jimmy

I haven't tried it yet, not enough steel height left on my skates to clamp in the holder. I'll be getting new steel soon, but will try the 100/75 when I can because I like lots of bite.. Of my 4 teamates, two tried the 90/75, one loved it and said it was perfect for him, he normally skates on a 5/8 hollow. The other loved it but wanted more bite, so I just moved him to the 100/75. His normal hollow was 17/32. The other two I put on the 100/75 and they both loved it, one was on a 7/16 and the other on a 15/32 hollow so that made sense that they liked the FBV with more bite. Of my other "testers" who agreed to "experiment, all pretty much liked what I picked for them. I tried to get the high school kids to try it but the last two weeks they were all trying out and no one wanted to make any changes till they made the team. Irbinaid, glad you lied it!

Did I show up at the wrong rink? No way I get to that deflection without the FBV. I put 4 of my teammates on FBV's. In all cases, they were faster by leaps and bounds. One older, good but overweight player, was able to pull off 3 breakaways, something he was never able to do before. The only downside to the FBV is once everyone gets it, then we are all even again until the next breakthrough.

Excellent. And unlike some companies who market stuff without any independent testing, it's refreshing to see BS have all their ducks in a row, with quantifiable data.

Agreed.....I've never seen an oggie grip. In some ways, I think your impression of Oggie Grips being a bust is due to the internet. What I mean is there is a saying about "you don't know what you don't know" but it's the opposite here. I haven't spoken with Joe in a couple of months, but he said the sales of the grips have increased each year. Plus he's starting to get NHL players to use the grips, although sometimes he modifies the grips so much that it's hard to tell. In any event, let's go back 5+ years to before MSH (or the Easton board) were created. Let's say you've never heard about an Oggie Grip, but you noticed something real weird on an NHL player's stick, so you ask the guy at the shop what it is. No idea. Enough kids ask that question all year before the owner of the shop makes a connection that that was the booth he buzzed by at the trade show, then he remembers he saw an ad by them in USA Hockey, so he calls Joe to inquire about carrying the grips. That's a common chronology prior to the age of the message board. You wouldn't consider a product a bust because you'd have no idea how long it'd been on the market. In the case of Joe's product, I think it's crazy to suggest a product whose sales have increased annually is a bust, particularly when we know that NHL players using products help drive sales, and Joe didn't get NHL approval until last season (I believe). I realize the counter argument could come from a retailer like Jimmy saying they haven't sold well in his shop, which would mean Joe's happy because his sales have increased, but Jimmy's not happy because the products sat. That's a fair assessment, yet the products have always sold well during demo days, so it may just be that this product won't ever have explosive growth -- it's just going to be slow and steady over the years as more people try it. You are partially correct. However, also with the age of the internet and BB's, and hockey journals in every rink, many people are exposed to product advertising before a product even makes it to the stores. I judge popularity and sales potential by how many people ask me for a product, either phone calls or in the store. If there is enough interest, then I'll stock it. In the case of Oggies, I think I got a dozen from Ronnie B. at first. It took a yr to sell them. I think the problem was the amount of stick that had to be cut off to install them, people didn't want to risk it. it may be a great product, just lack of interest in our area for wierd butt plugs. FWIW, the angled ones didn't sell much either.

On that note - SmartHockey Stickhandling balls? I know every shop seems to have tons, but I don't think I've ever heard of someone actually buying or using one. we sell one or two a week. We've been selling them for 6 yrs. They sell great, not a bust for sure. I'd guess and say we sold approx 1000. Now Oggie grips.... that's a bust. But we also must take into account that some things sell better in different parts of the country.

For those unfamiliar: http://www.gohocks.com/hockey/index.php Yup, hocks were a bust for sure. I don't think I even sold one at regular price. I told them, they needed to make the upper in black, not white. They looked like a tidy whitey sewn onto socks. If they were black, they would have sold.

The Curtis Curve is not a bust, many love it and still use it. I had one, a VIC in the early 80's, in fact it's up in the rafters in my garage. for sale, best offer :) I personally didn't like it but I have lots of people ask for it. I've been selling the Eagle version, no problem. Goalies still like it.

How many cuts with the spinner do you get before it needs replacement?

You seem to understand correctly that the radius is proportunate to blade size. A smaller radius will be used on smaller size skates than larger ones. Depending on your skating style and ability, a 7 or 8' is more in line with a size 5 skate. You will not feel "tippy". However if you had a size 10 skate and put a 8' on it, yes, you could feel "tippy." That's prob what your profiling guy meant (I hope). Weight has nothing to do with radius, that effects the hollow you use.

I didn't realize this was a for sale site. If that's the case, I have everything for sale, just call. ;)

If you think the XXX goal skate is better, wait till you see the new Vector and RBK goal skates. Replaceable stainless steel, lightened and lowered holder. Sweet. I just ordered a 9k pump for me. IMO, the replaceable steel is a breakthru that will be accepted by goalies like never before. The stainless is only icing on the cake. If it's flash you want, go for the bauer. If it's fit and function (and durability), the RBK is the way to go.

