what to look for when buying used blades

[mikawendy]

I'm on the lookout for a new or used pair of Coronation Ace blades, and I was wondering if any of you have advice for what to ask if I find a pair of used blades online?

I know that I need to have the same size blade as before (so it will fit on my boot), but other than that, do I need to ask
--how many sharpenings have the blades had
--how wide is the dull strip along side of the blade

Does the current hollow on the blades need to be similar to what I have (1/2 inch) (that is, if the blades have a deeper hollow than what I want, will that "use up" more of the life of the blade to sharpen it to the shallower hollow?)

I've heard that one should be wary of "warped" blades, but how can I tell? Would my skate pro be able to tell?

Do I need to ask if the previous owner had the blade custom rockered? (Is that ever done, or is it really rare?) The rocker on the ACe is one of the reasons I'm making the switch--I currently have Wilson Excel, very flat blades, and my instructor thinks that Aces would be better for me in the long run.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!!!!!

[dbny]

The problem with buying used blades online is that you can't tell if the sharpenings have been done properly or if the blades are warped. I have never bought used online for that reason.

It is possible, however, to pick up new blades online at deep discounts if you have the time to wait for them to show up. I got a pair of new Cor Aces for $55 and another pair of Aces new for $80, both on ebay. I check ebay: Ice Skating (New Today) (http://listings.ebay.com/aw/plistings/newtoday/all/category21225/index.html) every day when I am looking for something in particular.

Failing that, I know a shop that has the absolutely rock bottom prices on blades, that ships UPS for their cost (usually about $4). LMK if you are interested in their name and number. I don't know what they ask for Cor Aces, but I got my daughter's last pair of Gold Seals there for $335.