jimmy

I don't do business using forum threads. I answer general questions just to help folks out.

Many pages ago in this thread I reported a measurement of the mako's stock pitch. If you want to "back off" from that it can be done. You have to work with your profile "specialist". There is no simple answer for a forum, it's all skater specific.

You can set up any radius bar and set pitch at any amount in a reverse position.

I mentioned to the designer that they should have left the runner neutral as not everyone can skate great with forward pitch. Perhaps next year they'll make the change. In the meantime, profiling and balancing the runner out by removing stock from the rear of the blade, does the trick.

You've always skated in those new Edge Tuuks? Those are so different than LS2 or Tuuk+, it aint even close. if you would have had the correct profile on the ES4 steel w/CXN you prob would have liked that as many have.

Try the 100/50 or the 92/75. The FBV flat gives glide like a 2" hollow so you'll be wicked fast.

If you were not chattering on the 3/8 or if they felt good right after a sharpening, I would recommend you try the 100/75. Should be a seamless transition. Basically both those setting have the same amount of speed, so you now just have to decide the amount of bite you like. You can also try the 100/50 and compare. There's also the 95/1 which is in the middle of those.

How many times did you skate in your friends pair? Once? Anytime one changes a model skate, the body mechanics will need time to adapt. Nothing will feel great after only one skate, in many cases even if you get the same model you were skating in before. I recommend a minimum 6 outings before making any unnecessary changes.

Interesting, I wonder if they are really EE or if they have a different Euro sizing.

Since they took more metal off the front to get pitch, it's simple just to take metal off the rear to neutralize it. There still is pitch from the higher rear tower but at least profiling can take 1 degree off. If after you skate on them you still feel too far forward, you can put a front lift in.

If you are getting a discount then sure, go for the LS3, but the price difference between LS3 and STEP, the LS3 costs more and it is not a better quality steel than Step, so why pay more. Bauer copied Step's taller steel. They finally realized out that taller is better.

Step is not more expensive than Bauer, about the same price. Now if you are talking Velocity Step, then yes, that's about $20 more, but Step regular is better than bauer regular, hands down.

No one can pick your size. I ended up with a size I never would have guessed. Since you can't try them on, get the size you think you'll need, plus order one more in the size that might be the alternate. Be sure you can return one without a restocking fee. The most you'll be out is the $15 for return shipping. Worth it to do it that way.

Love the skate but I hope it wasn't VH who did that rivet job because if that's a indication of their quality, what else was slopidly done.

Copper rivets provide strength, but because they don't grab into the sole, if you don't have steel ones also for stability, the holder will move around. The crimp on the steel rivets digs in to the sole and do not allow holder to move. The slight back and forth motion from stress of skating will enlarge the holes if only coppers are used. Then, the holder can twist and when it does, the stell will take on a bend. As I said beofre, any competent shop can do a swap using industry standard rivets.

Do not do this, unless you don't mind your holder moving around and bending your steel. Any hockey shop with standard skate rivets can do the swap correctly.

Regualar Step is just fine, the Velos do have tougher outer edges and sharpenings will last longer but performance wise, they are really identical.

Regular Step needs honing, the Velo and Blacksteel do not. You can hone them if ever needed but it will scratch the surface.

Yes, I use a nice slab of leather to break off any steel shavings, more for looks for the customers, but honestly, not needed, the V steel is very strong on the outside edge and really needs nothing honing wise in regards to performance.

The outside polished area is very hard and generally does not need honing. You will never notice any difference, honed or unhoned. A honing stone will scratch them. On brand new ones someone buys from us we do not hone, seems some do not like getting new steel with any scratches. After you play on them a while they will get naturally hacked up by skates blades, at that point, hone away.

I agree 100%. None of my customers who have bought the skate are whining that the steel is not here yet.

I'm not thrilled but my Easton sales rep is top notch and keeps me up to speed, so I would feel confident robbing a set knowing replacements are coming soon. A couple of years ago there was a severe shortage of steel for most brands. I always robbed stock skates if needed in emergencies and it always worked out.

Yes this bothers me a lot but as soon as it gets in I'll still sell a bunch, but it is a inconvenience for those who want a spare set. As for breakage, I just don't see these breaking like crazy from shots like the Bauers do. But if someone needed one from a broken blade, I would just steal a runner from a pair on the shelf. Wouldn't let them be without skates. Edit: just checked with Easton, they show steel in stock and allocated which means it's being shipped to dealers.

The point is, someone shouldn't be needing replacement steel after 2 months. Probably all the steel production they are doing is going into the new skates. This is common. Some times of the year it is hard to get steel from manufacturers, nothing new there. Personally I don't think they should have launched the skate in early spring, should have waited till summer and had replacement steel avail same time.

First, I haven't seen any issues with constant clicking, this is usually a symptom on the screws not tight enough. All screws loosen, regardless of brand holder. Many come from factory not tight enough, as stated use loctite and issue should be solved. If that doesn't fix it a .10 stainless washer from the hardware store is a good fix. As a side, LS2 are notorious for loosening and clicking, but with them, too loose or too tight usually ends up with a broken runner. The hardware setup on them is not the best, not to mention the hit or miss snugness of the fishhook up front. It's not always greener on the other side. The CNX holder is not a byproduct of Easton, the exact same team that designed the MLX, designed these, they were left unfettered by Easton to do their own thing. It is always a mistake to change holders and steel if it's a profiling issue. I get amused at folks who change holders when a simple radius adjustment is all that is needed. Yes, it's a monetary thing, I hate to see people waste money. But there are many other reasons, F'n with rivets, overlapping holes, endless life of rivet loosening problems to name a few. Also if a shop can't do a simple radius, what odds are there that they can do a remount correctly. All this just opens a can of worms. The Mako was designed to work in synergy with the CNX holder and steel and I feel some performance will be lost by changing to a LS2. Altering the radius/pitch on the mako is not difficult, so if your shop has reservations, go somewhere else.