Yes, exactly.

Find a LHS that knows what they are doing, not just one that does 9' on everyone, or one that only offers two choices. What radius (rocker) you need is vastly different than what others need. Never go by a recommendation of another skater. Seek advice of a professional sharpener/radius technician who can talor the rocker to your ability, position, skating style, positional play, skate size, height, as well as matching it to compliment a proper hollow. BTW, Rockering is an old term, for a service that was done freehand. It's now evolved into profiling and radiusing. Do a Google search for those terms and you will find some very helpful info.

I can't agree when so many people have never had that problem before using Vectors. It's a very common problem with the top couple models, but not with many other brands. Lace bite is just not common with Vectors here. Never had any customer complain of lace bite on a Vector, any Vector, and I sell lots of them. Compared to a high end Bauer, the toungue is much better and does not break down as fast. I don't see what the problem is.

Got that beat, there's a rink near me that has an old figure skate machine, they do all skates on it, golalie, figure, hockey, without ever changing a setting or hieght of holder.

Before you have lessons, you must have proper equipment. Skate hollow and radius are the most important. It reminds me of a top NHL draft pick for the Canadians years ago, he was a goalie. Seems the equipment manager didn't want to cut the kids skates the way the kid liked them. He never made it in the NHL because of that. Can't remember his name. I'll have to do some searching unless someone has it on the top of their head.

The movie benefits the skaters, most don't have a clue that they even have choices. They just give the skates to the guy and he takes them and does what he wants. But I have to say, a lot of sharpeners are clueless as well. JR is always talking about some guy in his area who gives everyone the same radius.

- experience - ability - strength - height - position - style - type skate - hollow - personal preferences and more... Don't ask how each is evaluated, we have to keep some trade secrets! if we gave that info away for free how would M.E. suck all that money out of you for training and equipment. :)

You have to experiment with the different radius/pitches and see which works best for you, similar to how you experiment with stick curves. Your radius tech should be able to evaluate you to get a good starting point.

Don't you guys do radiusing at your store? You would think it's be popular in MI

Who knows, I may have said smoke and mirrors but never in the context of radiusing skates, a radius adjustment is not smoke and mirrors. It's a proven concept. How it is applied and who does it is a whole nuther story. As you said, it may be the "in thing" to do as far as parents are concerned to keep up with the Jones's, but I fault the radius tech for not properly explaining it to them when they do decide to get it done.

Actually. most of the parents im my area do know very well how to answer questions. Most of the dads have played hockey themselves, and the coaches give good feedback to the parents who are there six times a week watching their kids and others. I have no problems getting the info I need to know to get a good starting point. Sometimes adjustments and tweaks are needed, but since I don't charge extra for adjustments, it's not a big deal. The end result is the kids are skating better. I don't believe it was me that said max edge was smoke and mirrors. The fact that they say that all other methods and sharpeners are inferior because they don't use his so-called method is a bit pompus, as well as incorrect. But, you'll never see me say radiusing or profiling is not a good thing for everyone. THINK, what if everyone only had one choice of a stick curve (and it was a Thornton) What percentage of players would have perfect powerful shots and stickhandling with that curve, 2% perhaps. The other 98% would still be able to use it but not at optimum performance. A custom radius is nothing more that the same as finding that stick curve that works best for you.

http://www.exn.ca/video/?video=exn20021125-skatesharpen.asx

Contrary to the myth that youth skates do not need to be profiled or radiused, just the opposite is true. I recommend all youths learn to skate with a properly radius and pitched skate. No sense developing bad habits/body stance when you are young, it will haunt you later in life. Youths learn easy, bad habits as well. I can't even count the number of testimonials from parents who noticed drastic improvements after a PROPER radius/pitch was put on their child's skates. I won't even go into proper matching of left/right radius's. The thing is, until you've seen how a kid skates on non-profiled skates, you can't know what the proper profile will be. It would be foolish for parents to be profiling and reprofiling their 7 years olds skates trying to find the right combination. It's better to leave the skates unprofiled until tendencies can be identified. Two things. Most skate pairs the radius is not matched between left and right. So, even if you do not know the skater at all, the blades should be matched. Second, the skater can be properly evaluated through a series of questions, both from the parents and the skater themselves. A good radius technician should be able to "ballpark" a good starting point, and them just have to make minor adjustments after recieving feedback.

Contrary to the myth that youth skates do not need to be profiled or radiused, just the opposite is true. I recommend all youths learn to skate with a properly radius and pitched skate. No sense developing bad habits/body stance when you are young, it will haunt you later in life. Youths learn easy, bad habits as well. I can't even count the number of testimonials from parents who noticed drastic improvements after a PROPER radius/pitch was put on their child's skates. I won't even go into proper matching of left/right radius's.