stick9

Meh…. I'm not buying it. A statement like that (bolded) gives one the impression that every facet of the skate is custom made to specs of each individual customer. That sort of process would take months and the cost would be astronomical. I highly doubt they operate like that. I'm also not buying they'll last longer. There is no real way to prove that.

As a player and a parent (my daughter does not play). My first reaction would be to get my kid in something that's easily replaceable. I'd do it while his/her skates were still in somewhat decent shape. That way it's not a hard transition.

I've played on it a bit, maybe 3 months or so. It plays like 3/4 ROH, which I actually prefer to the Fire. If you are currently playing on a 5/8 ROH and want to try a Fire, go with a 1/2 to start.

And it’s not like the area is a hockey black hole. From my house in central MA there are 7 rinks within a 30 minute radius, 3 of those are multi sheet facilities.

Could be why they went with multiple automated machines... FWIW, up the street isn’t much better. I’d say, below average at best. These are my local options. Hence why I now have my own machine. I was there (up the street) yesterday. Store was pretty busy, yet only a single pair of skates in the sharpening window. Safe to say I’m not the only one displeased with the services at that location.

They probably aren’t concerned with the $30-50 loss in revenue after selling you a $1000 machine... But I’ll ask next time I am there.

Probably safe to assume it was the operator. Maybe he's not doing enough passes, not de-burring the edges or letting skates go out with uneven edges. I've been pretty fussy about my edges since getting my Sparx. I'm probably going way overboard, but whatever...

This is how it should be measured. We know passes per sharpening will vary based on the condition of the blade. Total passes will never change as that’s the life of the wheel/ring.

@goodguy Have him try the CCM 70k. Its a bit softer of a boot and extremely comfortable. I know one memeber who went from Mako’s to the 70k and seems pretty happy.

If he think 1S’s are bricks, Trues will feel like boat anchors. His days with the Mako’s are numbered. Best thing for all parties is to find something else while there is still some life left in them.

The question should be asked, did they screw up the order or send me the wrong skate. I’d confirm that before doing anything. Me, I’d probably always question that, especially if the fit wasn’t ideal.

You’re right 100grams isnt much sitting in your hand. Hell its really not that much sitting on your foot at the shop. However, add a 100grams to each foot during a game and you better believe it matters. Hopefully the misspell of the Great Ones name was just a typo, a terrible, horrible typo... 😏

Big picture, not sure the current method is the best business model. If you thumb through this thread as an impartial observer, you see issues with cosmetics, build quality, weight compared to other brands and last but not least, fit. This all compounded by Bauer & CCM now doing full customs at retail locations. I don’t know enough about the process once the scan is complete to suggest any viable options. Though it does seem like there is a disconnect there. Customers are putting a lot of faith in True to get it right. Seems like they do, but it does seem they miss just as often. For example, somewhere in this thread a user mentioned he just got his Trues. The response was (I may be paraphrasing a bit) “they’re great once you get them dialed in. They’re customs, what’s to dial in?? Lace em up and go, no? FWIW, from an end user. I’d be furious if I had to tweak what was sold to me as a fully custom skate. The reason I went custom was so I wouldn’t have to punch and stretch and hack a retail boot onto my feet.

I saw it on the Internet, it must be true. 😉 The issue is what’s missing from the process, actual product to try on to verify the recommended fit is at least in the ballpark. Having a means to do that has to be cheaper then making skates a 2nd and even 3rd time.

Two brands (Sparx & True) have gotten a ton of free pub here. It would be nice to see them recognize the site and it’s members who’ve helped grow their brands.

Define huge?

Completely agree. Adjustment to the profile was pretty easy. I really liked how I was transitioning front to back and easy it was getting in and out of turns. It was only one game, but it was definitely a positive experience. A marked improvement over my stock LS4 and Step.

Picked up my steel with a fresh Quad 0 last night, skating on them tonight. I was fortunate enough to be in a position where I was able to meet with Shayne from Pro Sharp and demo a few different profiles. The Quad 0 was the one that felt the most natural to me and my skating style. Curious to see how it translates to a game setting.

Yes. I have Step and I did not profile them. They are, like JR said, a bit more game ready. The LS3 I used in the past had to be profiled. I just could not make them work without it. Way too much material at the toe. LS4 is workable but not optimal.

FWIW, I’ve tried Blackstons FBV from two different places and the results were much different, same exact cut. As with any manual sharpening, it’s only as good as the guy/gal behind the wheel. Ive also tried a Blademaster flat bottom, which was nothing like Blackstones. Not all flat bottoms are created equal.

The rink @jimmy is referring to is the New England Sports Center. It’s an 8 sheet facility that houses all kinds of tournaments, leagues and travel teams. The shop runs 4 Sparx sharpeners and 1 Blademaster. I believe each Sparx is outfitted with a different wheel. The labor and equipment needed to keep up with the demand just isn’t feasible, not for what they’re doing. It’s a smart play for them. As for PH in my area. I’ve had more bad than good. From my perspective, going automated is a plus.

I've spent a good deal of time on both. The Fire feels nothing like Blackstones FBV. It's more like a ROH with more glide, less bite. For instance, I usually skate on a 3/4 ROH. When i tried the 3/4 Fire I found it to have significantly less bite. I moved down to a 5/8 Fire, which felt more like the 3/4 ROH I was used to. Still not completely sold on the Fire. It's not bad...I was hoping it was closer to Blackstones FBV. I'll probably move back to my normal 3/4 ROH next time around.

Regardless what side you were on, it was a great series. I know a lot of people talk about how great of a story Vegas was. I think Washington's was equally compelling.

He's not a guy you bring in during a rebuild or to mentor younger players. If you have a strong room with a good core group and a solid leadership he can come in and provide some secondary scoring. Give him a 2 year deal slightly above veteran max. Otherwise, thanks but no thanks.

Me too. I’d say second round was a good showing for this team. Still some work to do before they can truly be called contenders, but least the ship looks like it’s pointed in the right direction. I was really impressed with the way McAvoy, DeBrusk & Pastanak played... Gryz had his moments too.