doesnt line up, then take a small piece of tape, make a little ball, and squish it into the space where the screw would be on the head. then tape over that alot, and tape the head to the pole pretty tight and alot so it doesnt fly off int he game. the tabe ball makes the tape over the screw hole stick out a little, like a screw would. so the ref doesnt know the difference.

[Shakerlax8]

when dyeing with hotglue, after you take it out of the hot water put it undwr cold water then dry it with a towell and then take the glue off it was so easy i took the glue off with mt finger nails

[cveagles826]

If you are planning to dye your strings put them all the way in or you will get a faded look (unless you want that :naughty: )

[aire]

a really good and easy way to give your self a faster shot is to replace the bottom string with an elastic shoe lace therefore you are immitating the pulse

[claxbucky]

This one's for keepers. If you're having the top of your mesh rip a lot from taking shots, get a piece of crosslace and weave it into the doubled over row of diamonds that you use to string the mesh to the head. It adds support to the mesh there, so it won't rip as easily from taking shots. I used to have to switch out my mesh because it ripped a couple times a season at the top, but I haven't had to change it for over a year now!

Also, If your screws keep falling out from taking lots of shots and having the hole rounded out from all the vibrations and stuff, go to lowes or home depot and get some of the self-tapping screws they have in there that are a little bigger than the ones that are normally sold for lacrosse. The ones you buy @ a hardware store usually are a little bigger & stronger and have larger threads, which help keep the head tight with the shaft.

Another tip I have, I always hate when I get a really nice pocket and the mesh starts to break or fray on the sides, or anywhere for that matter. What I do is I get some kevlar string, or you can use kite string, they're both the same. And I run it back and forth between the 2 diamonds connected to the fraying/broken one. Then I do coils around the string and the mesh. It has lasted up to half a season in some sticks I've done it to. But be warned, if you don't do it right, it can rip your other diamonds apart pretty easily, I've had that happen too.

[hankooklax]

for pinching and dying... always make sure that you use a lot of heat. the hotter the dye is and the hotter the temp is for pinching.. the better the result will be.

also for a lighter butt, i use just a short piece of tape and put it at the end of my stick. it is enough not to get called during stick checks and it makes the head feel a little heavier so it works out well because you can feel the ball better

[cgv1016]

freeze the head safter dyeing it and the glue comes off eaesy

[QC~KID]

YA like that idea! i've done it with the boiling water method and probably about three games later it was right back in to it's original place. so i think i'm gonna try that!

[nemiman18]

u can also make letters if u are good with a glue gun

[TheCanaidan]

Does anyone else HATE the ugly left over mesh that hangs downs by the throat? Well if you dont want to cut it off or think you might use it another time, take a lighter, heat it up, and then roll it into a tight roll, its great, stays out of the way, and looks good

[Warriorlacrosse]

ok so when u need to unstring a mesh stick and want to salvage the strings u used instead of prying all those knots with ur fingers (cuz that hurts) take a paper clip and bend and edge out slightly so u have a "V" shaped paper clip then use that to pry it the knots out i find that this works very well abd doesnt cut ur strings so u can usethem again!

I prefer to use the clamp sizzors that the doctor uses when he is putting the stitches in that you can lock shut and have the finger holes. If you haven't ever had stitches needle nose pliers work to. :monkey:

[F&Rlax12]

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m271/FHB4/LacrosseCatalog004.jpg When I was stringing the other day i ran out of leathers. i was really bored so i doubled up a piece of crosslace to the pocket depth i wanted and i just used that instead.http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m271/FHB4/LacrosseCatalog005.jpg

[Warriorlacrosse]

To help remove the stickieness of a new tape job cover your hands in talc or baby powder and put some in your hands and rub your hands over the new tape.

This works good if you have the time but if your in a rush or taped your stick in the bus ont he way to the game you can rub dirt on your tape. You might think that it won't be pretty but don't worry it works. Try not to use wet ground.

[F&Rlax12]

Another tape idea. instead ot wax or hot glue on the end what i do is i take a bit of super glue and put it on the very end of the tape. that way it has no way of coming off, and when you want to replace it just take a knife and use the blade to peel it up.

