New steel runners

[redlight31 1]

Sorry for the seemingly simple question, but I was wondering just how different will a pair of skates feel once brand new steel runners are installed.

Thanks!

[jimmy 194]

Depends on how long you've been in the skates and how ground down the original steel is. If they are in good shape and not banana'd then the transition will be easier.

[chippa13 1844]

Some folks may feel some ache in the bottoms of their feet on the new, taller steel for the first couple of skates.

[Vet88 674]

And also how butchered they were over many sharpenings, your current steels could be a quite a lot different from what they started out as. Each sharpening can be another small incremental change but over the life of the steel it adds up to a big change from old to new.

[redlight31 1]

Oh, they are pretty bananaad!

[jimmy 194]

Oh, they are pretty bananaad!

You're F'd then! :-) Seriously, just skate on them. Bear thru it and let your body mechanics and muscle memory adjust to the new steel shape. This can take up to 6 hours of skating. Resist urge to have a sharpener grind down toe or heel. The skates may feel better for the transition, but in the long run, you'll lose performance and blade life.

[redlight31 1]

Well, I skated on them yesterday and after the first couple strides, I realized that it was not really an issue. What I did realize, is how bad the old blades really were and how I had to change my skating style to accommodate them.

With the new blades it was like putting on an old pair of comfortable slippers that had been away for a while!

The moral of the story: replace those old worn down skate blades! Your skating will thank you!

[mojo122 538]

The moral of the story: replace those old worn down skate blades! Your skating will thank you!

And find a sharpener who isn't going to banana your blades...

[timmywah 1]

Just made the transition from banana blades myself and it went much smoother than I thought it would. Only regret wasn't doing it sooner! I also bought my own skate sharpener so hopefully banana blades are a thing of the past for me.