Oh crap!!! bauer cowlings barely fit my new vaughn skates!!!

[bunnyman666 445]

I got my Vaughn skates; they fit FAB!!!!

 

I wanted to put Bauer cowlings on there. Bloody hell- they are a TIGHT fit. I think I will be doing a bit of grinding.

 

Step has no Vaughn steel; otherwise, it would be on those skates.

 

Stay tuned for solution...

[bunnyman666 445]

Update- Vaughn skates actually take a larger Bauer cowling. For example- size 7.5 skate actually needs a size 8 Bauer cowling. Keep this in mind if you are thinking of the Vaughn skate and don't want their cowling. 

 

Had to profile these BEFORE sharpening them. Yes- there was anywhere between 2.5-4mm of daylight in the middle of the blade!!!! I am not kidding!!!! The steel is crap and I will probably switch to a Graf cowling. I have a size 8 in the wings.

 

The boot itself feels bloody gorgeous. I still need to break them in before using them in a session. 

[IPv6Freely 2092]

What do you mean "daylight in the middle of the blade"? 

 

On bauer cowlings, I recommend you switch to step steel. It's much better than bsuer steel. Not sure why you'd put a Graf cowling on if you already have Bauer 

[bunnyman666 445]

"daylight in the middle of the blade", as in this case, instead of a convex radius, the blade was concave, and you could see daylight on the radius tool in the middle of the blade. Without a profiling, these skates would have been useless. It's a known issue with the first generation skates. And the customer service rep, who has yet to answer further queries about how to get Vaughn's own Step steel, had the nerve to defend the original steel!

 

Step is the only way I fly as far as steel in skates if it is possible.

 

The only reason why I would use the Graf is because I don't want to spend any more money and I have a spare pair of Graf cowlings. I can't get the proper blade alignment with a size 7 Bauer cowling on the size 7.5 Vaughn skate. In essence, the size 7.5 Vaughn skate is more like a size 8 Graf. 

 

I am on the hunt for Vaughn's Step replacements, and with the new generation skates, you get a choice of three styles (radiused more like a player skate, tall, and regular) when you order the skate. But getting a part number from Vaughn has been like pulling teeth. I am certain since ONLY Vaughn dealers sell their Step steel, it will be expensive. I am not impressed by their customer service as far as answering questions via email.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I'm surprised step is even making steel for vaughn skates. 

[bunnyman666 445]

I think it was more of a deal that Vaughn tried cheaping out on the steel and BEGGED Step to make it for their next generation of skates. The issues with Vaughn steel on the GX-1 are well-known. The GX-2 come with Step Steel as standard. 

 

I am just waiting to see how painful the price is going to be, as it is a replacement part sold through a Vaughn dealer. If it is more expensive than Step Black, then I will install the Graf holders with Step Extreme Black runners.

[bunnyman666 445]

Still haven't heard pricing on the replacement Step Steel or if the cowling is compatible with the new steel. But since the new Step was recommended by name, I think I am safe with compatability issues. It seems that what was revised on the new cowling is the inside height. I may cut some of mine down, as well.

 

What makes me think that the skates are bigger is the fact that the runner still feels long-ish (even after a profiling). The boot is fab.

[bunnyman666 445]

Update: The Vaughn Step steel costs close to the same as regular Step. That's what I went with. But I am going to have to use Overdrive blades to move side to side in the crease until I get those Step. I went with the neo-player radius. I will probably get close to what I have with the Reeboks. My play was embarassing, as I fought those skates all day today.

 

 

[bunnyman666 445]

Update- I was sent to the custom guy at (will not name outlet) for my steel. ??? Basically, they were trying to get me custom steel from Vaughn via Step. I just wanted taller steel, as the Vaughn Step steel for the GX-2 comes in regular, tall, and player radius.

 

Supposedly (the following claim is dubious, IMO), Step made the GX-1 steel. I HIGHLY doubt that because of the fact that it needed so much profiling to make it the remotest bit usable. There wasn't a centre line on the steel, which Step claims is one of their best features. It is also very short, which is NOT a Step thing. Too many missing elements and too much poor quality makes me say it was NOT Step that was unlabelled. I find it very difficult to believe that Step made the GX-1 steel. But with Step's otherwise stellar reputation, I wouldn't put the Step name on those runners, either if I were the CEO of Step.

 

If someone in the know can confirm that Step made the GX-1 steel, I will eat my hat. I just simply don't believe that to be true. I hate when retail employees tell pork pies*. It has happened before and will continue to happen. Again- if it turns out that Step made those blades, I will be very, very shocked and will take back my accusation that the custom guy told me a porkie*.

 

This guy wanted all of these measurements. Though I would call myself mechanically competent, I don't know the least about skate steel and what to measure. Custom anything is funny like that- I have seen a lot of people get some really, really weird bike frames that didn't work for the rider, but the frame was a "custom". Garbage in, garbage out- that's what happens when people who don't have experience doing things get when they order custom with zero guidance.  I have a funny feeling I would have mucked it all up and would have had a mess on my hands. So, I said I wanted the stock extreme height Vaughn Step steel. Since the cowling is low and wide, this seems to be the way to go. Just checked this- the Vaughn cowling is lower than the Reebok. 

