Nitinol blades

[TeamHonda401 54]

Nickel Titanium is non-magnetic, so a magnetic edge checker would essentially be a non-magnetic edge checker if used on Nitinol blades.

[jimmy 194]

Nickel Titanium is non-magnetic, so a magnetic edge checker would essentially be a non-magnetic edge checker if used on Nitinol blades.

That's correct, my max edge checker does not attach, I have to balance it but still can get good readings.

[ponder 0]

Cool, thanks :) Was just curious.

[watchgreat 4]

has there been a price drop recently?

[watchgreat 4]

yea but from reading this thread it sounds like they are a PITA to sharpen and if you dont have a good sharpener they will be 250$ worth of screwed up met

EDIT:

combined pita and pias lmfao

[jimmy 194]

yea but from reading this thread it sounds like they are a PIAS to sharpen and if you dont have a good sharpener they will be 250$ worth of screwed up metal.

Yea, we are trying to prevent that, that is how the Rocket Runner got a bad rap as well. If you have a good sharpener and he has the correct stone to sharpen them, then you won't have any problems.

[watchgreat 4]

thats my issue. I only have one good sharpener and its a 30 minute drive for him and he works very few hours. During the summer he works barely at all if ever and i am stuck with crap sharpenings. What wheel will work with nitinol? Il ask him if thats what he has.

[jimmy 194]

thats my issue. I only have one good sharpener and its a 30 minute drive for him and he works very few hours. During the summer he works barely at all if ever and i am stuck with crap sharpenings. What wheel will work with nitinol? Il ask him if thats what he has.

Your whole outlook on sharpening will change. Nitinol edges last 5-6x longer, so that 30 min drive will only have to be done monthly instead of weekly. I spoke with a fellow whose kid was at camp this week, when we spoke his kid had skated 16 hrs and he still said they didn't need a sharpening yet. Your sharpener will need a Cubitron wheel. Other wheels can sharpen them but you risk overheating which causes pitting and weakens the alloy.

[22hitter 0]

Does anyone have an update on Nitinol runners? I know they are not in retail market yet. Any of the guys who work with them or use them have any more feedback. I'm debating on whether to order them custom from No Icing.

[lohnman 0]

I continue to have nothing but great things to say about them. I have 2 pairs for him and it appears that they have gotten better with time. I had a few issues with chipping with the older set. I have had none with the newer set in over a year of use. I use an X02 with the orange stone. I amazed at how little of the blade I have taken off in this amount of time. Since November he has only had 3 days off other than Christmas and Thanksgiving. We also have a rink at the house that he skates on at night when he gets the itch. Thats a lot of ice time and these things still have a long life in them. I bet they will last all four years of high school hockey career. I wouldn't want to guess how many sets of steel he would go through in this same amount of time. During this time he has only used the one pair the other set are in his bag if he runs into an issue at a game. I have now got a pretty good feel for sharpening them, I don't dread it any longer. Who ever sharpens them just needs to be patient and be sure to dress the wheel frequently. I have let a few of his teammates try out his spare pair and have had nothing but positive feedback from those that have taken them for a spin. I don't know if it makes a difference in the length of time between sharpening, but I use a 100/75 FBV on them.

[mojo122 530]

I have been on them since July of last year, having them in Tuuk Lightspeed holders. Have one chip, but it is at the toe and more on the side of the blade, so it is not an issue. There was a little bit of transitioning involved for me, but I like them. Using a 3/4 FBV equivalent I find them to have more glide compared to the Fusion's that I was using. Edge control is better, allowing me to make tighter turns and cuts. If you are an average skater, I would say that they are not worth the cost. I feel so confident/comfortable with them that I will stay with them when I get new skates. My curiosity is in how they compare to BlackEdge runners?

[jimmy 194]

Nitinols are extremely difficult to sharpen in a retail environment and are not a money maker for the shop who sharpens them. If they are just dull, it can take 10 or more dressings for just a normal sharpening, as compared to one dressing for a regular runner. If there is a destroyed edge, it can take all day to remove it. I spent 1+ hours this morning trying to get out a bad edge, not worth the price for the amount of labor. I did just get a new diamond stone made especially for Nitinol and will be trying it out soon. Hopefully it's better than the Cubitron which clogs after one pass. Performance wise, it's a great concept, and yes, I think they will virtually last a decade. The Black Edges however, are a real good substitute for the Nitinols. Great feedback from those using them. The have a great edge, more glide and resist nicks and scratches like you wouldn't believe. One high school player we sold a set to has been using them 5 days a week all season and his blades do not even have a mark on them. Not a scratch, chip, nothing. Hold their edges a real long time too.

[Powerfibers 8]

I got the Blackedge blades last month and have not even noticed a scratch on them since. These might last me through the summer without sharpening. I even bumped down from 100/50 to 90/75 and I feel like I have more edges despite the shallower radius.

[22hitter 0]

Anyone have any info on the release of the Step TI-SS? I'm thinking them, Blackedge or Nitinol.