How to tape a defenceman's stick.

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How to tape a defenceman's stick, step by step

1. Blade

   1

   Step 1: Strip and clean the blade

   Remove all the old tape and adhesive, and dry the blade. A defender's tape takes a beating, so start on a clean surface for the strongest hold.

   

2. Blade

   2

   Step 2: Anchor at the heel

   Start at the heel and lay the first pass straight around the blade to lock the end down. The heel takes the hardest passes, so make this wrap tight.

   

3. Blade

   3

   Step 3: Wrap with heavy overlap

   Spiral toward the toe, overlapping each pass by nearly half the tape width. The double thickness cushions hard passes and holds up to blocked shots.

   Tip: Heavier overlap uses more tape but lasts longer between tape jobs.

   

4. Blade

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   Step 4: Run off the toe and trim

   Wrap past the toe, tear the tape, then trim the bottom edge and toe clean. Press every edge down so nothing lifts when you dig pucks off the boards.

   

5. Blade

   5

   Step 5: Wax it well

   Rub wax hard into both faces and the bottom edge until the tape is matte all over. With this much cloth on the blade, wax is what keeps it from soaking up water and getting heavy.

   

6. Handle

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   Step 6: Make the ladder ropes

   Tear off three or four strips of tape about 20 cm long and twist each one tightly into a rope.

   

7. Handle

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   Step 7: Lay the rungs

   Wrap each rope once around the shaft below the end, spaced about a finger-width apart, where your top hand sits.

   Tip: The ridges lock your fingers in place when you reach one-handed for a poke check.

   

8. Handle

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   Step 8: Wrap over the ladder

   Starting below the lowest rope, wrap up over the ropes with a slight overlap so the ridges show through the tape.

   

9. Handle

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   Step 9: Build the lip and seal

   Stack wraps at the very end into a firm lip, fold the overhang over the butt end and finish on the underside.