How to Remove Old Hockey Tape and Residue Safely

New tape only lies flat on a clean blade. Old tape, lumps and sticky residue under it make the new job uneven. Here is how to get back to a clean stick without damaging it.

Why tape leaves residue

Cloth hockey tape uses a rubber-based adhesive. Howies and Lowry both describe theirs as natural rubber. Some of that adhesive can stay behind on the blade when the cloth comes off.

Cohesive grip tapes are different. Renfrew Pro says its StretchRap grip leaves no residue, because cohesive tape sticks mainly to itself.

Step 1: peel by hand

Start at the toe or at a lifted edge and pull the tape back on itself, low and slow. Most cloth tape comes off in long strips this way.

A patent filed in 2008 for a tape-cutting tool describes the problem well. Its background notes that players usually tear tape off by hand, that this gets harder as the tape compresses onto the blade, and that using a knife or straight razor “may risk scoring or otherwise damaging the blade,” so the method is generally avoided. It adds that newer aluminum, fibreglass and composite sticks are expensive, so players are reluctant to risk a cutting tool on them.

Step 2: warm stubborn tape

Bostik, the adhesives maker, suggests warming sticky residue with a hair dryer so the adhesive loosens, then scraping it off. On a stick:

1. Set the dryer to warm, not its hottest setting.
2. Keep it moving over a small section for a few seconds.
3. Peel or rub the softened tape away while it is warm.

Step 3: lift the residue

Bostik’s other suggestions for tape residue:

• Peel or rub it off with your fingers first, getting as much as you can.
• Use a plastic scraper, gently. A plastic card does the job.
• Loosen it with warm water and a few drops of detergent, or with a little canola or olive oil.

If you use water or oil, wipe the blade clean and let it dry completely before you retape. New tape may not hold on an oily or damp blade.

What to avoid

• Knives and razors on the blade. Scoring the surface is the risk the patent describes.
• Strong solvents unless your stick maker approves them. We could not find published guidance from the major stick makers on solvents and composite blades, so the cautious choice is to stick with heat, fingers and a plastic scraper.
• High heat. A heat gun or a dryer held in one place can get much hotter than you need.

Safety note

If you do cut tape, for example at the knob, keep the blade of your utility knife pointed away from your body and your other hand, and cut across the tape on the handle, not into the stick.

While the blade is bare, check it

Old tape can hide damage. Before you retape, look closely at the heel, the toe and the bottom edge for chips and cracks. If the blade or shaft is cracked, replace the stick. Do not tape over a crack.

If the stick is under warranty, read the maker’s terms before you file a claim. Bauer’s warranty page, for example, says the warranty is void if a composite stick has been used on concrete or asphalt.

Then retape

Once the blade is clean and dry, follow the forward, defence or goalie tutorial. Each one starts with stripping and cleaning the stick.