jimmy

If the sharpeners are hackers and they get the steel red, then perhaps. But, I sharpen many customers with the steel out of the skate and they still have the loose blades.

I'm beginning to notice it more and more as well. With new skates it's not an issue but as they age it develops and gets worse. OTG have you also noticed that players are complaining they can't hold an edge? I see this on the ones that are really loose. One of my customers has 4 sets of steel and he was complaining about one set all the time, having me resharpen them over and over. Turns out just that one set was real loose in the holder. The other sets were tight.

The way some places are doing the ZC is simply putting in a hollow, then running the blades over a thin metal wheel to put in the channel. In my experience, most like the FBV better but there are quite a few who love the ZC, perhaps it's just the more grip from having "hollow" edges.

Most skaters are in shock after trying FBV first time. Combine that with a nice radius and you just upped your performance big time.

Years ago I blind tested the settings when they came out. I used great skaters, average skaters and beginners. None knew when I made a change, none noticed any difference. I rotated back and forth between the settings from week to week and never got any feedback that they felt different. While I love Blackstone as a company, their proliferation of spinners just for the sake of it, to sell more spinners is just the way they do business. Over the years, they've changed what equivalent hollow their spinners were suppose to be as well. Going from a 100/50 to a 92/75 is noticeable and to a 95/1 is noticeable, I blind tested those too.

Exactly correct. The 100/50, 90/1 and 95/75 feel exactly the same and a difference cannot be noted by the skater. As you said, all are great.

Never listen to a kid in a store.

Those can loosen as well.

You should loctite any hardware regardless of skate model.

Any setting that has more of the flat forward of center will cause the skate to pitch forward. The CAG does not profile the whole blade. Your shop should know how to put you more toward your heels if that's what you want.

Not many design changes can be made to skates designed off the speed skate model. Other than changing liner or tongue, or minor cosmetic details, you are going to see a similar skate when new models come out. Kor, MLX, VH and easton all have similar fit and performance aspects which skates of this construction I think we'll always be seeing in the future.

It is hard for those who don't understand the complexities of radius to grasp how multiple radius on a runner can work to improve performance. It's not just putting another radius on the runner because you can. Having said that, multiple radius are not for everyone, but they do work well for some, depends of a lot of factors. More radius doesn't automatically mean better. I rarely recommend a QUAD unless I feel it is perfectly matched for that individual skater.

I know, we failed a generation that's more concerned about looking cool and being popular, than form, fit, and function.

Spinners produce a beautiful smooth finish. If it's not smooth, it's the sharpener, not the spinner.

Because of the "overlap" it is nearly impossible to tell the difference between many of the settings. In addition, us mere mortals cannot tell any difference in speed between any of the settings, it's so small it's indistinguishable.

I'm sure you'll be able to sell it no problem, there are some guys still looking for those. However, those guys are becoming few and far between, either retiring from hockey or once they try a new modern helmet, they'd never go back to something like that.

My hit felt like a car accident! I still have symptoms, even though it was 3 yrs ago.

I got a severe concussion and my head never hit anything. The shear whiplash from being run into was enough, mask never came into play.

The size of flat is dependent on a few variables, skate runner length being critical. Over the years I've had many who hated anything over 50mm. North American skaters do not like the larger ones like euro skaters do. Again, so many variables. BTW I can place a flat anywhere as well, not just using the cag.

One of the biggest myths is that stock radius are accurate. Regardless of skate manufacturer, the radius on the mass produced runners can vary quite a bit from the published stock radius, so for example the left runner could have a 8.3' and the right a 9.5. You never know, 90% out of the box are not what the manufacturer claims. Remember, these are mass produced by a subcontractor. If your blades are fairly new, you should go to your local guy and have him do them. If you like them, then you are golden. If they feel funky, you can then give me a buzz. 60mm flat might be too much for your size steel, you may want to try a 40mm flat.

A lot of skaters like the flat spot for the extra speed and balance it gives if located on the right part of the blade. I've done thousands of CAG radius over the years, it works well.

A CAG just puts a flat spot in middle of blade. I have a CAG and can do that as well, but the 9/60/9' on my website is an actual radius template bar. Difference in outcome is you'll have a perfect 9' radius on each side of the flat, where on the CAG, you don't, it doesn't radius that area. How do you know that stock 9' is actually a true balanced 9' before? You don't. The cag simply puts the flat in middle of existing contour, whatever that may be. If your radius is F'd up before, it'll still be F'd up after.

Start with a 25/40, this will give you a 40mm flat spot 5mm forward of center for just a little forward lean. It has the "feel" performance wise of a 9' radius. On your size blades if you go with a larger flat, they'll start to feel like skis, especially for a foward like yourself. Granted some skaters like the larger flats, but starting with a 40mm should be fine and you can adjust from there. If you were strictly a foward at 30/40 would be good. CAGS put a flat spot on your blade, so if you have a 272mm blade, the only change is putting the flat near the middle, the rest of your stock radius won't change. So if you get for example a 25/40, you'll have that 40mm flat in the middle and the bauer 9' on each side of that. Hope that helps.

Yes, you got to take into consideration many of their radius are tailored for Swedis/scandinavian skaters. A north american skater would whine about the skate feeling like a ski, as such not many of us would like that particular radius, just like we don't like skating on 1" hollows.

Back when Detroit won their last cup, many of their players were using various combination radius, Prosharp didn't have one specifically called the Zuperior back then. The article doesnt say Detroit players are using it, rather that Sturm works with many players. BTW, the Zuperior is now 7/12/26', not sure where that quote was teken from, perhaps old google cache.