Blackstone Flat-Bottom V Thread

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

The telling sign is that he was fine on synthetic and bad in the game. It's not the method, it's the edge.

[thunderhockey48 0]

I just got my FBV blades in the mail with the 1/2" equivalent on them. I'm really excited to try them out, but this weekend is an important weekend for our team so I guess I will just wait till practice on tuesday. Anyway, I was wondering if there was any way to tell if it is an FBV sharpening. When I run my finger on the blade, they seem fairly sharp, but it feels about the same as a ROH sharpening. I tried looking down the blade and I didnt really see much of a difference. Would I be able to see or feel a difference? Just wonderin...

[Chadd 916]

I just got my FBV blades in the mail with the 1/2" equivalent on them. I'm really excited to try them out, but this weekend is an important weekend for our team so I guess I will just wait till practice on tuesday. Anyway, I was wondering if there was any way to tell if it is an FBV sharpening. When I run my finger on the blade, they seem fairly sharp, but it feels about the same as a ROH sharpening. I tried looking down the blade and I didnt really see much of a difference. Would I be able to see or feel a difference? Just wonderin...

FBV will not look as deep as a ROH sharpening, but will still be sharp. You may not be able to see the difference unless you have something to compare it to.

[Ahriman 1]

My blades looked dull, brand new out of the box dull, when I got mine done at 90/75, still peeled fingernail like a fresh sharpen but just looked flat and dull.

That said I was on them for the first time just today at an open skate and wow the glide on them was nuts, I just felt like I could go forever on hard ice. I was actually worried about trying to test my speed without any of my equipment on for as fast as my casual skating felt. I think 100/50 would be ideal for me because I flirt with 5/8" or 9/16" generally when sharpening my own but my only options at the shop were 90/75 and 100/75 and at the time having something that is the equiv of 1/2" to 3/8" bite just sounded like too much but I might go give it a try because I'd rather skate on something too sharp then worried about my feet flying out from me.

[Race4LastPlace 31]

My blades looked dull, brand new out of the box dull, when I got mine done at 90/75, still peeled fingernail like a fresh sharpen but just looked flat and dull.

exactly what i thought when i had it done. I think i skated 4 times on them before i had it sharpened again, and wow i could tell a major difference. When these things are freshly sharpened, there's just nothing like that feeling on the ice.

[SolarWind 23]

My blades looked dull, brand new out of the box dull, when I got mine done at 90/75, still peeled fingernail like a fresh sharpen but just looked flat and dull.

That said I was on them for the first time just today at an open skate and wow the glide on them was nuts, I just felt like I could go forever on hard ice. I was actually worried about trying to test my speed without any of my equipment on for as fast as my casual skating felt. I think 100/50 would be ideal for me because I flirt with 5/8" or 9/16" generally when sharpening my own but my only options at the shop were 90/75 and 100/75 and at the time having something that is the equiv of 1/2" to 3/8" bite just sounded like too much but I might go give it a try because I'd rather skate on something too sharp then worried about my feet flying out from me.

my feeling exactly, but 100/75 is just way too deep coming from 5/8...

what I don't understand is how 100/50 would have more bite then 90/75? sure - the angle of the edges is sharper, but they just aren't deep at all?!

curious if heavier skaters (200+ lbs) would actually do better on 90/75 due to the fact that edges are deeper & given the weight would dig better?

[mnpucker 33]

Anyone know if Blackstone will be carrying stock of FBV's while in Minnesota at the Expo? Might want to get the 100/50

[Chadd 916]

what I don't understand is how 100/50 would have more bite then 90/75? sure - the angle of the edges is sharper, but they just aren't deep at all?!

It's all new, you can't go by the old concept that deeper bites more

[jbyun04 7]

I went 90/75 and it was really good but tomorrow I'm trying out 100/50 just to see how it is. I was shocked at how much glide I got, pretty amazing stuff

[CTK30 0]

I'd definitely do this but there is no one around here that does it. And if it doesn't last as long I'll have to be shipping my blades out once a week. :(

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

I'd definitely do this but there is no one around here that does it. And if it doesn't last as long I'll have to be shipping my blades out once a week. :(

Wrong -

Did a pair in Tampa yesterday.

So, you can have a grill in the arena parking lot, but you can't sharpen skates in an arena parking lot?

what I don't understand is how 100/50 would have more bite then 90/75? sure - the angle of the edges is sharper, but they just aren't deep at all?!

curious if heavier skaters (200+ lbs) would actually do better on 90/75 due to the fact that edges are deeper & given the weight would dig better?

Because one number corresponds to the flatness of the blade and the other of the bite angle. 100 would mean that there's more of a flat, therefore, the edge on the 50 will be more pronounced than the same edge with a 90 flat. Make sense?

[SolarWind 23]

what I don't understand is how 100/50 would have more bite then 90/75? sure - the angle of the edges is sharper, but they just aren't deep at all?!

curious if heavier skaters (200+ lbs) would actually do better on 90/75 due to the fact that edges are deeper & given the weight would dig better?

