MK Dance Blades anyone?

[icedancer2]

I know that some of you dancers out there are using the MK Dance blade (the thin one) -- and I know we've had some discussion about how you like them sharpened...

But I don't remember any of the details. I have had mine for two years now and still don't really like them, can't really tell if they're sharp enough, can't always find that "sweet-spot" etc., etc. and I'm wondering how the rest of you have dealt with these blades.

I have become "blade-obsessed" in the last two years -- they are driving me crazy!!

[CanAmSk8ter]

I like mine... if you are thinking about switching, I have a couple of friends who have the Ultima dance blade and say they really like it. I find the MK to need to be sharpened more often than my old Coronation Dance, but I'm skating more hours than I did on the old ones, so that's probably part of it. Otherwise I haven't had any problems with them.

[jenlyon60]

I liked my first pair (the 80's variant).

I tolerated my 2nd pair... purchased them in 2001.

Got really frustrated with them this summer, and switched to Ultima Ascend a couple months ago. My coach and I are very pleased with the change in my skating. He says that I look more stable (Ascend is a flatter blade). I feel more comfortable and I can't really tell much of a difference in not having the slim-line blade. Like you, I had problems finding the sweet spot on the 2nd pair.

My coach wore MK dance his whole competitive career and switched to Ultima Ascend early last summer. He's been extremely pleased except that the pair he originally received had problems with the chrome chipping. He got a replacement pair and hasn't had any serious problems since. Mine are the black tinted/plated blades and I haven't had any chipping problems so far.

I had a few minor adjustment issues, but part of that was because for about a month or 6 weeks, I was only skating like 1 hour a week due to injury.

--jsl

[skatesnrides]

icedancer,
I know what you mean about becoming blade obessesed.
I've had MK Dance blades for the last year and the one thing that I do like is the flow I feel from the slim line, but I can't seem to find my balance on them. I was also thinking of switching to the Ultima Dance blades because of the flatter rocker. However, this summer I got a new Ultima freestyle blade for my freestyle boots..the Legacy, I believe, and while I feel more stable on those, I'm having a horrible time with turns. So now I don't know what to do. Are there any blades with a 7.5' rocker?

[Isabelle]

I have them and like them, but I'm not all that picky about my blades.

[icedancer2]

Okay -- I gather that there are sometimes problems with the blades and sometimes not -- but what about the sharpening?

I spoke with the guy today who usually does my sharpenings and he said that a lot of the skaters like them to have a deeper groove than the more shallow groove that you get with the slim dance blade when you sharpen it. He called it a "freestyle groove" -- that a lot of skaters liked it better, but that the shallow groove should/would give a faster run.

I thought I'd try it the next time I get a sharpening.

I always feel like I'm kind holding on with my toes with this blade -- don't know if it's the blade or broken-down boots...

So what kind of groove (hollow) do you like?

[jenlyon60]

Coronation Comet has an 8.5' radius; Pattern 99 has 8' radius; Coronation Dance and Wilson Super Dance 99 has 8' radius. Just looked at the Ultimas, and all of them appear to have an 8' radius.

With my old MK dance blades, I can't remember now (after 3 months) what setting we used for my sharpenings. It was fairly deep though.

[skatesnrides]

I believe the ROH on the MK Dance is 5/16" but I found that to be too deep. I actually couldn't stop. The blade would just keep going on its track! So my sharpener has the ROH set at an odd fraction somewhere between 3/8" & 7/16", so that it still has some bite but I can control it better.

[icedancer2]

Originally posted by skatesnrides
I believe the ROH on the MK Dance is 5/16" but I found that to be too deep. I actually couldn't stop. The blade would just keep going on its track! So my sharpener has the ROH set at an odd fraction somewhere between 3/8" & 7/16", so that it still has some bite but I can control it better.

This is the kind of information I am looking for -- but isn't 5/16" shallower than 7/16" ?

Anyway, I am looking at some info from MK -- the MK Dance has a ROH of 5/16" and all of the other blades except for the Double Star are 7/16". The Double Star (an "all-purpose blade") has a ROH of 1" -- does that mean it's deeper? -- no, I guess not -- that would be flatter, I guess.

I am so confused.

I also notice in looking at these materials that the Wilson blades (especially the expensive ones) have an 8-foot Rocker, whereas the MK blades all have a 7-foot Rocker.

So, what's the difference as far as skating in them goes?

I wish there was a way to just try on a bunch of blades and then decide which one was the best for you and your skating!

[jenlyon60]

Re ROH, the larger the fraction, the flatter the edge. A 5/16" hollow is much much deeper than a 1" hollow. IIRC, a 3/4" to 1" hollow is closer to the type of grind that was typically used for skating school figures.

