Blackstone Flat-Bottom V Thread

[jimmy 194]

Steve/Chadd

I typed out a long response earlier today and then said screw it and deleted it. Steve summed up the direction I was going. Service, service, service, sell me on your shop, convince me you care to find what is best for me. An offer such as previously mentioned combined with a sincere effort to find that right FBV would go a long way toward keeping me as a customer. I go to the shop that I get the best service from. If a shop invests in the FBV system I would assume they would want to do everything possible to get people to use it.

I definitely did not intend to suggest giving it away for nothing.

When we first started doing FBV, we gave a lot of them away for nothing, just to get people to try it, like it, so they could get hooked and tell their friends. Even today if someone tries a FBV and doesn't like it, we'll gladly let them try another FBV based on the symptoms they didn't like, and or go back to their regular hollow at no charge. Just makes sense when introducing new voodoo technology. It worked.

[tamtamg 12]

Any one know of places near Ann Arbor that offer fbv.

[JR Boucicaut 3795]

Send mckjim a message - not sure if he sharpens for the general population but he's in the AA area I believe.

[jcp2 2]

Any one know of places near Ann Arbor that offer fbv.

Perfect Edge in Howell has it. I've not been there but a friend of mine from Whitmore Lake goes there to have it done.

[aarondevera 0]

I haven't been following this thread for a while because I moved overseas for work, but I've been back in Toronto on vacation for the month and have resumed my old Pro Shop post to kill some time. I'm actually quite astounded by the number of people who have really hopped aboard the FBV train. I'd say over 1/3rd of all sharpenings coming through the shop have been FBV. Several of my regular customers who I tried talking into using FBV over ROH before I left the country are still using it.

Now since I fly back to the UK at the end of the month and will be seeing ice 3 times a week this coming year, I'm kinda worried about not being able to get my 90/75 anywhere due to availability... Anybody have any idea of where FBV might be done in England? :S

[tamtamg 12]

thanks for the leads guys!

[hockeyguy39 0]

probably been asked before and sorry if it has but if i get FBV and dont like it there wont be any trouble to go back to a ROH cut. will it?

[Law Goalie 147]

Only the small amount of steel taken off to put the round hollow back in.

[Ron 0]

Tried FBV at 90/75 for the first time this weekend. It was quite an eye opener to say the least. I've messed around with numerous different hollows in the past and either found that the edges were too sharp and 'diggy' for me, or too dull and 'slippy'. I used to use a 1/2" cut and would hate it for the first 1-2 outings, then love it for the next 10 or so. With 5/8" and 3/4", I found that the edge just didn't grab enough for me when I went to accelerate. With FBV I found a nice dig in my strides right off the bat, transitioned from edge to edge really quickly, and the most amazing difference was when I went to stop -- felt very smooth and effortless and very easy to control both inside and outside skates (like stopping on skis). Hopefully the edge is comparably durable to ROH, but I realize I'm a bit of an exception when it comes to going 10-12 outings per sharpening.

Now I'm admittedly not a very high level player, but something as simple as this has been able to make me feel more confident and comfortable with my skating and has allowed to me concentrate more on improving other aspects of my game.

[goblue9280 33]

Any one know of places near Ann Arbor that offer fbv.

I'm pretty sure the pro shop (hockeydeals?) at the Chelsea Rink has FBV. I was there earlier in the summer and swear they had a FBV banner hanging up. I have never had skates sharpened there, so I can't comment on their quality.

[theflash0000 0]

Tried FBV at 90/75 for the first time this weekend. It was quite an eye opener to say the least. I've messed around with numerous different hollows in the past and either found that the edges were too sharp and 'diggy' for me, or too dull and 'slippy'. I used to use a 1/2" cut and would hate it for the first 1-2 outings, then love it for the next 10 or so. With 5/8" and 3/4", I found that the edge just didn't grab enough for me when I went to accelerate. With FBV I found a nice dig in my strides right off the bat, transitioned from edge to edge really quickly, and the most amazing difference was when I went to stop -- felt very smooth and effortless and very easy to control both inside and outside skates (like stopping on skis). Hopefully the edge is comparably durable to ROH, but I realize I'm a bit of an exception when it comes to going 10-12 outings per sharpening.

Now I'm admittedly not a very high level player, but something as simple as this has been able to make me feel more confident and comfortable with my skating and has allowed to me concentrate more on improving other aspects of my game.

Reading this makes me want to try FBV out. Interesting thoughts on stopping, though, because several guys on my team (novice beer league) have just switched to FBV and are saying they feel faster, but are complaining about not being able to stop. Did you find you needed to change your technique at all?

[jimmy 194]

Reading this makes me want to try FBV out. Interesting thoughts on stopping, though, because several guys on my team (novice beer league) have just switched to FBV and are saying they feel faster, but are complaining about not being able to stop. Did you find you needed to change your technique at all?