Because one number corresponds to the flatness of the blade and the other of the bite angle. 100 would mean that there's more of a flat, therefore, the edge on the 50 will be more pronounced than the same edge with a 90 flat. Make sense?

I also read the brochure & understand what both numbers represent, that's why I knew that edges on 100/50 would have sharper angle then of 90/75

BUT laws of physics still apply - given enough pressure (hence question re skate's weight) a longer (and this is what the second number represents - depth on the edge) but duller edge would still cut deeper then sharper, but shorter one?

anyhow - complexities a side I'd like to know whether 100/50 would last nearly as long as 90/75 & 100/75?

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Please refrain from using "duller" and "sharper" when talking about hollows. There's no relation. Deeper and shallower, longer and shorter. You can have a 1" hollow that is sharper than a 5/16."

I mean, I'm a 1 and done sharpening guy - since I've always had access to a machine, but I'm going on my 4th skate with FBV and no problems with the 90/75 whatsoever.

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

So what is everyone charging for the FBV?

More Less or the same as the regular sharpening they have now?

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

All the guys I know are charging more.

You have to. It cheapens the concept if not.

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

All the guys I know are charging more.

You have to. It cheapens the concept if not.

I dont agree.....I would love to charge a ton of money but with times as they are.......I think offering a customer something better for the same or a light bit more is a better idea!~

I mean there is a difference between charging more and double your normal price....I mean some guys are charging $10.

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Then again you work for a giant in the industry - plus you already had Stealths before FBV.

All of these smaller stores who have either a) invested in retrofitting their machines or B) bought an X02/F-02 Spinner portable have to recover their initial investments. They need to make a distinction between FBV and a normal hollow sharpening. Not only that, it's a premium sharpening.

[Too Old 1]

Eventually it will be the standard sharpening. ;)

[IniNew 53]

Eventually it will be the standard sharpening. ;)

Eventually yeah. I am eager to try it but no one around here has the machines yet.

[Ahriman 1]

All of these smaller stores who have either a) invested in retrofitting their machines or B) bought an X02/F-02 Spinner portable have to recover their initial investments. They need to make a distinction between FBV and a normal hollow sharpening. Not only that, it's a premium sharpening.

Meh, the shop I was at to get it done was neither gigantic nor charging more per sharpening. $4 for hockey skates; no sign advertising or salesmen pitching the FBV either.

[RadioGaGa 162]

All the guys I know are charging more.

You have to. It cheapens the concept if not.

I dont agree.....I would love to charge a ton of money but with times as they are.......I think offering a customer something better for the same or a light bit more is a better idea!~

I mean there is a difference between charging more and double your normal price....I mean some guys are charging $10.

If you charge the same for both (initially) it would encourage people...who may not know what it is...to try it. Once it becomes the standard...and everyone acknowledges that it is superior...the price going up may not be as shocking.

But I agree...double is too much. If $5 is the normal...$7.50 seems reasonable, if you feel you have to charge more.

[Chadd 916]

In an area with heavy competition selling the FBV at regular price does give you a value advantage over the other shops. I can certainly see why someone would do that.

[jimmy 194]

There is a couple of reasons why a shop may charge more. FBVs have a performance edge over a regular sharpening. We pay more for OPS because we feel they give more performance, so same should apply for a FBV. In addition, it simply costs more to do FBV's. The initial machine costs are more, the diamonds cost more, and it may take a little longer to sharpen with FBV. Also, stones wear quickly going from 100/75 to 90/50 to 90/75 and back and forth. So, a little extra price for a performance sharpening is not unreasonable. I only charge $1 more. I don't think that is too much, and customers don't seem to mind paying it. No one else near me is doing FBVs, so I prob could charge more, but don't think that's right. At $1 more I'll recoup my costs, that's all I need. I don't think customers would pay double. Some gear whores maybe, but not most. But then again, people in NYC pay $20 for a regular.

[Zamboni 6]

All the guys I know are charging more.

You have to. It cheapens the concept if not.

I dont agree.....I would love to charge a ton of money but with times as they are.......I think offering a customer something better for the same or a light bit more is a better idea!~

I mean there is a difference between charging more and double your normal price....I mean some guys are charging $10.

Not in the business but it would seem a place relying on sharpening as its main income source; a smaller dedicated sharpening place would need to charge more. Larger sporting good stores don't need to generate profit off FBV....can use it to draw people into the store?

Works on me anyway, always shop while the skates are being sharpened.

[TBLfan 25]

I think that FBV can draw business in by itself as a premium sharpening option, which would cost more. Word of mouth is a powerful tool, even if you give a few FBV sharpenings for the standard rate to get some sold on it... Most won't be going back to regular hollows.

Yes, the economy is bad and a lot of people are cutting back... but we're talking a couple bucks and we're talking about hockey*. Most players/parents would have no problem spending a couple extra dollars to get an advantage.

*I'd be willing to bet that the average income of a hockey playing household is higher than most other sports, simply because it's more expensive to get started and/or play in general.

Edited March 9, 2009 by TBLfan