[icedancer2]

Originally posted by jenlyon60
Re ROH, the larger the fraction, the flatter the edge. A 5/16" hollow is much much deeper than a 1" hollow. IIRC, a 3/4" to 1" hollow is closer to the type of grind that was typically used for skating school figures.

Thanks -- I figured it out after I posted this and thought about it some more, especially in regard to figures.

But now I'm REALLY confused about what the guy in the skate-shop said to me: that some dancers like them to be deeper than the MK Dance usually is, that they like a freestyle hollow -- which according to us now, is shallower than the one on the blade originally...

Anyway -- just looking for excuses for this blade...

As an aside, jenlyon60, you must be the same person who posted about this subject on the icedancers listserve last summer or fall because your story sounds AWFULLY familiar!!

What are the specs on those new blades, anyway? The Ultimas is it?

Thanks.

[jenlyon60]

Ascends have 8 ft radius and 7/16" ROH.

The pick is more aggressive than the MK Dance blade, but I didn't have any trouble getting used to having a lower pick. I really like my Ultimas... they were definitely worth the price. I feel much more stable, and I don't notice any difference in flow or edge changes(that was the one thing I was a bit concerned about, was the difference in flow or in doing edge changes, between the MK Dance blades and the Ultima Ascends).

[InlineUnited]

I've got them ordered, but has anyone given the new MK Parabolic dance blades a whirl? I'm pretty pumped to get em and see what kind of limits I can push them to ;-)

With regards to sharpenings on the MK, I have no idea how he does it but the guy who sharpens my blades makes them sharp enough to say, hold that super deep inside edge on the restart of the cha-cha, however I can still twizzle without my edges biting into the ice.

Also that holding on by your toes feeling sounds to me like boots that aren't offering enough support. Having the same problem here myself and hopefully the new boots will give me a little more support.

[icedancer2]

Originally posted by InlineUnited
I've got them ordered, but has anyone given the new MK Parabolic dance blades a whirl? I'm pretty pumped to get em and see what kind of limits I can push them to ;-)


I've heard that they are different... some things you can do better and others not so good. Let us know how it goes...


Also that holding on by your toes feeling sounds to me like boots that aren't offering enough support. Having the same problem here myself and hopefully the new boots will give me a little more support.

Yeah, you are probably right (sigh) -- I keep wanting to blame anything but the boots, but they are certainly getting old. But oh, so comfortable...

Which brings me to my next question: what kinds of boots do you like for dance and what about that higher heel on those so-called "dance-boot"? Anyone?

[jenlyon60]

Klingbeils

Medium strength, cut about 1 inch lower in front and 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches lower in back, no dance scallop. No heel height adjustment.

[sk8ndancr]

I have the Wilson Super Dance 99, and I love them. They are slim line, just like the MK Dance, but the radius is 8.0, so they are a little flatter. My sharpener says a flatter blade will give you more speed on the ice because more of the blade is in contact with it. I have mine sharpened to 5/16"

[CanAmSk8ter]

Most of the dancers at my rink either have Risports or custom Harlicks. I've had both and I actually like the Risports better- much to the delight of my wallet. The skaters with customs usually have the dance backs and the extra scallop. Some of them have the heels built up, some don't. A couple have the heels built way up. I don't know how they can stand, I think it'd be like skating in stilettos, but to each their own I guess. I had my heels built up but only an extra half-inch so that they'd be the same as what I was used to with my old Risports. I have Super Diamantes at the moment but when I get my new ones I'm probably going to end up with the dance boot now that Risport changed their line. I'm hoping one of my rinkmates gets them first though so I don't have to be the guinea pig ;)

[InlineUnited]

I've heard many a horror story about people trying to break a pair of Harlicks in haha. I personally am going with the new'ish Jackson Elite Supreme Men's Dance, and being a person who has always worn Riedell in the past, I'll be interested to see how they fit. Being male I don't really get the opportunity to *try* skates out before I make a decision so let's hope this was a good one hehe.

I figured I'd go with an outright dance boot as it's already cut down and it's built with dancers in mind, and since that's all I do that's what I need ;-)

[sk8ndancr]

I have custom Harlicks and found they were the best boot I ever had. This is the fourth pair I've had; I used to get them just with the dance scallops, and they did take a while to break in, but it was definitely worth it. The last two pair I had, I also got the dance backstay, and it made a huge difference with the break-in. No problems with the top cutting into my ankle, and I didn't even need to wear bungas. I don't think I will ever try another boot, but people are different and you have to go with what works for you.