Coronation Ace blades - 25 week wait!!!

[abbi_1990]

Does anyone know why there is such a long wait to get hold of coronation ace blades (9 inch)??

is there much difference between the majestic and the coronation ace?

Im in the UK btw.

[techskater]

Huge difference between the two. They are probably backlogged (that time of year for a lot of people to order their replacement skates). How about an MK Professional instead? The Pro and the Ace are similar in performance and skills designed for.

[fsk8r]

I heard that there's a problem getting any blades at all from some places, because the Chinese have bought all the steel and the manufacturers are finding it hard to get new steel.
My coach has been waiting since the summer for her new blades and they still haven't arrived - she wasn't after Coronation Ace, and she half didn't believe the shop when they told her there was such a long wait, but if there is a wait for Aces as well, it sounds like it might actually be a genuine reason.

[abbi_1990]

Im working on my passports and level 1 field moves - do you think the majestic would be good enough? or do i need to get the coronation ace/MK professional?

[Virtualsk8r]

Since you mention a passport - are you in the U.K.? Why don't you try the John Watts blades instead, since they are manufactured and available in the U.K. I've had excellent results with their blades - dance and freeskate - and the prices are reasonable. Check out their website!

Of course, the other option is to order the blades from an online skate shop that has them in stock.

I agree that the MK professional and Coronation Ace blades are basically the same. My favorite blade for low level freeskate is the Four Aces blade - a bit more expensive but I find the edge quality to be better. And, if your feet have quit growig - why not splurge and get a higher level of blade since you can keep it until its done.....the better blade will help your skating. A good blade is not the same as a pair of high-end boots (which would be too stiff for your level). Better flow, more control over turns and good lift in your jumps would be a benefit of going for a higher level blade.....just stay away from Pattern 99's and the toe pick at this point.

[techskater]

John Watts is defunct. They're only selling off their stock

[abbi_1990]

Virtualsk8r: I am in the UK. My feet have stopped growing. Just out of interest, is the GAM 0070 boot a high level boot?

I have never heard of John Watts but will try and find out whats up with them.

[NickiT]

Firstly John Watts has ceased trading so you'd be lucky to get your hands on any of those blades. I have heard that there is a bit of a shortage of some blades here in the UK and it has been blamed on the Dancing on Ice rush from the past couple of years. Not sure how true that is, but it's definitely a case of supply and demand.

Nicki

[peanutskates]

oh my gosh, I do hate Dancing on Ice for that reason. Everyone suddenly goes crazy for skating. So this period of time is absolutely mental if you ever possibly want to go on a public session. Obviously it affects other areas of skating, too. ARGH.

[Mrs Redboots]

oh my gosh, I do hate Dancing on Ice for that reason. Everyone suddenly goes crazy for skating. So this period of time is absolutely mental if you ever possibly want to go on a public session. Obviously it affects other areas of skating, too. ARGH.

Yes, but if it brings new people into the sport, isn't it worth it? You know what skating's like over here.... ignored by all except the people who actually do it. Although, to be fair, the Beeb did broadcast highlights from the Europeans this afternoon (naturally it clashed with the beginning of the gala on Eurosport, but at least they did it!).

As for blades, I hadn't heard there was a blade famine. Last time there was one was when I was going into dance blades, and I ended up in synchro blades for seven years, which were gorgeous!

[Gareth]

I don't know who told you that there is a 25 week lead time for coronation ace. I managed to get Vision syncros made, and gold plated from them in less than 4 weeks, just before christmas.

Try contacting John Turner in Birmingham if you want coronation ace, he always seems to have them. Also Everglides has some 9" professional blades in stock.

I would love to get John Watts blades, but I cant find any left in the size I need:frus:

[Sessy]

Last year I also tried to get Coronation ace blades around december. I was told I couldn't get any till the new season, "dancing on ice" etc etc too. Then I told the skateshop guy that if that was the case, I'd go to Germany and see to get it there, meanwhile "maybe I'll buy my new skates there too..." The guy knew I was looking for *expensive* boots (I got graf edmonton eventually).
Suddenly I had the blades within 4 weeks, sent by mail (had to pay for the mailing costs myself but that's only like 10 euro when the blades are 150).
:mrgreen:


As for "dancing on ice", it's the only reason we can get more than just Risport and Edea here nowadays. It's the reason most shops now carry Jackson models up to classique as well, and some are starting to carry Graf models lower than the edmonton (bit too late for me, but hey it's a good development). And some are trying their hand at cheap riedell models.
Also, the inflow of really beginning adults is great for the clubs, they don't need as much ice for their group lessons, but they do pay almost as much as most clubs' competitive group lessons cost! Obviously those need WAY more ice (for comparison, on sundays we have two groups of around 20 beginners each on 1/2nd of the ice, the other half is for the 12 girls in our competitive-B group class and it's too crowded to do camels if everyone shows up, for us. Meanwhile, they only pay 6 euro's a month less than we do. And their coach is just one of the girls in the club who does it for fun.)

