Tapered Skate Blade

[Chadd 916]

What would be the advantage of the blade starting narrower at the holder and widening as it moves away for the holder?

You don't have to make a new holder or modify the existing model at all.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Here is the theory(and anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong): the wider blade allows for more water=more glide=more speed to pass under the blade. The "water" is created by the heat/friction of the steel on the ice. I know this sounds crazy but the "water" is what gives you more glide and LESS FRICTION on the ice. Deeper hollow = more friction =less speed. Shallow hollow = less friction and more speed. Also, remember that most NHLers skate on 1/2" and shallower hollows. They know their edges and want glide = speed.  Ok, why hasn't this been done before? I don't know and that is an honest answer from 28 years in the business. JR is dead on with the skate jig issue. In my shop Jim hates to sharpen that beveled figure blade because it never sits true in the skate holder from each time it comes out and back into the skate holder. I saw Pat Dapuzzo today and mentioned the blade on HNIC last night. He confirmed Mauroelli has been on it for a few months and loves it for it quick turning capabilities. Remember the figure skaters spins and think wider blade allows for this.

Actually, Peter, I believe it is the opposite.

A wider blade will provide greater stability, but will take longer for it to heat up. For figure skaters, it's a wider contact patch for them to spin. Going by your theory, then speed skates would have thicker blades. A thinner blade will heat up faster, "melting" the ice to create water quicker, to go faster.

[DarkStar50 679]

When Oleg was presenting his theory which I shared I wondered about the very thin speed skater blade, too. That part didn't add up.

[Reaper 0]

I wonder if they might come up with two versions of this wider blade. One to retrofit existing holders and another custom holder which will have a non-tapered wide blade.

[ambro 0]

Here is the theory(and anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong): the wider blade allows for more water=more glide=more speed to pass under the blade. The "water" is created by the heat/friction of the steel on the ice. I know this sounds crazy but the "water" is what gives you more glide and LESS FRICTION on the ice. Deeper hollow = more friction =less speed. Shallow hollow = less friction and more speed. Also, remember that most NHLers skate on 1/2" and shallower hollows. They know their edges and want glide = speed.  Ok, why hasn't this been done before? I don't know and that is an honest answer from 28 years in the business. JR is dead on with the skate jig issue. In my shop Jim hates to sharpen that beveled figure blade because it never sits true in the skate holder from each time it comes out and back into the skate holder. I saw Pat Dapuzzo today and mentioned the blade on HNIC last night. He confirmed Mauroelli has been on it for a few months and loves it for it quick turning capabilities. Remember the figure skaters spins and think wider blade allows for this.

Actually, Peter, I believe it is the opposite.

A wider blade will provide greater stability, but will take longer for it to heat up. For figure skaters, it's a wider contact patch for them to spin. Going by your theory, then speed skates would have thicker blades. A thinner blade will heat up faster, "melting" the ice to create water quicker, to go faster.

The blade doesn't heat up from friction, the ice does.

[jimmy 194]

The old theory of friction causing ice to melt has been superceded by new evidence that a thin quasi-layer of water is present on the surface of the ice. When more of this water is under the blade, better glide is achieved. Wide blades and longer blades trap more of the water.

[the iceman 132]

The old theory of friction causing ice to melt has been superceded by new evidence that a thin quasi-layer of water is present on the surface of the ice. When more of this water is under the blade, better glide is achieved. Wide blades and longer blades trap more of the water.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down egghead.

[jimmy 194]

The old theory of friction causing ice to melt has been superceded by new evidence that a thin quasi-layer of water is present on the surface of the ice. When more of this water is under the blade, better glide is achieved. Wide blades and longer blades trap more of the water.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down egghead.

http://satchmo.as.arizona.edu/~jrigby/skating/main.html

[asdfa 0]

it might be that the angle of the edge is different. rather than a straight up and down one, it goes slightly to the side ( /\ opposed to |_|) which gives it more bite in turns and stops without making it glide less. i remember from the show that the reason regehr liked it was that it made him more agile, so that could be it.

[sn1per 0]

Yes, I did see this on Saturday night and Ron McLean and Hrudey were discussing this and how both Regehr and I think Phaneuf both use these new blades and that the advantage of them is great for stability. Sounds pretty interesting, but for guys like JR, I don't think any of us doing the sharpening jobs are going to have fun. Reminds me of the old Easton holder and the hassle you had to go through to sharpen them....

[Chadd 916]

Yes, I did see this on Saturday night and Ron McLean and Hrudey were discussing this and how both Regehr and I think Phaneuf both use these new blades and that the advantage of them is great for stability. Sounds pretty interesting, but for guys like JR, I don't think any of us doing the sharpening jobs are going to have fun. Reminds me of the old Easton holder and the hassle you had to go through to sharpen them....

Those miserable green holders were the worst.

[sogaduch 0]

Yes, I did see this on Saturday night and Ron McLean and Hrudey were discussing this and how both Regehr and I think Phaneuf both use these new blades and that the advantage of them is great for stability. Sounds pretty interesting, but for guys like JR, I don't think any of us doing the sharpening jobs are going to have fun. Reminds me of the old Easton holder and the hassle you had to go through to sharpen them....

Those miserable green holders were the worst.

we charged people extra who have those holders if we have to take the blades out for them or we charge them regular if they take out the blades themselves.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Yes, I did see this on Saturday night and Ron McLean and Hrudey were discussing this and how both Regehr and I think Phaneuf both use these new blades and that the advantage of them is great for stability.

THANK YOU!

[santiclaws 0]

I was wondering when hockey skates were going to get around to doing this. For skiers, this is very similar to the revolution in ski equipment about ten years ago. The skis got shorter and wider.

Just like on ice, on snow more surface area = more speed. You can achieve more surface area by making the surface either longer or narrower. The wider skis meant the skis could be much shorter than old-school narrow skis because they give you more stability without sacrificing speed. So, wider blades, without shortening the blade = more stability + more speed. Where do I sign up??

For you guys complaining about sharpening the new tapered blades, just you wait. I bet you the other technology used in skis will eventually make it to skates - shaped, rather than straight, edges for better turning ability. :D

[lesterhenson 0]

Umm... more surface area (in terms of width) does not equal more speed. If anything it would be less due to friction.

Oh and your ski example, the reason they are shaped (concaved on each side) is so that the can retain a flat character. It would be way too hard to make a precurved ski and be able to maintain its shape (a la skate blade). The two (ski's and baldes) are just the opposite. When you carve hard on ski's the widest parts (parts closer to the tips) flexes in order to turn. The harder you carve the more it flexes, creating a smaller radius which creates a sharper turn. SKate blades on the other hand have a predetermined radius. For example some skates have a 9' and other have 11' radius.

To the point, to be able to have a skate blade with real time varying radius (otherwords, significant flex to go from a flat blade to a 9' blade) you would have to pioneer a metal that can flex like mad but yet be hard enough to keep its precise edges. Best of luck to you sir.

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Also, I dont think ther would be a benefit to have a double concaved, fleable blade.

You might say it gives more surface to push off of, but when the blade is double concave, it will still flex and go from a flat radius to a round radius depending on how much force is applied and the angle of the push.

Please, correct me if I am incorrect though.

[ambro 0]

The old theory of friction causing ice to melt has been superceded by new evidence that a thin quasi-layer of water is present on the surface of the ice. When more of this water is under the blade, better glide is achieved. Wide blades and longer blades trap more of the water.

Well, the quasi-layer thing is true, but so is the friction theory.

read here:

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/index.php?sh...=0entry252580