bent ls2 steel

[Matt18 1]

Hi i just got some 8090 and i was wondering if there is any way to tell if your steel it bent. i look at it and it looks pretty stright but when i wore them for the fist time may skates didn't feel like they wanted to go in a straight line while coasting

any help would be great

[tuzzifan44 0]

Maybe bad sharpening? Maybe misaligned holders? pics would help.

[Gongshow11 1]

when steel is bent its not that you dont go in straight line, they wobble when u glide

[jimmy 194]

Put a 12" ruler on it, one side then the other. If you can see light or space between the blade and the ruler, then the blade is bent. Your LHS should be able to remove the bend, although it could come back if the holder is mounted torqued.

[Jason 65]

A steel ruler is the best. If you have good eyes, you should be able to eyeball it. Like someone else said, it could be that the the sharpening was bad. If you have a shop around that uses the Maximum Edge system, I would suggest taking your skates there. I've had great results with this system. They have a tool to tell you if your edges are totally square. Keep in mind bent steel is quite common, but more often than not, it's the holder that is misaligned. To check for this, take the steel out of the holder and place it on a flat surface (make sure the surface is flat!) and then you will know if it is the holder or the steel itself that is bent. Best of luck to you.

[Chadd 916]

A steel ruler is the best. If you have good eyes, you should be able to eyeball it. Like someone else said, it could be that the the sharpening was bad. If you have a shop around that uses the Maximum Edge system, I would suggest taking your skates there. I've had great results with this system. They have a tool to tell you if your edges are totally square. Keep in mind bent steel is quite common, but more often than not, it's the holder that is misaligned. To check for this, take the steel out of the holder and place it on a flat surface (make sure the surface is flat!) and then you will know if it is the holder or the steel itself that is bent. Best of luck to you.

Haha, one of the local shops just paid $7k to have him come in and teach their people how to sharpen skates and they still butcher them just as badly as they did before. Too many shops think that just by using the name max edge that they are better than anyone else when in reality it just means they can sign a check.

[Jason 65]

Obviously there's more to skate sharpening than buying a system like Maximum Edge, but if you take an already decent sharpener and have him exposed the the Maximum Edge system and training, it will only make him/her better. I am in no way affiliated with Maximum Edge, I am just simply a happy customer of a licensed Maximum Edge skate tech. Since the first day that I came into see this gentlemen with a pair of XX's with crooked holders, he has given me nothing less than excellent service. He remounted both holders, profiled the steel to my specs and suggested that I try a shallower hollow (1/2'', I was on 3/8'' before that). I'm using a 9.5/10.5 radius with a 1/32'' forward pitch and a 5/8'' hollow now and I absolutely love my skates. I am twice the skater I was before I met this guy.

I live in Vancouver, BC and out of all of the skate techs in town, he was the only one that seemed genuinely interested in helping me with my skates. Everyone else wanted to put heel lifts in (which nobody really needs) and just give me a standard 3/8'' or 1/2'' grind. Nobody had any time to profile my skates. Too bad for them. I will never go to anyone else than Tom Huth at Ultimate Edge in the Ice Sports North Shore rink. I have a close friend that works for another LHS and I can get sharpenings for free, but I would rather have Tom do my skates at regular price. I'm sure that it's not just his Maximum Edge system that has helped me, but his natural ability as well. I'm not saying that the system guarantees that a shop will give you top notch sharpenings, but I do think that it shows that the shop is more customer oriented and interested in the needs of the individual.

[Chadd 916]

Not all M-E licensed shops are the same, just like not all other shops are the same. I'm glad to hear you found a guy who does a great job and meets your needs, that's the most important thing.

[jimmy 194]

Obviously there's more to skate sharpening than buying a system like Maximum Edge, but if you take an already decent sharpener and have him exposed the the Maximum Edge system and training, it will only make him/her better. I am in no way affiliated with Maximum Edge, I am just simply a happy customer of a licensed Maximum Edge skate tech. Since the first day that I came into see this gentlemen with a pair of XX's with crooked holders, he has given me nothing less than excellent service. He remounted both holders, profiled the steel to my specs and suggested that I try a shallower hollow (1/2'', I was on 3/8'' before that). I'm using a 9.5/10.5 radius with a 1/32'' forward pitch and a 5/8'' hollow now and I absolutely love my skates. I am twice the skater I was before I met this guy.

I live in Vancouver, BC and out of all of the skate techs in town, he was the only one that seemed genuinely interested in helping me with my skates. Everyone else wanted to put heel lifts in (which nobody really needs) and just give me a standard 3/8'' or 1/2'' grind. Nobody had any time to profile my skates. Too bad for them. I will never go to anyone else than Tom Huth at Ultimate Edge in the Ice Sports North Shore rink. I have a close friend that works for another LHS and I can get sharpenings for free, but I would rather have Tom do my skates at regular price. I'm sure that it's not just his Maximum Edge system that has helped me, but his natural ability as well. I'm not saying that the system guarantees that a shop will give you top notch sharpenings, but I do think that it shows that the shop is more customer oriented and interested in the needs of the individual.

Your guy sounds exactly like me, except of course, I dont use (nor need) Maximum edge. If you want a good sharpening (and radius) you have to find a shop that focuses on sharpening first, not retail sales. Professional sharpeners are hard to come by.

BTW, I'm a "licensed" member of the "Association of Skate Sharpeners". I formed the organization and will give you a license for only $7000! :D You are welcome to abbreviate our assocation name, and of course you are one of these if you spend 7k to get a ridiculous license.

[Jason 65]

I don't know what my guy paid and I don't care. I'm pretty sure that he has gained some valuable knowlegde because of M-E and has made his $7000 back a few times over. I'm just glad that I'm finally getting the service that I require.