Faulty blades

[Vladik]

Haven’t posted in awhile. Just need some advice here. Linking back to April where I was fitted for Royal Pros with CA blades in Blackpool. I posted quite frequently about it, I had to get the blades replaced by them a week or so after because they gave me a faulty sharpening and rounded the tail of my blades.

Unfortunately, the replaced blades are equally as bad, if not worse. The tail is fine, but another faulty sharpening and mounting has occurred. I haven’t been able to spin since I had them replaced, everything feels very rocky and out of line. I’ve just had my blades sharpened for the first time since they were replaced, by my trustworthy skate tech at my rink, and as he handed them back to me after the sharpen, he told me the issues with them. He said he had immediately noticed they had been mounted at a really uneven and insecure angle, everything was out of place and out of line. He remounted them for me, taking out all the screws and redoing it all, which I am so grateful for. However he’s also told me that they’ve shaved off and thinned parts of my blade, and everything’s sort of on a curve as well, my rocker is also a mess.

Edges aren’t pleasant but do-able, and spins are IMPOSSIBLE. I have a program coming up and cannot spin anymore AT ALL. Physically cannot spin.

Id really like a refund from them in Blackpool, but I think it’s far too late for that. I don’t want them to replace my blades for me again, as they’ve already done it once and it’s just as faulty. I don’t want them touching my blades apart from if it’s taking them off. We are in a tough financial situation and I can’t afford to just buy new blades. Would I be able to get a refund? Is it too late?

 

[tstop4me]

The big problem is that you've had them sharpened already by a second tech. So now you can't prove who did what when. After the shop (where you bought the blades) messed up your first pair, you really shouldn't have had them sharpen your replacement pair. And your new tech should have alerted you to all the problems and then NOT have touched them. Then maybe you could have gone back to the shop where you got them and presented your case. This is an indeed unfortunate outcome for you. But you have nothing to lose by reaching out to the original shop.

 

[Vladik]

The big problem is that you've had them sharpened already by a second tech. So now you can't prove who did what when. After the shop (where you bought the blades) messed up your first pair, you really shouldn't have had them sharpen your replacement pair. And your new tech should have alerted you to all the problems and then NOT have touched them. Then maybe you could have gone back to the shop where you got them and presented your case. This is an indeed unfortunate outcome for you.

Even if I had presented my case as such, I think it would’ve been disregarded. I had countless arguments with them over my last blades while they got very defensive, trying to tell me I was wrong.

I suppose there’s no chance of a refund then? I’m very tight for money so I really don’t know what to do. It’s upset me quite a lot. I can’t afford new blades so was hoping I would be eligible for a refund of sorts.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

I'm sorry, but I have a really hard time believing that Blackpool at a trusted figure skating shop did this to the blades. They know what they are doing there, and unless they had an untrained sharpener working on blades (which is equally unbelievable).

And when did your rink sharpener suddenly become trusty?! Wasn't he the one that ruined your last blades and the reason why you were looking for someone else? https://www.goldenskate.com/forum/threads/damaged-toepick-from-bad-sharpening.95225/

Just curious. Not accusing, but this is all a little odd and somethings off.

 

[Vladik]

I'm sorry, but I have a really hard time believing that Blackpool at a trusted figure skating shop did this to the blades. They know what they are doing there, and unless they had an untrained sharpener working on blades (which is equally unbelievable).

And when did your rink sharpener suddenly become trusty?! Wasn't he the one that ruined your last blades and the reason why you were looking for someone else? https://www.goldenskate.com/forum/threads/damaged-toepick-from-bad-sharpening.95225/

Just curious. Not accusing, but this is all a little odd and somethings off.

No I understand. I was told they were VERY reliable. So I really don’t know what’s happened. The first time round, they told me they were just faulty blades with defects. This time round I’m not sure. When I got the new replacement blades, I did notice they seemed mounted very poorly at an angle and curve. Unfortunately don’t have photos because my skate techs just fixed them for me and I never thought to take any before.

And nono! This is not the same skate tech who ruined my first blades. This is a different guy, I’ve spoken about him a few times in old posts, this was my first sharpen from him. He knows what he’s doing, very trustworthy.

I really don’t know what to tell you unfortunately. I am aware I sound unconvincing here, especially as Blackpool is trusted for this. But I wouldn’t raise problems for no reason. I’m gutted honestly.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

No I understand. I was told they were VERY reliable. So I really don’t know what’s happened. The first time round, they told me they were just faulty blades with defects. This time round I’m not sure. When I got the new replacement blades, I did notice they seemed mounted very poorly at an angle and curve. Unfortunately don’t have photos because my skate techs just fixed them for me and I never thought to take any before.