[laxplaya98]

and easier way to pinch a head is to grab a garbage bag and a hair dryier...

put the head of your stick in the garbage bag and twist the hole at the top around the hair dryier leavin a little hole for the hair to come bac out... and turn the hair dryier on, on high and high heat.

leave it in there for awhile and then take the head out and push the sidewalls together and the let it sit for awhile while holding it that when it cools down a bit. put it back in the garbage bag and do the same thing but put the hair dryier on the cool setting.

[rmolax888]

when pinching a head i always wrap a bungee cord around it then sick it in the dishwasher when ever my mom runs it it works great and breaks in your mesh if you leave it strung.

[CSlax06]

to balance your stick wrap pennies (or other small coins depending on shaft) in tape and shove them in your shaft it it feels top heavy put some in the bottom and vice versa. I tend to like more weight up top, it gives a more whippy feeling.

[infamous]

I found a great way to soften up mesh a ton, and it only takes about a minute. Just get a good amount of lotion and spread it all over your hands. Then take the mesh between your hands and rub it in really good. Stretch the mesh a little bit and you're good to go.

[HHSlax23]

If u want a low pocket with low whip, i found that if you string the sidewalls first and then pull the top wall really tight upward it will make a v channel with a low pocket. more useful for midfielders, not recommended for attack because of the slow release.

[EHSLAX12]

a trick i use (works the best with a goalie stick with a deep pocket) is using a sidewall string that is long enough to have excess tring that you could use for ur bottom string. sometime the bottom string leaves those winged areas or it starts to pull on the sides cuz its never really even with the mesh. the longer strings allows u to have a more similar bottom and one that will hole the ball closer that the traditional looping that u do.

[behind_the_back]

i made my own pocket stretcher in less tahn 10 minutes. i cut 10 inches off the end of an old broom handle, and an old lax ball i didn't want, and drilled a hole thru the ball, then put a screw thru the ball into the dowel. then drill a hole sideways thru the dowel and stick a pen thru. and magic!! you've saved 20$

[Ti Di 41]

A way that i found works much better than burning the tips. Get a little bottle of 5 second Super Glue. Just put a dab on the end of the string and will soak in and give you a nice hard end. If the end is already frayed jsut cut it off and it gives you the perfect tip.

[Lax_Guy_16]

:banghead: I find that i dont like that because i find it to soft so i would rather light it with a lighter i just thesuper glue way to soft.

[sticktrix 34]

for breaking in hard mesh, soak the hard mesh in warm water and lather it with conditioner. then you have to take a hair dryer and when dry you have an almost perfect pocket.(works best when you have a pocket stretcher in)

When stringing a custom or trad and you dont have any crosslace take the nylion string out of the middle of the sidewall and you have almost perfect crosslace(still not as good as crosslace so buy your spools)

[Riot]

I've found that if instead of starting to double up where you normally would, if you use one diamond on that hole, and then three on the next, it helps to create a channel.

Now, can anybody tell me if that's a good idea? I've been doing that on most of my sticks and they're turning out great, minimal whip and lots of hold.

[manup5183]

I've found that if instead of starting to double up where you normally would, if you use one diamond on that hole, and then three on the next, it helps to create a channel.

Now, can anybody tell me if that's a good idea? I've been doing that on most of my sticks and they're turning out great, minimal whip and lots of hold.

that sounds interesting, ill try it in my profile.

[Sulax09]

jjo;


if your mesh is oto hard to make a pocket do the ball and knife and while you do it u put lotion were the ball is and the pocket stays :thumbsup:

[tm_lax]

If you need a huge pinch to keep the ball in your stick, i'm thinking you aren't that great at lacrosse

[msp2099]

to get a pinched head you can use a pencil at the scoop, a vice (bigger ones are better usually), some clamps, and a heat gun used for peeling paint. A heat gun is basically a super duper hair dryer. it gets way hotter so u can mold the head better to ur desire.

[Fedy101]

A lot of you guys have dyed heads i know but is it possible to dye a shaft? Not like a metal one but something like a white Harrow Field Attack. If you could dye composite shafts that would be so cool! I've got so many good ideas if it works. So if anyone has tried this could you please let me know.

