DarkStar50

Your local guy may not in fact actually be dressing the wheel at 5/8". That is a possibility. Is he honing/deburring the finished blade after it comes off the skate holder? How he does that step can make a difference, too. Finally, I wouldn't be surprised if your buddy an hour up the road is using a better quality finishing wheel than your local guy. That could be a factor in the difference you are feeling on ice. Too many unknown variables from one shop to the next at play here. "The 3/4" feels sharper than the 5/8", with the benefit of increased glide. I've gotten a 5/8" from my buddy, and I had trouble stopping/felt like I was skating in sand. Way too much bite for me. " This makes sense from the difference when your buddy changes your hollow. Deeper hollow = more bite, blade sinks into ice more, less glide. Something doesn't add up from your local guy's set up though. JMHO.

?????? A good sharpening cannot make things feel wrong.......

Great, thanks for the info. I wish I was 40 again !! You don't stop skating because you get old. You get old because you stop skating.

Ozzie, just curious, what is your level of play? How long have you been playing hockey? Just trying to get a frame of reference for your upcoming impressions. Thanks in advance.

The recipe for the secret sauce ? Mickey D's will never tell you.....

I've been sharpening since 1980 on the hockey side. My partner in the shop has been sharpening since 1978. He works exclusively with elite and Olympic figure skaters in sharpening and fitting. In 2002 our rink sent 11 figure skaters to Salt Lake City for the Olympics, including freestyle Gold Medalist Sarah Hughes, pairs Gold Medalists Elena Berezhnaya/ Anton Sikharulidze. We were responsible for all competitors skates at those Olympics as well as future competitions in Torino 2006, Vancouver 2010, and Sochi 2014 that trained at the Ice House in Hackensack, NJ.

I have seen bent blades in the middle of the blade. The bow is not necessarily always at the toe or heel of the blade. Just curious, how long have you been sharpening skates? For the record, no malice intended in this question. I am asking as a frame of reference. Thanks.

the hahaha was for the hate comment. No hate here. That is just wasted emotion and energy.

^^^ hahaha.......I've been here a long time and seen the input that other vendors have shared. However, those vendors were not selling their products directly to you, were they? I understand what is going on. Long before there was Sparx, there were plenty of other in home automatic sharpeners. I'm not going to rehash old news on that front. I just see a different dynamic here that's all. Now that I've got your attention, I don't expect anything to change. No worries on my part. Guys like jimmy, oldtrainer, and myself confidently stand behind our work and knowledge in sharpening. Carry on.

Isn't this basically what this entire thread for Sparx is ?? Free promotion of a hockey product? Why is this particular thread allowed on MSH? If the thread was on Sparx website, that makes all the sense in the world. Here, not so much.

How does Sparx dad work around a bent blade?

My NXGs are from November 2011 and still 100% A-OK. The tendon guards are in perfect condition, not broken at all. But then I unlace the top 2 eyelets, pull the laces out a lot of the next three eyelets and let my foot slide out of the boot instead of kicking off the skate in the locker room.

The fact that Graf closed up shop speaks to QC issues. When skates come from Calgary to east coast USA with problems, it's not easy to ship back and forth to solve problems while the customer is left hanging and the shop's reputation takes the hit. If you love Graf, great but when you are selling Graf as part of your product line in your shop, love has nothing to do with it.

^^ Referees.

There is a certain similarity between the recent history of Graf skates and CCM skates. There was a long and strong period during the early 2000s that lasted almost a decade where CCM brought some real dogs to the skate marketplace. Vector and other CCM lines trashed their skate reputation while Bauer went deep into R D & D that let them surge ahead in the skate marketplace. Finally, CCM has turned a corner and is now competing with Bauer with strong skate products. Graf followed the same path, although quality control was also a major issue with their skate products. For a long time, Graf brought nothing to the marketplace that was a go-to must have skate. Their delivery and distribution was also a mess. So looking at how long it took CCM to get back in the game with skates, I'm not sure Graf/Vaughn has the time or brand loyalty, none among younger players, to make the same comeback that CCM did.