If they can't stop, they simply need to change to a FBV with more bite.

[theflash0000 0]

If they can't stop, they simply need to change to a FBV with more bite.

Ok, what change in setting would equate to more "bite"?

[jimmy 194]

Ok, what change in setting would equate to more "bite"?

Well, what setting are they on now?

[Ron 0]

Reading this makes me want to try FBV out. Interesting thoughts on stopping, though, because several guys on my team (novice beer league) have just switched to FBV and are saying they feel faster, but are complaining about not being able to stop. Did you find you needed to change your technique at all?

Not at all. I find the amount of pressure needed to do a quick stop or slow steady stop way easier to modulate and predict. Once again, back to my ski analogy. If I needed to stop on a dime, I could really cut into it and do it. If I wanted a slower more leasurely stop, I could do that very easily also. With ROH, I definitely found it more difficult to moderate pressure exerted by the edges to control my stopping. I could get my hard stops fine, but felt like I had to fight with the skate on some of the slower stops, if that makes any sense.

[theflash0000 0]

Well, what setting are they on now?

Not sure what they have, but I have a 1/2" hollow on my skates now. What would be a good starting FBV setting for me to try?

[rachael7 1]

Not at all. I find the amount of pressure needed to do a quick stop or slow steady stop way easier to modulate and predict. Once again, back to my ski analogy. If I needed to stop on a dime, I could really cut into it and do it. If I wanted a slower more leasurely stop, I could do that very easily also. With ROH, I definitely found it more difficult to moderate pressure exerted by the edges to control my stopping. I could get my hard stops fine, but felt like I had to fight with the skate on some of the slower stops, if that makes any sense.

That is very interesting, because I am having that exact experience (the negative one you described) with my FBV. With the 100/50, I can stop hard, but I have a very difficult time modulating for a softer stop. It is also hard to transition from biting to sliding with the edge, as when you first enter a stop - it doesn't want to break grip. With the 90/75, I can modulate my stops perfectly, but I don't get quite enough bite and I find I lose my edge in sharp maneuvers. After a conversation with Ryan at Blackstone, he suggested I try the 95/75 as the solution. That disappointed me, as I did not think that spinner was available for the X series machines. But after talking to Gerard today, it turns out that it IS available, even though it isn't listed on the website. So I've got a 95/75 spinner on the way and I'll know in a week or so if it gives me the perfect balance of bite and control that I am looking for. Gerard said they had some other of the newer profiles available as well, so for you X series owners, it is worth a call or email to find out if they have the one you want, if you want to get outside the original 4 profiles.

[Chadd 916]

Not sure what they have, but I have a 1/2" hollow on my skates now. What would be a good starting FBV setting for me to try?

most of my guys that were on half inch went to 100/50

[Grave77Digger 1]

This may have been mentioned already but has anyone noticed the edges are sharper with the FBV? I have never cut myself with my skates until I had the FBV and I nicked my fingers twice pretty good just lacing my skates. I like the FBV but I am a little concerned about how sharp the blades may be. My 5 year old is playing Mites now and im scared to think the blades my be sharper than they need to be.

[rachael7 1]

More likely something about the way they were done this time, like a burr maybe, than anything to do with the profile, imo.

Edited August 25, 2010 by rachael7

[wall2727 0]

This may have been mentioned already but has anyone noticed the edges are sharper with the FBV? I have never cut myself with my skates until I had the FBV and I nicked my fingers twice pretty good just lacing my skates. I like the FBV but I am a little concerned about how sharp the blades may be. My 5 year old is playing Mites now and im scared to think the blades my be sharper than they need to be.

noticed that many times, when I stone a fbv skate I make sure im extra careful....as for your sons skates, A little sharper skate, and a soild knee bend might give the little guy a little better balance.

[chiefs17 2]

Grave77Digger, I wouldn't bother with FBV for your 5 year old unless it's the only spinner you have. I don't think a kid that young can appreciate the difference between an FBV and an ROH anyway.

[theflash0000 0]

Tried out the 100/50 grind at stick-n-puck this morning. Definitely noticed improvement in my first few strides as well as my glide. Edges too a bit of getting used to and a couple of times I think I felt some slippage in the rear part of the blade. Nevertheless, I was pretty impressed. Stopping was a little weird--I didn't have a whole lot of confidence in the bite on my back foot. I found myself relying on the inside edge of my front foot, if that makes sense. This will probably improve with time. I may bump up to the 100/75 to see if I can get rid of the slippage though.

[Gub 0]

Flash, where did you get the 100/50 done? Just want to make sure you got it done right.

[theflash0000 0]

Flash, where did you get the 100/50 done? Just want to make sure you got it done right.

The shop is called DRM Sports located in the Rockville Ice Arena, Rockville, MD.