[sflaxman]

put like shoe water-proofer on a traditional pocket and the pocket will stay the same through all weather conditions....it worked for me

[deuce9898]

not sure if anyone has made the sport-crossover connection yet, but in a desperate search for a pocket pounder I have realized that pods used for paintballing work perfectly.
they are also only maybe 2 dollars new =]
i hope this helps the budget stringer/multi-sport ppl

[Dragalaxer44]

If you love whip heres a tip,

cut the tip off of your lace and stick a pipe cleaner in then burn the end and string it works!

[BrizzleAyaz]

My d-pole is strung with 4-Wide Traditional Mesh on an STX Bionic. Sometimes, I make my pocket too deep, where it is illegal. While it was that deep, I tried catching with it, but the two leather strips at the throat of the head let the ball slide right through, like a hole. In other words, don't make heads strung with Wide Traditional mesh get too deep.

[Warriorlacrosse]

To help remove the stickieness of a new tape job cover your hands in talc or baby powder and put some in your hands and rub your hands over the new tape.

If you tape your stick on the way to the game you can se dirt. that's what I do.

[preplax29]

I do that to all my hard mesh, with one unique step. I use heat activated conditioner that helps the hair or watever. here are the steps I use.

1. Soak Mesh in really hot water in your sink for 2-3 minutes.

2. Take out, pat dry, leave it a little damp.

3. String up head, no shooter strings yet though. Pound it for about 10 minutes.

4. Add HEAT activated conditioner. rub on both the inside and outside of the pocket.

5. Take head, upside down, back of the mesh facing you, and rinse off the excess conditioner. Do NOT use anything except the water. No hands, towels, brushes etc. just rinse the back of it off. Shake the excess water off when dry

6. Use the ball and butter knife trick.

7. Now, with the ball and butter knife trick in, take a hair dryer and with the highest heat possible, dry the mesh. This is where the heat activated conditioner comes into play. This helps to soften hair (I got a ton of girl cousins and friends, and I asked around to see if this was true.) With the Heat, it helps to soften the mesh. Depending on how long you dry the mesh, you can get a softer hard mesh all the way down to a really broken in hard mesh feel.

8. String up shooter strings.

9. Go Play lax.

Its as simple as that. It can be a lengthy process, but hey, it works, so it dont bother me.

[Sir Mackel]

Some one posted this somewhere else but to help pinch a stick tie it up and put it on the shoe rack to ur dryer or wutever it is and put the dryer on for like 15 mins and it will heat ur head just enough

[ArmyLax]

this is the easiest way to get a ball into position to form it. put the ball in the pocket, but not where you want the pocket. Get a triangular pencil and put it through the sidewall and just roll the pencil. No matter what kind of tension you have, the triangular shape of the pencil will result in the ball moving to where you want the pocket.

[EHSLAX12]

if you have a while before the season and dont mind doing so...take some cross lace and tie up your head for a pinch job with nothing else required but patience. just tie it with whatever you would normally use for a boiling pinch, and leave it at room temperature for upwards of 2 weeks...i always have done it for 3 to a month. this does work, i have a fuse i pinched to a box head, then did this method and wanted yo make a trickstick and succeeded.

also, for all you goalies out there with either a goal-ex pocket or a goal ex topstring...always pull the string tight enough so that the diamond section the string is going through partialy pops out of the key string holes at the top. it really decreases the whip or lip of the pocket because its garunteeing that the entire stopstring is uniform.

[RedWolfLax13]

Won't it be illegal then? or most likley illegal, because you have almost no control over how deep it will get.

[AHSlax29]

Believe it or not, its easier to stretch mesh with tighter sidewalls than loose, so make sure you string em' tight, it may be ugly for a while, but it'll definitely turn out in the end.

[ptlax26]

when dying a head 1 solid color, use RIT dye in the liquid form, which can be found at most grocery stores. Then get one of those aluminum turkey pans (disposable) and boil a few cups water in a pan on your stove. When boiling, pour both the dye and boiling water into the turkey pan, then dip your UNSTRUNG[U] head into it. If the head isnt completely covered, dip the end into it and hold down with something that 1. will not stain and 2. will not conduct heat and burn your hand. after a few minutes, take out your head and put under cold water to wash off excess dye.
Now you're ready to restring and play with your fly-lookin' head

[crazzyD]

would this work if you had the RIT dye in a non liquid form? I really need some help, about to do my first dye

[ashurnibitashpi]

if you have trouble getting the butterknife under the lacrosse ball becuase your pocket is just HORRIBLE, then hold your head over a pot of boiling water for a few seconds until it's moist and will stretch really easily.

