Bladetech Initial Thoughts

[stick9 897]

On 2/28/2025 at 12:12 PM, Sniper9 said:

After being on these blades for a few ice times now, I kind of question whether I like them.  They do have a lot of bite and it's gotten me to mess with different hollows. It also feels that even though the bite is there, I don't feel as confident with the edges, as if it could give out it I'm turning hard. Could be my skating technique and just adjusting to the new feel of the steel but it's definitely something I've noticed. 

Although I get how a super hard steel is beneficial for edge retention and less sharpenings, i find I have to do more passes on my sparx to achieve a proper edge, which will probably kill the life of the ring quicker. That and the harder steel may have more of a negative affect on ring life than a softer steel. That said, if I sharpen it less overall it may not make a difference at all. What's odd is I read a lot to people saying how well it sharpens in the sparx and deburring is a cinch but I actually find deburring the Bauer TI steel much easier and faster. With the TI I can simply use the gummy hone. With the bladetech I need to use a regular stone at a slight angle then finish with a gummy to "polish" off the area honed. 

As a home sharpener I may switch back to my TI steel. If I didn't have a sparx and had my pro shop sharpen my skates I would probably stick to the bladetech. 

 

Totally agree on the sharpening of BT. Total PIA.

[Sniper9 537]

On 9/5/2024 at 11:08 AM, Giltis said:

I ended up getting it on my player skates and I quite like them.

Unfortunately I ran into an issue when I got them for the old holder SB4.0, the blade would not hold an edge (I still have the blades somewhere). I ended up swapping the holders and trying them one more time. 

I think I'm going through this right now.  I ordered mine online (not from bladetech) had had them profiled and sharpened. When I got them I ended up re doing the hollow from 1/2 to 9/16 on my sparx because 1/2 was too deep.  I ensured it was deburred and I also did the finger nail test to make sure there was an actual edge. I skated on it once but after, I noticed an inch near the rear of one skate had no edge. You can't visibly see any damage but that area doesn't shave off any fingernail at all.

I assumed okay maybe I stepped on something and resharpened again with 3 passes on the sparx. Deburred fingernail rest along the entire blade and checked for level edges.  All was good.

This second sharpening lasted two Ice times before I noticed another approx one inch section on a different part of the steel with a dull edge. 

I don't know what's going on. But if I'm required to sharpen these every 2 skates that defeats the whole purpose of having these. 

[Sniper9 537]

6 hours ago, stick9 said:

Totally agree on the sharpening of BT. Total PIA.

Ya I'm thinking of getting rid of these. Something is to with the edges as they come seem to hold very well. The steel is strong in that they didn't have nicks etc but I'm finding random logs of edges twice now after fresh sharpenings. This along with my sparx not liking the steel. Might just get the jrz pro black

[Giltis 117]

6 hours ago, Sniper9 said:

Ya I'm thinking of getting rid of these. Something is to with the edges as they come seem to hold very well. The steel is strong in that they didn't have nicks etc but I'm finding random logs of edges twice now after fresh sharpenings. This along with my sparx not liking the steel. Might just get the jrz pro black

Yeah so it's been like 3 months on the newer ones and they are good. It's hard to say one way or another objectively, my thighs burn less? But it could be me just getting better with my better conditioning. I think they will last me awhile as I'm mostly coaching now and not playing as much as I used to.

Would I get them again? Mayhaps

[Sniper9 537]

34 minutes ago, Giltis said:

Yeah so it's been like 3 months on the newer ones and they are good. It's hard to say one way or another objectively, my thighs burn less? But it could be me just getting better with my better conditioning. I think they will last me awhile as I'm mostly coaching now and not playing as much as I used to.

Would I get them again? Mayhaps

Thanks for the update.  I wonder what's going on with the set I have. Maybe not enough passes with the sparx since the steel is so hard. A bit of a pain though since I didn't have any issues with the fly /pulse ti steel on the sparx. 

[Giltis 117]

8 hours ago, Sniper9 said:

Thanks for the update.  I wonder what's going on with the set I have. Maybe not enough passes with the sparx since the steel is so hard. A bit of a pain though since I didn't have any issues with the fly /pulse ti steel on the sparx. 

Yeah I mean the first one of theirs I got for the SB4.0 was impossible to sharpen and keep an edge on. It was like nothing else I tried. Hard to get an edge on and hard to keep an edge on, worst of both worlds.

Tydan is having a timely prostock sale right now if you’re into it.

[Sniper9 537]

6 hours ago, Giltis said:

Yeah I mean the first one of theirs I got for the SB4.0 was impossible to sharpen and keep an edge on. It was like nothing else I tried. Hard to get an edge on and hard to keep an edge on, worst of both worlds.

Tydan is having a timely prostock sale right now if you’re into it.

Ya im aware of tydan and their good deals on prostock but they only have mainly Bauer steel for that. They must have something going on with Bauer bc they don't sell any other steel for Bauer skates such as jrz or blade tech but they carry those brands for other skates like true and CCM 

[stick9 897]

I wonder if these experiences are exclusive to the coated steel. I know someone that raves about his BT steel. He is also a Sparx owner, not mention of issues sharpening. 

[Buzz_LightBeer 974]

I’ve had a few brands of coated steel and in my experience at least, they tend to go dull unexpectedly and all of the sudden. In Randow spots all over. 
not gradually like a stainless would. Maybe the intensity of the league matters too, I do t think they take kindly to contact with boards, other blades, etc

[Sniper9 537]

5 hours ago, Buzz_LightBeer said:

I’ve had a few brands of coated steel and in my experience at least, they tend to go dull unexpectedly and all of the sudden. In Randow spots all over. 
not gradually like a stainless would. Maybe the intensity of the league matters too, I do t think they take kindly to contact with boards, other blades, etc

Kind of makes sense that the dlc coating is so hard it can be brittle almost in some circumstances.. the actual steel on bladetech is supposed to be one of the hardest out there too so maybe that's something....