Hell, it looks like they ran out of time in the design department and just brought the first drafts to the production factory. Or is the idea for the customer to design the quarter panels in his own team colors?

I wear size 6-D in NXG and the Super Tacks were also a 6-D. I have a wide foot but narrow heel. I always squeeze the ankle quarters when baking the NXG to lock in the heel better. It always works. With the Super Tacks, the heel was snug without any squeezing the ankle quarters during the baking, the width was fine and comfortable at the front, and the length was no problem at all. Toes were fine, no cramping. One other thing I forgot to mention was the footbed in the Super Tacks. I have been using Superfeet for a long time. The ST footbed is comfy memory foam which feels like it grips your foot to help it sit firmly when you skate. Another positive plus for the skate.

Our CCM rep set up a test skate session for dealers a few weeks ago with a scrimmage game. I was able to bake my size and sharpen to my hollow 2 days before the event. After skating on Supreme NXG for a long time, I was more than pleasantly surprised with the comfort and quick adaptability to this skate in a 60 minute session. Stiff? Too stiff ? Depends how you lace them for me. Compared to NXG stiffness the boot was strong without being overpowering. I'll let JR carry on with his thoughts. Mine are that I would have no hesitancy moving out of Supreme into the Super Tack.

Their "Growth." Your "Incentive." No "Sales." Not a "Program." The Spider and the Fly “Will you walk into my parlour?” said the Spider to the Fly, 'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy; The way into my parlour is up a winding stair, And I've a many curious things to show when you are there.” “Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, “to ask me is in vain, For who goes up your winding stair -can ne'er come down again.” “I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high; Will you rest upon my little bed?” said the Spider to the Fly. “There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin, And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in!” “Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, “for I've often heard it said, They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!” Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, “Dear friend what can I do, To prove the warm affection I 've always felt for you? I have within my pantry, good store of all that's nice; I'm sure you're very welcome — will you please to take a slice?” “Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, “kind Sir, that cannot be, I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!” “Sweet creature!” said the Spider, “you're witty and you're wise, How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes! I've a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf, If you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself.” “I thank you, gentle sir,” she said, “for what you 're pleased to say, And bidding you good morning now, I'll call another day.” The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den, For well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again: So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly, And set his table ready, to dine upon the Fly. Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing, “Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing; Your robes are green and purple — there's a crest upon your head; Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!” Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little Fly, Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by; With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew, Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue — Thinking only of her crested head — poor foolish thing! At last, Up jumped the cunning Spider, and fiercely held her fast. He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den, Within his little parlour — but she ne'er came out again! And now dear little children, who may this story read, To idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed: Unto an evil counsellor, close heart and ear and eye, And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly. ~By Mary Howitt, 1829

Well there is the industry in ten words or less.

Quality control issues at Graf Canada go back over ten years in both hockey and figure skate manufacturing in Calgary. it was hard for Graf Canada in Calgary to find a dedicated workforce when the Canadian oil industry in Alberta was booming. It was easier to make 3 times as much income in oil related production as it was in sewing/cutting skate products. Employee turnover rates in a hand crafted labor intensive industry were high. So while it is so easy to scorn the Chinese workforce for Bauer/CCM skate production, the QC was there at the end of the day against North American standards. Add in the high RD & D of Bauer in mid 2000s with Supreme/Vapor success and the deck was stacked against Graf Canada.

Do they crack like the Speedplate? Just kidding, we are the leading Superfeet dealer in our area. We sell a lot to elite figure skaters as well as hockey players. A great value for the job they do and how well they last.

Let me be the first to ask what is MSRP on the zippered gloves and replacement palms. Thanks.

While I appreciate the effort, a study that was started in early 2014, with results made open to the public in Spring 2015, sending off a lot of uh-ohs among dealers, vendors, and parents, is now found to have used a different head form for their testing than the one used by the hockey industry, HECC, and CSA? Well, isn't that special?

My Cooper SK20 from the early 70s. Better than a 1 star helmet today. This Cooper Weeks SK 1 is also better than any 1 star helmet today.