READER TIPS XVIII
Reader Tips I / Reader Tips II / Reader Tips III /
Reader Tips IV / Reader Tips V / Reader Tips VI /
Reader Tips VII / Reader Tips VIII / Reader Tips IX /
Reader Tips X / Reader Tips XI / Reader Tips XII /
Reader Tips XIII / Reader Tips XIV / Reader Tips XV / Reader Tips XVI / Reader Tips XVII / Reader Tips XVIII / Stick Tech / E-Lacrosse Home
We picked 10 reader tips for publication this month! And we're giving the authors e-Lacrosse Rage II DVDs! Winners contact us if we miss you. Some e-mails cannot be returned to the addresses given to us.

WARNING: Ovens, lighters, matches, knives, and other tools called for in this tips section can be dangerous when not properly used. If you intend on trying any of these tips at home, you must tell your parents exactly what your plans are before proceding. Improper use of some of the tools suggested can result in cutting, burning or staining yourself or your family's property. So ask FIRST, and be careful!


Stringing Rules     Submitted by Craig

I am 14 and don't even remember when I strung my first stick, probably 8 years ago, since then I have always loved stringing and look at e-lacrosse a least once a week. About 3 years ago I went to work for Lax World stringing sticks, partly thanks to you guys. Here are my tips:
1. It is easier to string from the back of the stick with the pocket poofed out.

2. Wet the mesh with warm water then stretch it.

3. When your done a leather or mesh stick, shove a damp t-shirt in the pocket and let it dry.

4. Use basic sailor's knots. Not ones you made up.

5. Make the leathers all the same length then tie them to prevent slippage when stringing.

6. Always cut too much string, just in case.

7. Most strings have wax in them so you can make a shoe lace-like cap with a lighter to get string through small holes.

8. Buy a knot manual!

9. Buy stringing in bulk. It's cheaper.



Pockets by Garth    Submitted by Garth

Hey e-lacrosse, this is Garth. These are some of my stringings. I also did the dying. Hope you like them.




Temp Work    Submitted by Randy in San Diego

When stringing a mesh pocket, don't string it permanently the first time. An easy way to stretch mesh is to put the sidewall through the second or third row of mesh and pound on that for a while. Don't worry about shooters. Just stretch as much as you can. Then simply Undo the sidewalls and restring to the outer holes. This is a technique for new mesh. It will give the same feel as a broken in, older piece of mesh. E-LACROSSE RULES


Hockey Laces    Submitted by Steve

There are two types of hockey laces you can use for mesh. There are the hockey laces that come in the stringing kits and then the waxed type. The waxed laces are meant for hockey skates, but I use them for stringing hard mesh pockets. They stay really stiff as long as they remain waxed, and they're more durable. They come in different colors, too!


A Southern Beauty     Submitted by Teeter of Gainesville

I've been stringing now for about four years. I wanted to dye and string a head up nice so y'all can see that we can string down here in the south. I took a G-Force head dyed it with hot glue and two colors. For the pocket I wanted something that would work well on a long pole for a guy who likes to throw stick fakes and crank shots. This is what I came up with. It holds the ball beautifully and throws with just the right amount of whip. The loops between the leathers expand when cradling creating a deep nest for the ball.







Rattleproofing     Submitted by Matt

I find that an effective way to minimize ball rattle and increase accuracy in a traditional stick is to vary the tightness of the leathers. If you keep the outer leathers tighter than the inner one's, you can create a channel and a point of depression that the ball will naturally fall into.







Waxing Your Nylons     Submitted by Mike

Here's a good tip for fraying shooting strings and nylons. After you have strung a stick or put in a new shooting string, take the ends of each string and then dip them into some melted wax from a candle. After that you can either let it harden or quickly pass it through a flame. Both ways result in a very hard "endcap" on each string which protects them from fraying.


Torpedo Hybrid    Submitted by unknown

I did this dye job myself just the other day and decided to put a new pocket on it that I've never seen before. It's a cross between the hype no.2, which I have strung on my razor and absolutely love, and a torpedo pocket down the center. I've just begun stringing the custom pockets but have been stringing my own for about 5 of the 7 years I've been playing. Every one on my team loves my pockets and I'm always looking to your site for new ideas.




Glove Adjustment    Submitted by Brent

I've been reading e-lacrosse and tricking out my sticks for over a year and a half now. Thanks for a great site! But one problem that I've always wanted to fix was loss of ability when my gloves are worn. The other day as indoor was about to start up I thought if I can't buy new gloves I'll trick out my old ones. So I wrapped a piece of tape around each of my fingers at the base of the glove and one toward the tip on the index and middle fingers. This made the glove tighter and therefore more responsive. I now barely notice my gloves.


Stretch Pocket    Submitted by Stefan from Albany, N.Y.

I have been stringing for about a year and I haven't really done anything big. I was fooling around with some ideas and I came up with this. I have a thin piece of mesh down the middle and two shoe laces next to it. I put shoe laces in it so it stretches out to a good pocket depth. It also has tons of whip and is easy to control. I also pinch in a lot for maximum scooping.




Reader Tip Recall     Remember this classic E-Lacrosse reader tip:

Personalize Your Endcap    Submitted by Neil of Ontario, Canada

You can use old-style 12 oz metal bottle caps as end caps for your sticks.


You just have to make sure that you wrap enough tape around your stick to cover the sides of the caps.


When you put the caps on the end of the stick, you may have to slowly work it into shape. In the end it is worth while because you can't feel the cap on the end and you get to express yourself by choosing your own caps.
Well, the new changes in NCAA rules have addressed this and the use of metal bottletops is out. And that means it's out for you high school and youth players in the states. Here's the text of the rule change:

Rule 1-19, Note 2, Crosse Construction. Change to read: "All hollow crosse handles must have their exposed ends adequately covered with plastic, rubber or tape to prevent injury. The use of metal caps (e.g., bottle caps) are prohibited."

Thanks to all for participating. Keep sending your tips and we'll pick some more in a few months! Send them to john@tonabricks.com! Please include your name and a permanent e-mail address.

October, 2004