jimmy

Come on guys, it'd only be mean if it was true. <_<

John, it's real odd that you are experiencing too much bite with the 90/75. From what I've found is skaters crossing over from 9/16 and shallower have found the 90/75 perfect. You have 2 sets of steel, send them back and we'll redo it again, don't give up!

Lefty, had the same issue on the first sharpening but on the second one it isnt an issue. I believe it may take the 2nd sharpening to have the blades set up properly. I will also have the guys do a couple other passes when changing a sharpening from a "normal" to FBV. I've found depending on what hollow is in the skate before the first FBV will dictate how many passes it will take to put the FBV in. Fist time, I'm averaging 10 passes (5 against the rotation) and that seem to work well. Skates like Mission or Rockets may need near 20 passes. I watch the flame and railroad tracks on the stone, when the tracks go away, you're halfway there. When the FBV is in, you'll get a nice thick solid flame at the stone. I think if someone is fishtailing, the shape is not in the stone all the way.

And the Boston version of Dboard! They trash everything, but mostly talk about MILFs

Ok guys for real now is there anyone that does NOT like the way this system works? Had anyone of your customers want the old sharpening back? I want to know getting flack on another board!!! ANYONE??? OTG, of the 300+ I've done, only 1 went back to a hollow but really didn't have a good reason. He didn't have any problems, just had a bunch of games coming up and wanted old hollow for comfort sakes. Before I offered it to the public, all my employees and many of the guys on my team test it for me. I wanted to make sure I got good feedback, as well as being able to witness them skating on it. Hands down, all positive, no one wants to go back. As for the other board, you can't always believe everything you read, who knows it could be someone from another machine manufacturer stirring things up. All I can say is folks, try it, you have nothing to lose, going back to your old hollow is easy should you not like it.

The way it was explained to me, that the 100/75 has a bite in the 3/8-1/2" range and the 90/75 in the 5/8-3/4 range. It's too difficult to explain it that way. nevertheless, I've found that those skaters who were on 9/16 and shallower hollows love the 90/75 and haven't reported any issues. Those who tried the 90/75 who skated on 3/8-1/2 hollows found the 90/75 didn't have enough bite. Once they changed to the 100/75, all was OK.

You aren't supposed to be feeling a difference in bite. Think of it this way, you're keeping the bite you had before and getting the extra glide for free. Normally you would lose a lot of that bite in order to get the extra glide. Well said Chadd! That's it in a nutshell. I'm assuming BS will offer a setting with more bite than the 100/75 for those who want more bite than the 1/2".

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?

Yea, I hated to change from ralph, but the shipping, duties and fees were just ridiculous.

I'm not sure. It depends on if England has higher duties from stuff coming from Canada or the US. I'd go with whomever is cheaper, shipping and duties. I had been using NASH but switched to Midwest. Shipping is cheaper and no duties for me. NASH seemed more "informed".

Yes, the steel is excellent, although I haven't got the veliocity in goalie, just the regulars. The Step goalie steel is like 1/2" taller than the standard RBK's. Very pricey tripple of the RBK's. And Skate Dr, you have to contact a STEP distributor, not the main company. For you I would go thru NASH.

Be sure to let us know how long the edges hold, compared to your old steel. Intervals between sharpenings.

Why? The Pitch steel is perfect. No reason for an aftermarket version. Actually the width of the Step steel would enhance the fit and the performance of the Pitch Holder even more so though. Hmmm? Just measured the Step and the Mission widths, they are the same, within .5mm. Both around 2.95mm. As with any steel there could be variations in width, but I don't think that would be enough to make any noticeable performance difference. Is there something i'm missing?

Why? The Pitch steel is perfect. No reason for an aftermarket version.

No LS2.1 yet. Step would be foolish not to produce replacement runners for the Bauer models. I checked today with two STEP distributors, neither knew anything about 2.1's, so I imagine it will be some time before we see them.

The reason why they are liked by skaters and trainers is that they are less likely to break in a game situation than the stock steel.

What skaters have told me is that they noticed extra stability and more power in heel turns with the STEPS.

Oh, I know how to prevent it... I even own a ozone chamber. I just thought I was immune because if I hadn't got it in 45yrs, why would I get it now. Answer: SUPERBUG!