Strikeband Reprofiling
When curlers think of the most important area of a curling stone, most would say the running surface and yes the running surface does affect how the stone will perform, but what is so often overlooked is the strikebands. The strikeband of a curling stone also plays an important role in the performance.
A properly shaped strikeband allows for true weight transfer between stones when a curler is performing hard hits and even delicate tap backs. More importantly, the strikeband is the key in determining the life of a curling stone. Blue Hone and Ailsa Craig Common Green granites will chip in half moon shapes throughout the middle of the strikeband. Once this type of chipping has begun these stones cannot be re-profiled as too much material needs to be removed to get below the chip affecting the weight and dimensions of the stones.
In Trefor and sometimes Ailsa Craig Common Green granites the strikeband overtime will begin to wear flat. Once the strikeband loses its convex shape, it will wear too flat and the risk of chipping above and below the strikeband is a likely result.
It is extremely important for clubs that have Trefor granite stones to have their strikebands kept in that convex shape. Strikeband reprofiling is part of having your clubs stones inserted but is also available as a separate service to those clubs who are concerned about their strikebands but do not wish to have work done to the running surfaces of their stones.
For more information please do not hesitate to contact our office as we would be happy to provide a quote for you.