Thought I would turn to you guys for help again - you always seem to know the answers

Oh and before I start, please don't counsel me to check with the "pro shop" as there is no such thing here. I am basically stuck ordering online for this particular thing.

Just wondering with a blade, how short, is too short for a blade? I read somewhere on the net that the "industry standard" is to have your blade 1/4 inch shorter than the length of your boot, or as long as your boot.

Would it be highly detrimental (for a short time period for instance) to use a blade which was more than 1/4 inch too short for the boot?

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AW1
mum to Miss Lil (6yrs old)
mum to be to #2 due in March 08

The best way to find out what size to order is to check with another mum whose skater is about the same size as yours - if they have the same size feet (or rather, the size skates that you're about to order for your skater), they'll have the right length blade on them, and you'll see what that is.

1/4" in either direction won't be a disaster, but no more than that.

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

1/4" is okay, anything more would require expert mounting to get the ball of your foot over the rocker of the blade. Here are the mounting directions from John Wilson Skates. (Scroll down and click on "Blade Mounting Instructions."

There is a web page that described how to mount blades that are shorter or longer than the standard 1/4" vs. sole. I'll see if I can find the link.

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thanks Isk8NYC & MrsRedboots for your help!

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AW1
mum to Miss Lil (6yrs old)
mum to be to #2 due in March 08

What size does your daughter wear? I see from your signature she is the same age as my daughter. She just got new boots and blades a couple of months ago. My daughter normally wears about a size 12 in shoes...I can check her boot size and blade size, if you like. I remember we thought she would need one size of blade (she is in Coronation Ace) but then they were a tad bit too long for the boot so we had to go shorter on the blade. It does not look like to me that there is much room for negotiating on small boots and blades! I wish blades would fit for a couple of pairs of boots, but when I saw how they were fitting them, I think we will have to increase the blade size next time she needs a longer boot.

Let me know if you want to know the size of the boot and blade length...I want to say that the blade is not all the way at the tip of the boot, maybe even up to 1/4 inch away...but the next size up was just a tad too long.

Ok, I just looked - my daughter's boot is a size 13 (in shoes she usually wears a 12 but depending on the brand, sometimes up to a 13....this boot she was a great fit on the 13) and the blade (Coronation Ace) is 7 1/2"

By the way, the toepick is totally different than her old one but after skating on it one session she was fine with it. I don't know what your little girl is in now, but the toepick on this one sticks out more at the top than the rest of it (if that makes any sense) and it is zig zagged. I don't know the exact terminology (definitely learning more as we go! LOL), but just wanted to mention that it was an easy transition for her.

Hope that helps!

One more thing I forgot....the blade is mounted flush with the front part of the wood/sole. The back part of the blade is exactly 1/4" from the back edge of the sole. I don't remember the increments for this particular blade (if it was 1/4" or 1/2"), but I do know that whatever the next size was hung off the sole.

thanks Mermaidskater, this is actually not for my daughter's blades, but that does help with my queries with her skates too!

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AW1
mum to Miss Lil (6yrs old)
mum to be to #2 due in March 08