I am certain that I want to upgrade my blades to MK professionals. I am currently on an MK blade but it is the standard one. However, it never seems quite the right time. I fear my adjustment time. I have seen skaters who are quite advanced that seem to take quite a while to return to their previous abilities through the transition. I have my very first competition the end of April and know that ordering the blade and getting it mounted will take several weeks. I am still struggling to get the programme practiced well enough as it is. My greatest fear is having several weeks of struggling with the adjustment while the practice is supposed to be perfecting the programme.

I would appreciate any information about how long your adjustment period was and your opinion of changing blades with maybe 4-5 weeks left before a performance.

Thanks in advance!

I say go for it. It only took me a couple sessions to adjust to gold seals which were the first 8' rocker blades I skated on...a lot less time than it took to break the boots in.

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Casey Allen Shobe | http://casey.shobe.info
"What matters is not experience per se but 'effortful study'."
"At first, dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable" ~ Christopher Reeve

About two years ago, I switched from whatever came on the Riedell Blue Ribbons (121's), I know it was the Sapphire, and I think it was MK? Either MK or John Wilson. Anyway, I switched from those to MK Pros and had almost no problems. At the time I had jumps through the top loop, working on full loop, flip, lutz, a good scratch spin and a bad sit spin.

I tripped over the larger toe pick a couple times the first two days. I also upgraded to an old model Silver Star at the same time (similar to the Bronze Medallion of today). My T-Stops became perfect and easy the first time I tried them on the Pros as opposed to the Sapphire. I didn't really have a long adjustment period. I got them in Feb 2005, competed in them April 1 2005.

I'm now on my 2nd pair of MK Pros (first pair is still in excellent shape, I broke down my boots after a year, got fitted again and my feet each shrunk 1/4". Very weird I know. Anyway, smaller boot, smaller blade...still have the first if anyone's interested...GREAT condition) and working on axels, 2sals (both so close!) and flying spins. My coach likes her students to upgrade to the Pattern 99s once they have the first few doubles down. I adore my cross cut blades though...not there yet.
Hope that helped!

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Working on:
NOVICE! MIF
Juvenile FS
Bronze Dances

It may take a few days to adjust (if your current blades are REALLY worn down so there is no rocker left, it may take a few more sessions), but I think it is worth getting the new blades.

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--
Natalie

http://www.ILoveTaB.com

The longest time it has ever taken me to adjust was 2 weeks. The shortest time it has ever taken me was 2 hours. So I say swap them out ASAP.

Also, people sometimes forget that some things are better with brand new blades. The first time I got new blades, every spin instantly got 2 more revs on it. The second time I got new blades, I noticed my turns on my MIF were suddenly gorgeous and I had no toepick scraping on my back crossovers anymore.

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Doubletoe - What blades do you have now. I want some of those!

When I switched to MK Pros, I had been using MK Double Stars, which were 1 step down. I remember that the larger toe pick on the Pros required a little bit of an adjustment (and I tend to lean forward, so I had to really watch that), but my turns and spins were actually a bit easier.

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Terri C is a Bronze lady!
Gold Moves, here I come!

I had skated on Coronation Comets for 8 years, and switched to MK Professionals about a month ago. It took me about a week to get used to them, I skate every morning Monday through Friday. What I did the first day was a lot of crossovers and edges to get used to the basic feel of the blades, which worked for me. FYI, I am a 53 year old adult skater, having passed ISI FS3 and Dance 3. Also, for me, I knew it would be very much a mental thing also to get used to the new blades, so I just decided to give myself a week to get used to them. Lucky for me, that's all it took!

LOL! Well, it's not so much the exact model of blades themselves; it's the fact that all new blades have a nice round rocker, which is easier to spin and turn on. I used to use MK Professionals (which are great) but my current pair and last pair were both MK Gold Stars. The Pros and Gold Stars are basically the same blade with the same rocker, with the only real difference being the side honing on the Gold Stars, which is supposed to give the blade a slightly better grip on the ice when you're leaned onto a deep edge).

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

That is just about the biggest adjustment anyone could ever have to make! Comets have the flattest rocker of any freestyle blade (8.5') and Professionals have one of the rounder rockers (7'). Considering that the Comets would have also had the rocker flattened even further from multiple sharpenings, they must have felt very different!

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Casey: Thanks. Awesome that you adjusted so quickly with that rocker.

CaraSkates: What size are your old Pros? I thought about PMing you but since I have a cruise ship for a foot when most women have a row boat...I thought others might like to know too. But if they are my size....SOLD! giggle. I have seen them on other skaters and the toe pick is definitely larger and seems closer to the ice than my current blades. I bet tripping over them will be my issue as well. They should help with jumps and spins though!