[fsk8r]

[QUOTE=Mrs Redboots;352596]Yes, but if it brings new people into the sport, isn't it worth it? You know what skating's like over here.... ignored by all except the people who actually do it. Although, to be fair, the Beeb did broadcast highlights from the Europeans this afternoon (naturally it clashed with the beginning of the gala on Eurosport, but at least they did it!).
QUOTE]

I'd love to say new people in the sport was worth it, but I've just had my lesson cancelled cos they've got to move the group lessons forward an hour and squeeze in three sessions of public where there were only two before. Coaches aren't best pleased as they've just lost two hours of teaching time.
I don't see how less coaching is good for the sport. People going around in circles on a crowded pad ain't going to encourage them to come back and learn properly. They'd have been better off leaving the sessions as they were, and trying to add on some drop in beginners classes. Would keep the coaches happy and help try to convert some of these would-be skaters into regulars.

And very glad they showed at least an hour of the europeans on BBC. hopefully we'll get the same if not more for worlds, or i've got eurosport by then.

[Sessy]

That's mismanagement on the rink's part.
Our rink is building a second ice rink (due 12 months from now) and an artificial-ice patch.

[abbi_1990]

I don't know who told you that there is a 25 week lead time for coronation ace. I managed to get Vision syncros made, and gold plated from them in less than 4 weeks, just before christmas.

Try contacting John Turner in Birmingham if you want coronation ace, he always seems to have them. Also Everglides has some 9" professional blades in stock.

I would love to get John Watts blades, but I cant find any left in the size I need:frus:

I have had them on order from John Turner since October and they still havent come yet. I asked Les Westaway if he had any/could get them but he told me that there is 25 week lead time.

[vesperholly]

I just bought new blades (MK Phantoms) and they arrived in less than a week. Maybe it's something in Europe?

[Virtualsk8r]

John Watts is defunct. They're only selling off their stock

Wow - that's too bad. Their Evolution blade was great and so were the dance blades. However, whenever I tried to email them about blades for my skaters - they never seemed to get back to me. I had lots of skaters interested in their blades because of the success my skaters had with their blades. Too bad for the blade business.......especially since MK and Wilson are the same company now.

Jackson Ultima blades are pretty good, too. I have skaters in them becausse their parents didn't want to pay the higher prices for Patterns and Gold Seals. check out their website!

[Mrs Redboots]

Coaches aren't best pleased as they've just lost two hours of teaching time.
I don't see how less coaching is good for the sport.
No, if it is just people plodging round on public sessions, I would agree with you - but it also has a huge impact on the number of people starting Skate UK courses, which is good. Even if only one in 50 goes on to NISA Level 1 Bronze, that's still three or four new adult skaters a year, and the same with the kids. Our rink will probably have to cone off 3/4 of the pad for lessons when the next 6-week set of courses started, particularly on Thursdays for some reason!

Returning to topic, my coach was saying the other day that Jackson Ultimas were really good blades. He used always to recommend Aces until you were working on your doubles, and then to upgrade to Phantoms, but with the influx of new blades recently, he's been informing himself.... he doesn't totally like Paramounts, thinks they're a bit gimmicky, but wouldn't stop a skater getting them.

[NickiT]

Just going to say, my daughter got fitted with new skates a few months back and yet again no MK Professionals so she was fitted with Ultima blades. I daresay I was a bit worried but they look like a good blade and our coach says she's skating great on them, so don't knock a different blade just because it's not so popular.

Nicki

[Ice Dancer]

I've got Ultimas and I would definitely recommend them. My coach has commented what great toe picks they have also.

[fsk8r]

No, if it is just people plodging round on public sessions, I would agree with you - but it also has a huge impact on the number of people starting Skate UK courses, which is good. Even if only one in 50 goes on to NISA Level 1 Bronze, that's still three or four new adult skaters a year, and the same with the kids. Our rink will probably have to cone off 3/4 of the pad for lessons when the next 6-week set of courses started, particularly on Thursdays for some reason!

Unfortunately the courses have closed the waiting list as has the private lesson waiting list as they never cleared the back log from last year, so there really is no benefit for real skating.

On topic, has anyone any experience of ISE blades? I'm skating in the Sterling ones at the moment and love them, but need to get new blades soon, and if there's a major waiting list for Aces or anything else in the UK, I was thinking I might pick some up in Canada whilst on vacation, and was wondering if anyone has any experience of the Stealth blade. (I'm assuming that they might actually have those in stock and not on a 25 week wait).