BlackEdge runners

[HeVoKa 1]

He just says that his friend sharpens Timonen's skates...not too hard to understand.

That is 100% correct! Last time 45 pairs sharpened :)

[Shayno 1]

That is 100% correct! Last time 45 pairs sharpened :)

What's so hard to understand? LOL

[stuie7 6]

What's so hard to understand? LOL

Give the guy a break, English clearly isn't his first language and he's trying. I'd like to bet he speaks better English then you do at whatever his first language is..!

Anyone got any contact details of retailers of the Powertek runners? Would need them shipping to Europe so can't ask my LHS!

[malcb33 97]

any pro hockey life should finally have these by the end of this week. Also the source for sports/ the hockey shop listed in this thread too.

[aarondevera 0]

Bumping the thread. Any feedback?

[hands of steel 0]

has anyone tried the skate blades Black Edge? if yes, I Would Like to Have some feedback from you guys, There Is the link:

http://www.powerteksport.com/en/hockey?page=shop.product_details&product_id=73&flypage=flypage.tpl&pop=0

is it available in the US? cause here in Québec (Can) it's starting to have some quite of attention from hockey players....

http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/ad205/alabel71/blackedge1.jpg

[JR Boucicaut 3799]

Merged

[malcb33 97]

I'm really curious about these too and on the verge of ordering a pair. I've tried getting a hold of Powertek/Blackedge about a few questions I've had, but no luck so far,

[aarondevera 0]

Finally sharpened a pair of Blackedge runners today, mounted on Reebok 11Ks. Their wasn't a noticeable weight difference between the BE runners and solid E-Pro steel, but the surface was definitely smoother and, while the finish was relatively dark, had a mirror-like sheen to it. The runners had no nicks or scratches and there was no evidence of a previous sharpener using a honing stone to de-burr.

I asked the guy how long it had been since he last had his skates sharpened, to which he replied, "Oh, well... I think about a month or so. Maybe 25 hours of ice time."

25 HOURS. No burrs, chipping or anything of the sort. He had his skates sharpened to a 1/2" hollow. While they definitely felt sharper when I was done with them, I imagine that he could have gotten away with several more hours on the ice without having to come in.

Unfortunately, as his skates had already been sharpened once by another tech, I didn't get the chance to put the BE runners against a cross-grind with the carbon coating still along the running surface. However, they did sharpen on the finishing wheel with ease. They felt smooth running across the wheel and gave off slightly whiter sparks when making a pass. Took 6 passes to finish on the wheel and a quick swipe across a leather surface to get rid of any micro-burrs, although this is a step I probably could have skipped completely as the runners felt as smooth as a Step runner finished with a ceramic stone.

Definitely a runner I'm considering for myself.

[odieg14 0]

[Shark#81 0]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond-like_carbon

Obviously the| coating provides a very hard protective surface to the steel (like scratch proofing a lense). In addition, and this is cooler imo, the coating makes the steel what engineers call "low energy" which is like a slippery plastic.

OK That thin film of water theory I don't agree with that at all and there is simple proof for it. (but that is another discussion) When a blade glides the ice provides lubricity on the molecular level so the blade can slip. However if the blade itself is more lubristic then boom you have more glide right there. And the coating does that. That is what they are demonstrating with the water droplet.

[stuie7 6]

Definitely be trying these on my next pair of skates, big believer in the difference good steel can make.

[Shark#81 0]

More thoughts - the blade is a bit of an ice cream sandwich where the hollow is regular steel. The only way to determine if there is a glide advantage is to do a glide test with ramp and some sort of sled. They do this type of testing for tires (rolling resistance)

[All Flash 49]

Do we know difinitively if the steel grade matches Step or is it just regular stainless with the coating?

[JR Boucicaut 3799]

regular stainless that is coated.

The difference between that and NanoGlide is that NanoGlide uses better steel, which is then polished.

[HabFan 0]

I just put BlackEdge runners on my One100 LE's; forward rocker, 9' radius, with FBV 90/50 sharpening. Vs stock steel with the same setup, here is review.

Increase in top speed, probably >5%

Seemed a lot smoother on the ice even towards the end of the game when the ice was chewed up.

Increase in agility; transitions felt much better, turning radius was tighter and full speed turns felt more stable.

After two games there isn't so much as a scratch or nick in the edges. Overall I am very happy with the purchase. $110 at ProHockey Life. 

Are they better than Step Steel, or other high end replacement runners?  I cannot comment since I only ever had OEM. 

[Powerfibers 8]

We just got the Black Edge runners in our local shop. If I am sharpening at home with the Blackstone XO2, can I do a sufficient job? And what grit wheel and honing tool would work best? Thank you.

[JR Boucicaut 3799]

I haven't sharpened them, but I will assume you will need them to cross-grind them for you, if it is anything like NanoGlide.

After that, it's standard sharpening procedure...it isn't nitinol.

[Powerfibers 8]

Thanks JR, good to hear. When I inquired, the sharpener said that I would need to get them sharpened there because they were very different. Of course, he does not know about the XO2.

[JR Boucicaut 3799]

Nah, it's just regular stainless underneath.

[jimmy 194]

We just got the Black Edge runners in our local shop. If I am sharpening at home with the Blackstone XO2, can I do a sufficient job? And what grit wheel and honing tool would work best? Thank you.

Black edge recommends you crossgrind them to remove the coating on the bottom, but any finish wheel will remove this with a few swipes as well. No honing blackedges!

[JR Boucicaut 3799]

Can it? I haven't sharpened one so I wasn't sure. I know if you did that with NanoGlide you'd be there forever.

[watchgreat 4]

Do you have to cross grind before every sharpen or just the first?

[JR Boucicaut 3799]

First time.

[prenny207 1]

You will need to cross grind them before the first sharpening. It will clog up your CG wheel and you might have to dress the CG wheel before you get the blade completely cleaned of the coating on the bottom. After that, sharpen as normal. No special wheel, grit, compound needed. As mentioned earlier, no stoning/honing these blades unless absolutely needed, and if so, do it lightly.