Tabalie: My skates are only about 9 months old so I think they are not worn down. I ordered custom boots but had not a clue about blades so just had them put a standard one on...the pro shop has hockey people...and I should have asked some of the coaches at that time. I knew blades were important but just did not have information I needed at the time and knew I could upgrade later. Now I am so sorry I did not upgrade earlier!

Doubletoe: You always make me feel better about my worries! lol. Good to know that some instant gratification is possible! I do instant gratification well!

Kate: LOL

Debbie: better spins and turns would be nice!

Petlover: good point that so much is mental. I just heard horror stories about new boots. Mine did not require too much breaking in despite buying well above my abilities. I loved them immediately and if they last they will always be capable of doing more than I believe I ever will. (They say my boots can do double axels! If only they would take me for a ride while doing it!) I am hoping I am over reacting to the adjustment to blades.

Had a lesson today and spoke further to my coach about it. She wants until Tuesday to "think about it"...giggle. Ummm, Ok...giggle again.

ROFL!!!

There is no such thing as a "standard" blade - everything has a name. Check your blades to see if there is a model name on them (if they just have 2 stars next to each other on the side, they are Double Stars). I think MK Pros are fine, based on what you describe you are working on, but make sure you aren't actually skating in something that is above that blade, b/c it will be an adjustment if you go down.

It sounds like you are in boots that are way above your skating level. Someone working on your level of skills should not be in boots that can withstand double axels. You will never break them in the way they should be broken in. Customs should be geared to what you are working on (ex: I have custom Klingbeils, as does Emily Hughes (and other elite skaters), but our boots are vastly different in terms of weight and stiffness). I would actually say that someone at your level doesn't need customs, but if you have the money and like the skates, go for it. But you should never buy skates that far above your level - I had that experience with stock boots and learned my lesson.

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Terri C is a Bronze lady!
Gold Moves, here I come!

My old MK Pros are size 10.75" I also have long feet (I prefer that to big!) and I had them on a size 8 old Silver Star. I had thought I'd be able to put them on my new Silver Stars but I moved down to 7.5 boots and needed a 10.25" blade! Oh well. They are in very good condition, I used them for exactly one year, sharpened every 1.5-2 months. For the past year they've just been sitting in the closet with the old skates...I get them out and look at them once in a while!

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Working on:
NOVICE! MIF
Juvenile FS
Bronze Dances

Aussieskater: Just imagine if that were possible! Maybe we could invent skates with auto pilot!

Debbie: I had not posted in a while. I forgot how thoroughly you tend to read my posts! Actually, due to the fact that I can be too wordy, especially in written format...or even that I have been accused of writing like my mother speaks...with every detail to a story being told until the point is lost...giggle..I did not put all information in my post. Leaves a lot of room for assumptions and miscommunication. Sorry, as I think my post was misleading about certain details. Was just trying to get to the point of the information I actually needed. But here are some additional details....

The "standard" blade is on beginner and intermediate Riedell boots that come with a blade. Yes, they have a name...MK 21 and can be found for about 60 bucks at my pro shop. I have seen them for as low as 45 on the Internet! They are "rated" for all single jumps and through intermediate freestyle. That is why I thought they would be fine for me as I really don't anticipate doing more than single jumps.

But they are cheap and feel cheap. As my skills have improved, I believe they are slightly responsible some centering issues on spins and some difficulty in getting the toe pick in the ice as firmly as I would like. I know the majority is me but equipment is also important. Every instructor I have worked with has said something about the spins centering being an issue with these cheaper blades. The guy that sharpens my skates is a coach and has even said similar to me by encouraging an upgrade.

I ordered better boots for a lot of reasons. (You are going to end up with one of my Mom's stories...so I will just leave it at that!..lol) I don't know that Emily could have assisted me in finding a pair that seem better suited to my feet. They are stiffer and heavier than all the boots that actually came with blades with stock boots. But this has not been a problem for me at all. I did have to pay more and these did not come with a blade...but the boots have been worth every penny to me. I doubt Emily would be interested in skating in them...but for me..they work!

Cara: Too funny! Long feet! I love it and will steal it! But alas...if your feet are cruise ships too..then my feet are the mega ships with a skating rink and 50 speciality restaurants! You have the nice upscale cruise ship feet with the more reasonable number of passengers... with crew that bring towels and sherbet to your pool side chair! I need the 11.5" blade...I think...but I will check again as I have not looked in a while...might even be the 11.25". All I remember for sure was how shocked I was as it was a size more typical to men...and amazon women! lol. I am 5' 10 and have really big,,,,ooops I mean long feet!

If no one here can use them...I have seen people sell blades on E-bay and will at least check there before I order. I bet yours are in great shape with only one year use! I also think your size has a bigger market. Thanks for posting their availability as I would have jumped for them!

