Jim Homuth: circa 1971:

      Like many mask makers Jim Homuth was a goaltender who decided that he wanted to make his own mask. He thought about getting one made by either Higgins or Lefty Wilson but didn’t want to wait. He started researching how to make a mask and the properties of fiberglass. Around 1970 he was working on a design very similar to Plante’s Fibrosport mask. Within a couple years Jim was making masks for goalies in the Ottawa area. Homuth  (along with Jacques Plante) was instrumental in advancing the design of face masks adding the forehead ridges and pointed, angled nose area that ran down to the chin. He came up with his design after witnessing Plante getting knocked unconcious in the 1970 playoffs against the Bruins.  Homuth's masks had smooth, more gradual ridges than Plante's. Like Plante, Homuth used small circular holes for breathing. Many goalies preferred to have a mouth hole so they could spit but Homuth swears by his design so much so that he never deviated from it. His masks certainly are distinctive and his design has been copied but Homuth's masks were arguably the best facemasks made as he used a special mixture of resins, and fiberglass reinforcing. Homuth spent hours studying the properties of resins and fiberglass and even more hours experimenting and testing until he arrived at what he feels was the best formula and design. Ken Dryden was the only goalie who insisted that Homuth change his design as he (Dryden) felt that the holes were too small and he wanted more ventilation. Homuth felt that triangles would compromise the strength of the mask. Dryden also wanted larger eye openings and for Homuth to cut the jaw line but Homuth wouldn't. So Dryden had larger triangles and eye holes cut into his mask by a sports equipment designer by the name of Carl Lamb. Lamb also painted the design on the mask.  Dryden’s “target” mask was a simple yet effective design.

      Homuth made masks for the following NHL goalies during the 70's; Michel Larocque, Ken Dryden, Joe Daley, Gary Smith, Michel Plasse, Gilles Gratton, Phil Myre, Dan Bouchard, Billy Smith, Gerry Desjardins. 

* Legal Disclaimer *

All masks made by the featured maskmakers are designed to protect the head and face from superficial injuries, they are not designed to protect from neck or spinal injuries. Ice hockey and other contact sports can be dangerous. No protective equipment will eliminate all injuries, If you wear a mask made by the featured maskmakers when you play hockey it is implied that you accept the risk of injury.

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