Reconsidering blade choices for perpetual semi-beginner

[Query]

I've been reconsidering my blade choices, to try to make spins (I have trouble centering spins, and trouble rocking back off the toepick) and very easy jumps easier. I may also want to do beginner ice dance (first 6 dances) again.

Figure Skate Blade Profiles

Here is a more detailed look at the blade profiles mentioned in a previous post. One extra thing to note is the curvature of the blade is NOT consistent when buying new blades because HD Spo…

scarletskater.wordpress.com

talks about turning and spinning on different portions of different blades - e.g., on Coronation Ace blades, I think she is saying you can turn and spin anywhere on a fairly long part of the spin rocker section, including fairly close to the ball of the foot, which I think I would find easier to balance. (But see my other recent post asking whether the toepick is required to brush the ice during scratch and back spins.)

I started with Coronation Ace, but switched to MK Dance, which I loved for ice dance, because they seemed faster, it was maybe a little easier to switch edges, and the backwards facing drag pick isn't as noticeable if I touch it accidentally. Later, for economy, I switched to the Ultima Matrix I system, which also made it easier to experiment with blade styles within the Ultima line. But I didn't find the Ultima rocker profiles and toepicks easy to use, I think because the spin rocker section is short and around the ends of my toes, and the toepick is of course beyond them. I've recently been using Matrix I Supreme runners, which were intended for more advanced skaters than me, because I've misplaced my Matrix I Dance and Synchro runners.

It is long past time to recognize that I am a perpetual beginner, and switch back, or to something even easier. Ideas?

I am not flexible enough to use anything but the back ["drag"] pick. The other picks don't matter. And AFAIK, straight vs crosscut picks is irrelevant, because the drag pick is always straight. I sharpen my own blades using simple equipment, so I want parallel sided blades, not tapered, parabolic or side honed.

I tried rental skates, but the toe pick was almost out of reach, and there was no clear transition between the main and spin rocker sections. I like to be able to feel that transition. (The latter part might be because rental skate sharpening can be quick and dirty. But no matter what, the toepick problem would still be there.)

Would it be easier to turn and spin on blades with a long "spin rocker" segment, like Coronation Ace blades? I have trouble centering spins - partly because I rock forward and back a bit, but also because I can't always feel when I travel, and have trouble rocking back from the toe pick. I've been trying to spin on (old Jackson Ultima Matrix I) Supreme blades, which have a rather short spin rocker segment at the ends of my toes. Maybe it would be easier to switch back to Coronation Ace (or Riedell Eclipse Aurora, which is said to be similar but cheaper).

Alternately, how hard is it spin on Riedell Eclipse Dance blades? Are Eclipse Dance fairly similar to MK Dance, in rocker profile, blade width at the bottom, and toe pick aggressiveness?

Do current generation Eclipse Aurora and Eclipse Dance blades have their mounting holes in the same positions? I'd like to be able to switch between them, by bolting and unbolting them to the bottom of my skates. (Perhaps I could instead use 4 holes and bolts for each, 2 front and 2 back. Maybe for someone at my level, 4 is enough...)

Do modern JW Coronation Ace and MK Dance blades have their holes in the same positions and/or are they in the same positions as Eclipse Aurora and Dance?

Other ideas?

 

[Diana Delafield]

I've been reconsidering my blade choices, to try to make spins (I have trouble centering spins, and trouble rocking back off the toepick) and very easy jumps easier. I may also want to do beginner ice dance (first 6 dances) again.

Figure Skate Blade Profiles

Here is a more detailed look at the blade profiles mentioned in a previous post. One extra thing to note is the curvature of the blade is NOT consistent when buying new blades because HD Spo…

scarletskater.wordpress.com

talks about turning and spinning on different portions of different blades - e.g., on Coronation Ace blades, I think she is saying you can turn and spin anywhere on a fairly long part of the spin rocker section, including fairly close to the ball of the foot, which I think I would find easier to balance. (But see my other recent post asking whether the toepick is required to brush the ice during scratch and back spins.)

I started with Coronation Ace, but switched to MK Dance, which I loved for ice dance, because they seemed faster, it was maybe a little easier to switch edges, and the backwards facing drag pick isn't as noticeable if I touch it accidentally. Later, for economy, I switched to the Ultima Matrix I system, which also made it easier to experiment with blade styles within the Ultima line. But I didn't find the Ultima rocker profiles and toepicks easy to use, I think because the spin rocker section is short and around the ends of my toes, and the toepick is of course beyond them. I've recently been using Matrix I Supreme runners, which were intended for more advanced skaters than me, because I've misplaced my Matrix I Dance and Synchro runners.

