S500 Blade Problem

[Avengers9 0]

Just bought a pair of '04 Mission S500s online @ hockeygear.com for $270 US, got them heatbaked and sharpened at my local shop, (who didn't have them in stock and couldn't come close to that price on a special order when I asked). Before sharpening, the owner showed me that one of the blades has a slightly uneven, wavy edge. He said that it's not all that uncommon and that it may or may not bother me. He suggested skating on them and then, if it bothers me, sending them back for new steel. Should I even bother trying them or just send them back? If I can't notice the difference are there still drawbacks?

By the way, I just discovered MSH through the Mission website and really appreciate all of the apparently expert input that you guys share with us less knowledgeable skaters. Thanks!

[whbd18 0]

Just bought a pair of '04 Mission S500s online @ hockeygear.com for $270 US, got them heatbaked and sharpened at my local shop, (who didn't have them in stock and couldn't come close to that price on a special order when I asked). Before sharpening, the owner showed me that one of the blades has a slightly uneven, wavy edge. He said that it's not all that uncommon and that it may or may not bother me. He suggested skating on them and then, if it bothers me, sending them back for new steel. Should I even bother trying them or just send them back? If I can't notice the difference are there still drawbacks?

By the way, I just discovered MSH through the Mission website and really appreciate all of the apparently expert input that you guys share with us less knowledgeable skaters. Thanks!

Hockeygear is actually very close too me, about 15 min from my house and 2 min from my aunt/uncles place. Very good place to deal with.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Can't he just sharpen them correctly?

[Sniper#39 0]

Can't he just sharpen them correctly?

There you go...bein' all practical like again... :P

[Chadd 916]

wow, that price is fantastic. In fact it's below wholesale price, no wonder your LHS couldn't match. As for fixing the steel problem, JR has it right. Any competant sharpener should be able to fix the problem.

[Avengers9 0]

Thanks for the replies. He did sharpen then, but the waviness is still there. He said that he would have to reprofile them to fix the problem and take of about 20% of the steel, but that seems like a waste of $$$.

[jimmy 194]

Thanks for the replies. He did sharpen then, but the waviness is still there. He said that he would have to reprofile them to fix the problem and take of about 20% of the steel, but that seems like a waste of $$$.

Go to another LHS. Something sounds fishy. Waves are caused by poor sharpener.

[Rustybender 0]

Do the waves go up and down or side to side?

[Eazy_b97 1]

I'm thinking the "wave" is a wave/ bend in the steel, not in the sharpening.

[jimmy 194]

I'm thinking the "wave" is a wave/ bend in the steel, not in the sharpening.

If that's the case, that explains the "cheap" price. You usually get what you pay for, seconds, defects, etc. If the price is too good to be true, there's a reason.

Still, his sharpener should have pointed out the bent steel and why if it was bent would he recommend a radius to fix? Doesn't make sense.

[Rustybender 0]

why if it was bent would he recommend a radius to fix? Doesn't make sense.

The blade might not be bent through the whole height of the blade. Maybe the steel looks straighter farther down the blade. If that is the case, the radius itself wouldn't help, but the by-product of the radius (taking off 20% of the steel,) might eliminate the warped area.

Imagine a ruler up on edge. The bottom edge is straight but the top edge is warped. Grinding off enought of the top edge of the ruler would get you back to a ruler with 2 straight edges.

That's a whole lot of if's, but it is a possiblity. I've seen metal do weirder things before.

[Avengers9 0]

Guys,

Thanks for all the input. The blade was/is not bent, just the edge on one skate as cut by the factory was uneven, up and down. This was before the sharpening. The initial sharpening took some of the unevenness out. I took them to another shop today and had them sharpened again and the wavy blade is now fine.

By the way, the skates were not sold as seconds and neither the skates nor the box are marked as such. These are just leftover 2004 skates being closed out before the 2005 version ships.

Thanks for the advice. I skated inthem today and am thrilled with them. I'll post a review after I've had them for a bit.

[jimmy 194]

Guys,

Thanks for all the input. The blade was/is not bent, just the edge on one skate as cut by the factory was uneven, up and down. This was before the sharpening. The initial sharpening took some of the unevenness out. I took them to another shop today and had them sharpened again and the wavy blade is now fine.

By the way, the skates were not sold as seconds and neither the skates nor the box are marked as such. These are just leftover 2004 skates being closed out before the 2005 version ships.

Thanks for the advice. I skated inthem today and am thrilled with them. I'll post a review after I've had them for a bit.

Makes sense now. This is exactly why every new skate should be profiled, you never know what you are getting from the factory.