VegasHockey

I heard that a few NHL equipment managers have seen the new Bauer steel and commented "It’s nowhere close to being as good as STEP." I guess we will see how things play out.

It's basically the same as the Alkali Hockey model, TRON owns Alkali. Everyone I know that has one hates it and says they are heavy. I would not recommend it. https://goodgear.com/products/alkalirpdquantumhybridshield

I assume you meant to say, now THEY pissed everyone off. Not YOU. I didn't do anything 😉

I find this to be the most interesting part of the entire situation "Bauer Hockey has continuously invested into its newest skate collections, including with the recent launch of the new Bauer Pulse Ti and Pulse blades. The Pulse Ti utilizes a titanium coating to increase durability and offers premium in-game edge retention. Additionally, the new Bauer steel product line features the highest-performing steel on the market, and a new custom program through the MyBauer platform. New blade profiles were developed and tested in partnership with premier skate profiler, ProSharp, and allow for greater ice contact and maximum consistency throughout each stride and turn."

+1

Had a customer come in requesting these and I really cannot understand why someone would want or use them unless they used a stick with the incorrect lie. Can someone shed some light on this for me?

Just buy a low end stick model and use that. For example, let's say you use a TRUE A6.0 for your game stick, use a TRUE A1.0 for practice. There is about 100+ grams difference in weight. That's what most of the kids I coach do.

I think many forget that not not all steel is created equal, even if its sourced from Sandvik. Even within certain categories there is minor differences, even though many companies claim to all use Sandvik 12C27 as the base for their blades. https://www.materials.sandvik/en-us/products/strip-steel/strip-products/knife-steel/ https://www.materials.sandvik/globalassets/global/downloads/products_downloads/strip-steel-and-strip-based-products/strip-steel-for-edge-applicationss-333-eng.sep.99.pdf I am not sure what steel Massive uses, but it is much harder than anything I have ever tested via rockwell or vickers measurements. However, that might be why Massive steel is very prone to snapping in half.

Correct. I spoke with all of them and they have yet to hear anything and are hoping they dont. Until then,. Its business as usual for them.

I don't slide, per se, I just don't like my feet to be able to squiggle around at all.

That's a significant difference. I would spend the money. If you went with TRUE it would be much less

We sell a lot of aftermarket steel and very few people specifically request STEP for Bauer holders, even when we tell them the benefits of it vs Bauer steel. In fact, it's not just STEP, but Tydan, Byonic, Flare and other brands are also more difficult to sell than factory standard Bauer steel. With CCM, it seems to be a different story though. Most players specifically request aftermarket. Not sure why....

You can spray them with this. I do it with most of my insoles. Also prevents them from absorbing water too. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Automotive-15-oz-Black-Truck-Bed-Coating-Spray-248914/202097787

@STEP_Official I read an article today saying that Bauer won the injunction about NASH and STEP no longer being able to distribute steel for the LS Edge holders. Is this true? What does that mean for the future? Will you no longer manufacturer steel for the LS Edge holders?

I can appreciate that a commercial sharpener like BladeMaster, Blackstone, and ProSharp deliver a better overall finish. We have all of those + SSM units at our stores. But if you did blind testing I bet many individuals would never be able to notice the difference.

The issue is the foams, and ribbed technologies companies use in the blades not allowing them to be adjusted without experiencing fatigue or failure. The current generation of sticks are not made using a very malleable resin and design. The carbon is fine, it's the resin systems and the building process that prevents from altering the structure without it technically failing. You have to understand that skates, like TRUE, and others with a carbon or composite material, are specifically designed to allow for thermoformability but they are not under the same extreme loads and stress as a hockey stick is. I am not saying it's impossible to design such, more that it would make more sense to go back to two piece shafts instead of building a fused one piece stick. Truthfully, I still questions if there is a dramatic performance difference between one-piece and two-piece/fused sticks other than companies charging you a ton of money. Look at companies like Pama Hockey, for example.

I just can't get over those combination masks. Its entirely a superficial thing, but, they just look so weird. I know the younger kids like them so we order them, but I just don't understand why people dont just use a full bubble instead of a combination mask?

The P90TM is not at all the same as the P90T. Its more of a blend of the P29 and P28 with a max height blade and adjusted lie. I don't recall what website I saw the image on but I do recall it was specific to CCM.

My nephew is 10 years old and skates on a 3/4 FIRE ring without any issues so I dont think it has to do with weight specifically. Many of the players on his team also skate on 3/4" ROH and flatter as well. I think it has a lot to do with the profile of the blade and what hollow you are accustomed to. Many kids now learn to skate on an 11/12/13' or longer profile and a much more shallow ROH which allowed them to develop advanced edge control at a very young age before moving them to a more aggressive combination radius and as such, as they advanced they went with an even more flat ROH. On the other hand, all of the adults prefer 1/2-5/8" because they like the control it provides. They dislike that a flat hollow doesnt let them feel like they are entirely in control. Factually, the edges are still there, regardless of depth, it just requires you to force the engagement of the edges to bite into the ice. If you aren't accustomed to this and don't allow time to adjust it can give the feeling of being "out of control." I am not saying one is better than another, we all skate differently, have different body mechanics, different body types, skill levels, and tons of other variables. I think people should use what's best for them. However, the only way to progress and get more speed with less effort is to be lighter, more powerful, alter your profile, and go with a flatter hollow. You cannot cheat science and sports like hockey have the same limitations as drag racing, for example. https://www.pcs.cnu.edu/~David.Gore/Capstone/files/MercerD.pdf https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/23/science/23SharpW.html https://blogs.sparxhockey.com/hollow-shape-and-depth https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/50eb/c950bb2c53e7c8b05b8491bfc2fa15cc4bf6.pdf

Its something we co-developed but I can send you a sample to test. We aren't currently selling it to retail but have a few WHL, AHL and NHL players testing it. I have not used the Wissota Speed Skate, but assume its some type of very fine gummi stone inside of the holder which removes the ridges and such without compromising the hollows edges.

I sharpen a ton of skates and am neurotic and OCD when it comes to the process of sharpening. A 5/8 on a BladeMaster, ProSharp, or BlackStone is the same as a Sparx. Where there might be a small feeling of difference is not taking off the burr entirely from the Sparx sharpening or getting the same level of finish on the blade. I use some special sauce after I sharpen, and a gummi stone to clean the hollow after I deburr skates on the Sparx. It looks like a mirror. If you just take the skates of the Sparx machine, lightly deburr it, it will not feel nearly as sharp as using a manual or semi-automated machine. Once blade sharpening is complete and the steel is still slightly warm, I then coat the blade completely in another product. Let is stand for approx 2 minutes before wiping the remainder off with a towel/cloth. The finish and glide is amazing.

Shops would love it, companies would not. It would result in them selling less sticks.

The players still plays organized hockey. Can't cut the cage.

You are thinking of the standard plastics clips. I am referring to these. You can see they allow cage adjustment.

I know CCM and Bauer make these adjustable pieces for youth helmets to allow 1/8" adjustment up or down. Those might be a more solid option.