[laxmatt797]

would this work if you had the RIT dye in a non liquid form? I really need some help, about to do my first dye
yes it works pretty much the same, but for dark colors use 2 packets

[pain_in_ur_ace]

If you dont want to boil or bake a head when you pinch it do this :http://www.lacrosseforums.com/showthread.php?t=45285 but instaed use a blow dryer on high all the way, it is a little safer so only target areas get softer instaed of the whole head.

[murderlax]

when stringing goalie mesh, after pounding it, get a screwdriver(longer) and loop it through some of the diamonds where you want the pocket and twist. it'll soften up the pocket up a bit, and also make your pocket deeper.

[BK_Knights_9]

GOALIE POCKET STRETCHER W/ CHANNEL

Take two frisbees and attatch them to each other like this () and then put two notches in them. Take two dowells and do the ball and knife trick with the dowells and the frisbees.

[lazylaxer]

i just ordered a Helix and some hard mesh... this is gonna be the first time i string a stick myself so i was wonderin if i should do anything like stretch or treat the mesh before i string it to get a better pocket?

[taco5]

For a nice pinch just tie a leather around the head very tightly and leave it like that for 12-48 hours. pinch it more then how you want it though because it will come unpinched a little.

[playwithpride14]

to get the best mid pocket you can get, string you stick very tight. I mean TIGHT! leave what ever you use to pund you pocket in over night (wether it be a real pocket pounder or a ball held in by a pencil) the next day loosen the strings by the throat as Aalot this seriously gives you the best mid pocket since the open strings keep the ball up and allows it be as deep as possible. works best w/ 6d mesh

Also before I string depending if its pretty bad mesh i always boil my mesh. Makes it nice and soft and easy to string.

[truss009]

i am sure everyone has had a sidewall string start to rip or tear or fray even. this usually happens fom the ball rattling around in your pocket and causing friction haha. a quick way to make this stop is to get a thing of supper glue and put some of it over the fraying. this will make it stop for sometime, if it starts again re apply it

[melvin]

I don't dye heads anymore, the dye would always run through my designs, now I go to my local hardware store and buy krylon. Its like 3 bucks a can and always comes out perfect, it comes in all kinds of colors and is weather proof.

[rynolax]

Hey just to let you guys know, if you iron your mesh on the top row of folded over diamonds, it stays down better and is easier to work with. Also if you like broken in mesh, break in time is way better. Just make sure to put something over the mesh, because some of the coating will come off onto the iron. It works well for me, but some other people might not like it.

[Shenlax37]

For burning the end of your shooters, cut them diagnolly, and put them ofer the lighter for like 3 seconds, but then press down and seal up the cut, works great and kepps it from fraying for a while.

[supergoalieguy]

All of my custom pockets have always caught at the top while I have thrown with them due to how soft the pocket is. I have found that you can fix this by coating alot of hair spray on the pocket. Now my pockets throw as fast and as accurately as an rp.

Also, about tape being too sticky on the outside, there is a type of athletic tape which is 1 inch wide, and has no stick on the outside. The company name is Pro Guard Elite. I believe that it was originally designed as hockey tape. It works really well, especially for tape butts.

[gtodude]

if you want a good hold pocket but not much whip, than do this. start out with the butter knife trick in the middle of the head, leave it there. take it out a day later and do the same thing only do it right at the butt stop. leave it there a little bit longer than you did the first time. once you are done with that, put in a v and 2 straight hockey laces. you can add a nylon if you want. there you have it!!

[evania8008]

I you have been playing in the rain and you want to dry your mesh just sprinkle a little baby powder on it absorbs the water.