And nono! This is not the same skate tech who ruined my first blades. This is a different guy, I’ve spoken about him a few times in old posts, this was my first sharpen from him. He knows what he’s doing, very trustworthy.

I really don’t know what to tell you unfortunately. I am aware I sound unconvincing here, especially as Blackpool is trusted for this. But I wouldn’t raise problems for no reason. I’m gutted honestly.

Ok, fair enough, but figure skating tech sometimes mount at angle based on how you stand and need them on ice, but I have no idea what you are saying is a curve mount. They'd only be "Curved" if they were defective blades and someone should have known that before mount.

 

[tstop4me]

Even if I had presented my case as such, I think it would’ve been disregarded. I had countless arguments with them over my last blades while they got very defensive, trying to tell me I was wrong.

I suppose there’s no chance of a refund then? I’m very tight for money so I really don’t know what to do. It’s upset me quite a lot. I can’t afford new blades so was hoping I would be eligible for a refund of sorts.

Well, you're not going to get a refund from the manufacturer (Wilson) unless it's a manufacturing defect. If the original shop messed up the sharpening, then it's not a manufacturing defect.

So the only refund (or replacement) would come from the original shop that messed up the sharpening. You raised the problems with your first pair promptly, and they did the right thing by replacing them. You didn't do that with the second pair. Like I said, if your new sharpener had simply documented all the problems and then left them untouched, you could have presented those results to the original shop and see how they would respond. At this point, you have a weak case demonstrating that the original shop was responsible. But like I said, there's no harm in asking. If they say no, you're no worse off than you are now.

 

[Vladik]

Ok, fair enough, but figure skating tech sometimes mount at angle based on how you stand and need them on ice, but I have no idea what you are saying is a curve mount. They'd only be "Curved" if they were defective blades and someone should have known that before mount.

I don’t remember unfortunately, just trying to repeat what my skate tech told me but I don’t remember it word for word.

When he says the blades were mounted at an angle, I mean the heel and sole plate were at an angle, like you could see under them at parts, lots of gaps. Everything was unevenly angled.

And by the curve yes, he was referring to my blades themselves when he mentioned that. Said there’s a curve in my left blade and he tried to straighten things out the best he could.

 

[gliese]

Wilson blades are having numerous defects lately.

 

[Tinner]

Wilson blades are having numerous defects lately.

Oh, is that a thing? That's interesting to know because I just had to replace a set of Coronation Ace blades because of a manufacturing defect.
Do the other brands e.g. MK or Ultima have more reliable quality control?

 

[gliese]

Oh, is that a thing? That's interesting to know because I just had to replace a set of Coronation Ace blades because of a manufacturing defect.
Do the other brands e.g. MK or Ultima have more reliable quality control?

The machines used to make MK and Wilson blades (they are made in the same factory) are super super old. They started to have lots of defects and they have recently implemented much more rigorous quality control while they replace their machines. So that pair of Aces was probably sent out before they implemented that. However, it is now a lot more difficult to get your hands on their blades as of rn because so few are getting through quality control.

 

[MCsAngel2]

Ohhh, is THAT why stock of Coronation Aces has run out and won't be available again until the fall? This issue should be more widely discussed so potentially affected customers know about it.

 

[yesterday]

Ohhh, is THAT why stock of Coronation Aces has run out and won't be available again until the fall? This issue should be more widely discussed so potentially affected customers know about it.

I guess they don't want that as it also puts a spotlight on the previous problems.

 

[Lucie]

I also struggle to believe that that particular shop in Blackpool messed up a sharpening that badly. I have had numerous sharpenings by them (so many I actually can’t count) and each time has been excellently done including just this week. I have also had a couple of temp mounts done by them and again excellent work. You say that when you got the replacement blades they seemed poorly mounted - did you not immediately ask them about this? I can believe that a CA blade might be curved as I have come across that with JW blades before, if it is a very slight curve - say less than 1mm from straight- it isn’t noticeable but a large curve may make the blade feel scratchy or uneven. You’re lucky (maybe) that your new skate tech agreed to fix them for you, most won’t touch another skate techs work due to exactly this sort of minefield and because it means you can’t go back to them to give them a chance to fix it or give you a refund. I’m also surprised your new skate tech did this if he is saying that the blades have been thinned in places and the rocker profile altered as that is something he probably cannot fix and he should have advised you to take them back to the shop who did the work unless he is trying to gain you as a new client and put you off going back there, I’m only putting this out there as it all seems a bit odd.