 

In the end, I appreciate that the original salesman wanted me to get what I want, but I think it could have been a horrible experience. Trying to figure all of this crap out was hurting my fragile brain enough that I was getting frustrated. In the end, that phone call was approximately ten minutes of my life I will never have back. If these runners were readily available replacement parts, this would have been much easier. Ugh. The customer service is still good from the unnamed firm, but I have a funny feeling my opinion would have changed if I did the custom runner thing. 

 

The boot is the most comfortable boot I have worked with as a goalie skate.

 

Stay tuned...

 

*pork pie, porkie are Cockney terms for white lie.

[bunnyman666 445]

Update:

 

Overdrive blades cured the much too short "told it was a Step but there's no freakin' way it is a Step" blade. Gripping the ice to move across the crease in a butterfly slide was effortless. As you will read in my Drop In Report in the Starting Goal as as Adult thread, I had a good game with the skates today. However, a taller blade will make this skate MUCH better. 

 

Stay tuned...

[IPv6Freely 2092]

Step runners very clearly say step on them. 

[bunnyman666 445]

I know. This guy was trying to tell me that they were "unlabelled" Step. The Step steel has a very smooth finish; these don't. Step have very fine, well-finished edges and other details, these do not. I freakin' HATE when a retail employee tells something that CLEARLY isn't true. 

 

These steels feel EXACTLY like what comes stock on Bauer skates. The rough edges, the coarse finish of the steel, the fact that there isn't much steel are things that contradicts EVERYTHING I have ever seen in a Step runner. These feel like Chinese runners. They also feel brittle. 

 

Over the years, I have heard retail employees tell me outrageous whoppers from who "really" makes stereos or VCRs (I used to sell consumer electronics once upon a time) to who "really" makes chewing gum when I know differently. Most of the time, all but the most discerning consumers don't know the differences. 

 

I don't think Step would ever private label runners, myself.

[bunnyman666 445]

I didn't get the Extreme Height Step Steel. I ended up with the Pro Custom, which is STILL a LOT taller than stock crap ass Vaughn steel. I am REALLY not happy with how the "custom" guy interfered with what I wanted. In the end, I have a much better lean angle, but I wanted more. The Vaughn Step does NOT have the centre line on it. Oh well. At least the sharpener can just sharpen it, rather than the bull shit I had to do to make the stock shit steel usable. 

 

It took me all of two minutes to get used to the taller steel.

[49Tendy 0]

I need some help here and this thread seems to have the most knowledgeable about this topic. Recently, I've been toying with the idea of buying the new Bauer 1s Vertexx Edge Holder and replacing my current Bauer cowling with it. I was able to compare my skates with the same size 1s in store and both cowlings appear to be the same size. As someone not knowing a whole lot about this, I wanted to know can this be done? I currently wear Bauer Reactor 5000 skates. 

[IPv6Freely 2092]

26 minutes ago, 49Tendy said:

I need some help here and this thread seems to have the most knowledgeable about this topic. Recently, I've been toying with the idea of buying the new Bauer 1s Vertexx Edge Holder and replacing my current Bauer cowling with it. I was able to compare my skates with the same size 1s in store and both cowlings appear to be the same size. As someone not knowing a whole lot about this, I wanted to know can this be done? I currently wear Bauer Reactor 5000 skates. 

You wouldn't want to do this. The 1S doesn't have a cowling, it's just the holder and runner (similar to player skates). So if you were to put that on your Reactor 5000 skates, you'd no longer have a cowling and that could be bad. 

[bunnyman666 445]

32 minutes ago, 49Tendy said:

I need some help here and this thread seems to have the most knowledgeable about this topic. Recently, I've been toying with the idea of buying the new Bauer 1s Vertexx Edge Holder and replacing my current Bauer cowling with it. I was able to compare my skates with the same size 1s in store and both cowlings appear to be the same size. As someone not knowing a whole lot about this, I wanted to know can this be done? I currently wear Bauer Reactor 5000 skates. 

 

The boot on the Supreme skates are incredibly built up. Unless you are willing to fashion your own protection for the boot with composites, you shouldn't even think of replacing your cowling with a holder. 

 

My Vaughns have a pretty tall cowling. That being said, the boot on my Warrior Ritual Pro (1st generation) have a flat boot that rides on top of the skate. I took a shot near the big metatarsal bone in a place without the cowling and it HURT!!! 

 

The Reactor 5000 aren't the softest skates, but you would feel shots. If you want the lean angle, get some Step steel; removing the cowling could be very, very bad.

[49Tendy 0]

Thanks for the feedback.

[bunnyman666 445]

2 hours ago, 49Tendy said:

Thanks for the feedback.

 

Just don't want you to break your foot.