It is long past time to recognize that I am a perpetual beginner, and switch back, or to something even easier. Ideas?

I am not flexible enough to use anything but the back ["drag"] pick. The other picks don't matter. And AFAIK, straight vs crosscut picks is irrelevant, because the drag pick is always straight. I sharpen my own blades using simple equipment, so I want parallel sided blades, not tapered, parabolic or side honed.

I tried rental skates, but the toe pick was almost out of reach, and there was no clear transition between the main and spin rocker sections. I like to be able to feel that transition. (The latter part might be because rental skate sharpening can be quick and dirty. But no matter what, the toepick problem would still be there.)

Would it be easier to turn and spin on blades with a long "spin rocker" segment, like Coronation Ace blades? I have trouble centering spins - partly because I rock forward and back a bit, but also because I can't always feel when I travel, and have trouble rocking back from the toe pick. I've been trying to spin on (old Jackson Ultima Matrix I) Supreme blades, which have a rather short spin rocker segment at the ends of my toes. Maybe it would be easier to switch back to Coronation Ace (or Riedell Eclipse Aurora, which is said to be similar but cheaper).

Alternately, how hard is it spin on Riedell Eclipse Dance blades? Are Eclipse Dance fairly similar to MK Dance, in rocker profile, blade width at the bottom, and toe pick aggressiveness?

Do current generation Eclipse Aurora and Eclipse Dance blades have their mounting holes in the same positions? I'd like to be able to switch between them, by bolting and unbolting them to the bottom of my skates. (Perhaps I could instead use 4 holes and bolts for each, 2 front and 2 back. Maybe for someone at my level, 4 is enough...)

Do modern JW Coronation Ace and MK Dance blades have their holes in the same positions and/or are they in the same positions as Eclipse Aurora and Dance?

Other ideas?

You're making a simple problem far, far too complicated. You don't mention MK Pros. Try them if you want, regular not Lite. I used them from beginners to senior pairs national competition. Tested on them up to Gold level in figures, singles, pairs, dance. Never noticed any problem I'd blame on my blades (or boots). Any occasional blips I had that were then corrected were my own technique, not my equipment. It comes down to personal preference --if you liked the CA blades, then go back to them and stick with them. Work on correcting your own skating, not on Finding the (mythical) Perfect Skate.

 

[Query]

I didn't love the Coronation Ace blades - but I was new to skating, they were badly warped, and were sharpened by the same tech who grossly misfit my current boots. So I didn't give them a fair try.

Of the blades shown on Scarlet Skater's web page, the CA blades extend closest to the ball of the foot, which maybe I want. MK Pro spin rockers don't extend as far back.

Eclipse Aurora and Dance blades are stainless steel. I love how easy it is to take care of my Stainless steel Ultima blades, and how long the edges last.

The pro shop at Fairfax Ice Arena, a few hours from me, sells Riedell blades, and I Coronation Ace and MK Dance too. I could call and ask if they stock those two blades, as well as CA and MK Dance, and try to look at them, to see how similar they are, whether they have holes in the same places, and compare them to other blades. Unfortunately no one rents figure skating blades other than the junk they put on rental skates, so I can't try them out. (Given the way people abuse rental equipment, I don't see how they could.)

Maybe I can convince the skate tech there (Marlin) to give my used Aspire XP blades a profile similar to that of Eclipse Aurora or Dance blades, and trim the toe picks to have about the same touch point position (I mean the place along the profile that touches the ice when the toe pick also does) as one or the other. He is well recommended by local skaters, so I bet he could do a great job. That wouldn't give me a perfect match, and Aspire XP blades rust very easily, but it might be close enough to guess.

BUT: I don't know whether the toe pick is required to brush the ice on scratch spins and basic back spins. If it does, I'm looking for the wrong things. Is that required? Organizations like USFigureSkating (and ISU, which seems to make some of USFigureSkating's standards) either don't publish complete descriptions of what test standards are to be followed, or maybe I just haven't found them. In fact, neither's rulebooks mentions "scratch spins" by that name. I don't have a recent ISI manual.

Because my old boots are breaking down, and I want lower heels and less toe spring (i.e., less heel-toe sole curvature), I am switching boots too. I bought used Jackson Freestyle boots, and Bauer Vapor X500 hockey boots, to experiment. I can try my Matrix I Supreme blades on both (after cutting down the Freestyle heels, & shimming both models to fit). If either works, it may also alter the way I interact with blades, so I guess I should try before visiting that pro shop. If neither works, they were were cheap. (People here say the Freestyles are too soft for my weight, and they are starting to break down; the X500s are a bit small, and may be too stiff for my level, but are heat moldable and I'll make custom insoles. It's just an experiment, so they don't have to be perfect.)