What a Difference - blades

[SkatingOnClouds]

Background:
I posted some time back that I had scored a replacement pair of blades off E-bay. Phantoms made over 20 years ago, identical to my pair, but in better condition and had been sharpened properly over the years. I decided to get the most out of my old ones before fitting the new ones, but a recent post made me think I should try them now, so I fitted them yesterday.

And what a difference. Suddenly I am not always on my toe picks. I can spin on the sweet spot without being on the pick, which I could not do before. And even just stroking around the rink, no toe picks. I can get on the heel of the blade, there is a difference because there is actually a rocker.

Still feeling a bit weird and getting used to the difference, but it feels so much better. Anyone out there who suspects their blades might be getting flat and losing the rocker, I can confirm it makes a difference.

[AW1]

Karen, I'm glad that your new blades have made a difference! What a stroke of luck getting those blades was...

[coskater64]

There is a large chain here that sells figure skating equpt as well as, hockey. They swore they could sharpen figure skating blade, the flattened my pattern 99's, perfectly flat on the second sharpening, then they said they were fine. I went back got yet another pair of blades, and found another sharpener who did an excellent job, it is soooo nice to have a rocker, it is incredible what correctly sharpened blades can do for your skating.

:D :D

[doubletoe]

Yep, I recently replaced my blades with brand new ones and all of a sudden I no longer catch my toepick on spins and I have no more scratching on my back crossover power circles! Now I don't have to get barked at by my moves-in-the-field coach anymore, heh heh.

[SkatingOnClouds]

I guess my rocker got gradually sharpened off by bad sharpening over the years, so I gradually got used to flatter blades.
When I returned to skating last year, I figured it was me. No matter what I did I couldn't get off my picks, especially on spins and back crossovers, and jump take off edges - though that is partly me. What a relief to skate without that grating toe-pick sound.

My next attempt at a miracle cure is that I am getting Superfeet Gray orthotic insoles. Maybe correcting my huge pronation might help me with some edges and maybe even turn my string of 3-turns into the backspin it is meant to be.

But then, only a bad workman blames his tools...

[doubletoe]

But then, only a bad workman blames his tools...

That's right; a good workman replaces them! :D

[Sonic]

That's right; a good workman replaces them! :D

Too right!

I had exactly the same problem; before getting my Coronation Aces I was trying to skate on flat, blunt blades that were nearly 19 years old!

S xxx