[hockeyplayer]

hey i need help my heads screw hole will not line up with my shafts hole and if i make a hole two holes with overlap and both the head and shaft are made by the same company

[Bretmac]

hockey lax plaey turn your shaft around and drill a new hole

[laxplaya77]

To take away that nasty stick residue on your shaft, put one layer of electric tape on your shaft and then the grippier tape. When you take off the tape, there wont be all of that residue. This helps me a TON

[warrior4lax]

idk if anyone said this already. but i wish i would have seen it..

when using a ball & knife to stretch your pocket, make sure the knife doesnt cut the sidewall string... :)

[VTlaxer]

You know when you have a realy hard peice of mesh, and your to lazy to pound a pocket into it (god forbid)? This is what i do... Fill a small pan with hot water, and then add a capfull of liquid fabric softener. Stretch out your mesh and put it in the water. Let it sit for like 10 minutes. Now string it up, with the mesh still wet. Now your mesh smells good and you'll have a nice big pocket with no work at all. :bye:

I heard this messes your mesh up
is this true?

[naderlax23]

for me, i don't find it necessary to pound my pockets. if you double up and interlock in the right places, you can achieve great pocket placement and a sick channel. So, before you spend two hours tirelessly pounding in your mesh, try to get good at doubling up to save yourself some time!

[333charger]

If tape is used to give your shaft more GRIP, why would you put baby powder oin it to make it SMOOTHER

when i tape up my the but end of my stick (a big knob) i dont like the grip so i go over it with electrical tape, it streches really nice around all the nooks and cranies and than its not grippy.

some people dont like grip. dont be a boob.

[954ethans]

yeah i definitely agree that this method keeps the strength of your head but if you want to keep the strength and do it quick a good method is to buy some zip ties, put them tight around your head until it is pinched enough, and then use a blow dryer and heat the whole head up for about ten minutes until it is warm. this is very fast and is a lot less risky.

[Native]

When stringing U and V shooters, start at the peak of the U and then work your way down either side to form the shooter. It helps me to get the shooter symmetrical on the first try rather than having to re-do it if I screw up.

[thor of the kop]

i didnt read all the posts so i dont know if this has already been said, but... i always have small zip ties with me during games in case my sidewall/top string breaks. their good for a quick temp fix. i do have a back up stick, but i like my primary one better. anyway, hope this helps.

[tomtom]

i didnt read all the posts so i dont know if this has already been said, but... i always have small zip ties with me during games in case my sidewall/top string breaks. their good for a quick temp fix. i do have a back up stick, but i like my primary one better. anyway, hope this helps.

I second this. 3rdpersonplural originally got me hooked on the things, now I always keep a bundle on hand.

As a side bonus, they are useful for fixing goals and other on lacrosse things, helpful when I keep my stringing bag in my car with me at all times.

[thor of the kop]

I second this. 3rdpersonplural originally got me hooked on the things, now I always keep a bundle on hand.

As a side bonus, they are useful for fixing goals and other on lacrosse things, helpful when I keep my stringing bag in my car with me at all times.

yea, i had to use a few to fix a goal, and my gollies sidwall broke in the middle of a game w/out a back up...thank god i had them.

[IDLaxStar]

I have a problem with my heads when i dye them. After they are dyed, they bleed on the mesh even after i dry them out and wash them. The color also gets fadded away and rubbed off. How do i make my head look like a factory dyed head with a clean finish and doesnt look like its gonna fade or rub off. Is there some type of finish spray you can put on it?

[laXative33]

That works pretty well. And there called zip ties.

[rockslacrosse70]

i seriously suggest not using the butter knife trick, you run the risk of cutting you sidewall strings... in replacement i use a long screwdriver

[cpxjds136]

Has anyone tried using Shooters like leathers going vert. down the mesh into the shooters horiz? Im just wondering

[stjohnslax18]

i jus got a new proton power with durable mesh and yes i know it will probably be illegal next year but i wanted to know because the hold at the top of the mesh is messed up and the ball slips out of the scoop how can i fix that???

[otownlax09]

there called zip ties.

[NoobLaxBeast]

Ok I got two mad good tips. If you got chop sticks lying around you can use that instead of the ball and knife trick.

Second, for pinching. Tie it like normal with the pencil and leave it in your attic for a day or two in the summer. IT GETS MAD HOT IN THE ATTIC. Specially if its like 90 degrees outside. Probably better than leaving it in your car.

[TigersLax2013]

Use weed wacker wire for the top it doesnt fray and it is amazing!