Cruise ship feet - never really thought of it that way! Lol I kinda like that analogy. Big/Long feet just run in my family....I wear 9.5-10 shoes and 7.5 skates so....sorry the blades are too short for you. They are too long for everyone at my rink! About four of my skating friends all bought MK Pros since September and I think the longest blade was 10" (of course they wear 3.5-6.5 skates so....)I guess I'll probably list them on Ebay in a week or so, I have a bunch of dresses to list too. So busy sewing my little sis's summer wardrobe I haven't had time to sew skating dresses.

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Working on:
NOVICE! MIF
Juvenile FS
Bronze Dances

Ooooh yeeeahhh. . . Instant gratification, my favorite! Hmm, methinks we may be in the wrong sport?

And yeah, I'd like to let my boots and blades loose to do those triples they're supposed to be bred for, ROFL!

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Not really sure what that's supposed to mean, since we're talking about one sentence here, and that doesn't require a lot of effort to "read". Given that it didn't seem you knew what blade you were using, I thought it was appropriate to suggest you look into it.

For any others that are fairly new to skating and looking into upgrading their boots and/or blades, this situation underscores the need to go to a good pro shop with a knowledgeable skate fitter. Ask your coach or skating director, or even the parents of more experienced skaters, for a recommendation. Boots and blades are way too expensive to order beyond what you need or get a blade that is a total mismatch with your boot, particularly if you're going to spend hundreds of dollars for customs. Remember, though, that stock boots are available for all levels of skating. The reason to get customs is if you can't get a good fit in a stock boot, not b/c you want something stiffer than the boots that come with attached blades. If you decide customs are better for your feet, then fine, but make sure that the fitter is aware of your skating level (what jumps and spins you are working on) and communicates that info to the boot company so they can make the boots accordingly. If the fitter doesn't ask you those questions, go somewhere else. The fitter should also be knowledgeable enough to recommend the right blade for your boot that also works for your level.

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Terri C is a Bronze lady!
Gold Moves, here I come!

Cara: And you sew too! Awesome ability. I just hired a lady to do a dress for me as cruise ship feet come with long girth bodies. I have tried some stock dresses but couldn't find something appropriate to my music and modesty...yikes... some of these are practically down to a fig leaf! Had to meet at a fabric store and that alone was overwhelming. I am pleased to have everything picked out...and "designed" a dress myself using the internet and mixing aspects of about 10 different dresses together. I am going to call it my mutt dress! Would have loved to have the sewing skills to have done it myself.

Doubletoe: I saw the video of your doubles... You look effortless in doubles...just a little more and you are there! giggle...command the boots!

Debbie: No offense meant. You are right that finding the right match per person is important. I did a ton of research online but was lucky that my blade mistake was not a costly one.

You know, dallasskater, I never realised the possibility of a correlation between foot length and girth. I too have a long foot and a long girth without being overly tall (try buying ladies medium with a girth of 68 inches and a height of 5'7"...)

As for the fig leaves, you only have to look at the costumes of some of the elite dancers (*cough*navka*cough*) to realise that fig leaves are relatively modest

Doubletoe, they felt incredibly different, but much lighter and much better on the edges. The comets served me well, but I really love the MK Professionals. I also had seen other skaters have difficulties when changing blades, so I just used my extreme stubbornness to overcome the differences and not let myself be scared. My mom will tell you I can outstubborn practically anything......

Well turns out I will not be eligible to skate in the April competition. The first category they allow is bronze. I am a bit disappointed but have accepted my accountability in not pushing to get my testing done earlier. Will concentrate to finish preparing for my pre-bronze test. Seems I lost focus of that testing in putting the program together and spending so much of my time trying to make it work. I have the MIF stuff so close to ready. I think I have everything for the freestyle. Will likely test them on the same day.

Have decided to go ahead and shoot for a smaller competition in July. This affords me the time to change blades to the MK professionals now. Ordered them yesterday and was told they should be here next week. Very excited to try them!

What a nuisance for you - are you quite sure they won't allow you to skate up a level? Many competitions do - worth checking with the competition secretary.

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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!

Mrs Redboots: Thanks,,but yes quite sure. This is a USFSA event and a large one for our area. They did not offer pre bronze as an option and all requirements include testing already. I have not tested for pre bronze..so could not skate up to bronze. Could not get the pre bronze test done before the application deadline either. We were thinking it would have no test or skate up to pre bronze. I think for my first competition experience, entering into bronze would have been overwhelming to me even if permitted. I want to feel confident at least for the first time since I imagine nerves will already be an issue.

Thanks for the thought though. It is disappointing. I just do not understand why they wait so long to put the applications out so close to the event...especially for an annual event!

Does have a silver lining though as I probably could use the extra time, really want the new blades, and will feel more prepared having opportunity to pass the test.

Usually if there's no PB event, they allow No Test to skate up to Bronze. But if you're sure....