Blade advice | Golden Skate

Blade advice

sk8rmom97

Rinkside
Joined
May 8, 2005
Does anyone have any information on the parabolic blades? My daughter's coach says she doesn't need them because they only help spins and her spins are already good. The guy we buy her skates from says they're the best way to improve her skating with equipment. All I can find is info from the manufacturer which says (of course) that they're great. Thanks!
 

dlkksk8fan

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Hi sk8mom!

I have a pair of parabolic blades. I like them but I really don't see the difference between a regular blade vs parabolic. The blades are suppose to give you quicker cuts, better edges, and fast take offs on your jumps. The tapered blade is suppose to give you increased stability and keep you more centered improving footwork and edge jumps.

If your daughter wants to try them why not, unless she has a perfectly good pair of blades already.
 

k&gskate

Rinkside
Joined
Oct 20, 2004
My son has a pair and I have seen a huge improvement in his spins. He had good spins before but his back spin is so fast and centered now. It also improved his camel which he had problems with. I don't see any big difference with jumps other than his flying sit is really good now. It took him longer to get used to thenm than other blades and it took a while to feel comfortable with his jumps but the spins improved the first day he used them.
 

backspin

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 30, 2003
I've heard it takes special training to sharpen these correctly---might want to check w/ your skate guy to see if he can do them.
 

icedancer2

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
My blade guy says there is no difference in the sharpening of the Parabolics.

BUT, he is the kind of guy that will only let certain people sharpen any blade higher than the Coronation Ace, so I would probably get the best you can find to sharpen them.
 

DPSPINS

Spectator
Joined
Mar 2, 2005
What about K-Picks? I thought about getting parabolic K-picks. How hard might it be to get used to K-picks and parabolics.
 

sk8rmom97

Rinkside
Joined
May 8, 2005
I've heard that the parabolics aren't that hard to get used to, but I don't know how much they help either. No one seems to be using them (at least not that is posting here or on the USFS web site)My daughter doesn't really need new blades yet for her foot size, only if she needs a better blade. Her last coach had Kpicks and really liked them but that was before parabolics came out. It doesn't seem like that many people are using parabolics yet. I have heard that a bunch of people in Indianapolis are using the Kpick and love it, but that's where the guy is who invented it, so that might have something to do with it. I think it's supposed to help if you don't get the angle quite right when you pick, you still get good height.
 

megsk8z

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I'd go with K-Pick Parabolic Phantoms if I felt like buying a new pair of blades this year. I have Phantom K's and really like them. Of course, about 2 months after I bought into the K's, the K-Parabolics came out. Sigh. But yes, the height on even a "mis-picked" jump is quite good and I really like the stability they added to my double toes.
Don't you wish there was a place to go to "test drive" blades like there is for cars? I know, it's unlikely, but wow, it sure would beat guessing and praying to the skating gods that you made the right choice for you.
 

sk8rmom97

Rinkside
Joined
May 8, 2005
A group of us parents were just talking about that at the rink today. I would love to be able to borrow a pair of blades for a week or so and see if they help or not. Alas, I guess I'll just have to spend money. I hate to spend the extra money on Kpicks and parabolics if they don't make a difference, but I hate to not get them if they help, since they don't add that much to the cost of the blade. My daughter's coach isn't big on either one, but I think that's because she never used either when she skated. I've noticed coaches in general are not eager for new things.
 

Mrs Redboots

On the Ice
Joined
Sep 20, 2004
See if your fitter will let you have a pair "on approval" since they are so new to your skater.

Most people I know don't use parabolics because of sharpening issues - they don't know whether their sharpener will be able to cope.
 
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