Why don’t you
cater to hockey
Players? Our background is in figure skating, therefore we know figure skating better than hockey. We thought it best to keep our business within our area of expertise. Also, we feel there are plenty of hockey shops out there but figure skating shops are a bit harder to come by. We will leave hockey to the hockey experts and we will handle figure skating.
Figure Skating
Boots
From start to finish
what is
the average
turn around
time on
getting new
boots? Stock boots have a general turn around time of 2 - 3 weeks. Custom boots can take up to 6 weeks
What are the
main
differences
between
the boot
manufacturers
you sell? SP-Teri is a boot maker based out of Northern California, here in the US. Edea is an Italian based skating boot company. Each holds a unique niche in the markets they serve. Jackson is a Canadian boot and blade manufacturer. They offer boots for the beginner, who is in Learn to Skate, all the way up to advance boots for skaters doing triple and quad jumps. Jackson, also, is a good choice for budget conscious parents of kids just starting in skating.
Which boot
brand
is better? That depends on what the skater is like. SP-Teri run narrow from AAAA widths on up. SP-Teri also makes their boots from leather. Edea is made from a man made shell that never needs to be water proofed. Both companies have boot lines that have extra stiff ankle support for todays competitive skaters who are doing triple and quad jumps. Both also have boots that offer easy break in time. Jackson, also, is a good choice for budget conscious parents of kids just starting in skating.
Please note that all three boot manufacturers have one thing in common. They all require tracings for proper boot selection and fit. Please call us and we can walk you through this process for the specific manufacturer you are interested in. To see our complete selection of boot models, by manufacturer, please see our boot store link to the right.
Figure Skating
Blades
What are the main
differences between
blade makers? MK, John Wilson, and Jackson have been around for decades making top quality blades. Paramount is newer to the market, but the technology they are implementing is cutting edge. Their blades have steel runners and the rest is made out of an aviation aluminum alloy which cuts the overall weight of the blades by 40%. One major difference with the Paramount blades is the fact that skaters are getting 60-120 hours of training time between sharpening’s, which is more than most blades get for Paramounts mid and high level blades.
All four companies have their own place in the blade market. We would be more than happy to speak with you and assist you in finding the perfect blade for your skater.
Are blades broken
down by ability
level? Yes. A good rule of thumb is to think 6-12 months ahead of where your skater is now. Blades should last the average skater through 1-2 growth spurts or 12-18 months. Just because a skater is doing single jumps now, when it’s time to get new blades it’s well worth it to go up one level. That way, when he or she is doing axels or double sals they will be in an appropriate blade.
Blade
Sharpening
How often should
blades be
sharpened? A skater that is only on the ice a couple of hours a week can go 6-8 weeks between sharpening’s. A skater that skates 30 to 40 hours a week can expect a sharpening to last 3-4 weeks. If the skater is generally on very hard brittle “hockey” ice, this will make sharpening’s last less time than a skater that skates on “soft” ice. Skaters that wear guards/soakers when the blades are not in contact with the ice can make sharpening’s last 20% longer.
What is precision
sharpening? Precision sharpeners are designed to sharpen only one type of blade; figure skate blades. Most arenas have cross-platform sharpeners. These are great for hockey skates but not for figure skates. Figure skates have a different thickness, radius, and hollow than hockey skates do. They, also, have a completely different rocker. The Sid Broadbent Incredible Edger sharpening systems are what most figure skate blade manufacturers prefer their blades to be sharpened on. Mr Broadbent has designed a boot carriage specifically for figure skates. It’s a difference you can feel from the first step you take on the ice.
How many
sharpenings should
I get from my
blades? When you have your blades precision sharpened from the very start, only the smallest increments of the blade’s sharpen-able metal are being lost. You should get at least 10-14 sharpenings. If you have your blades sharpened on a cross platform sharpener these numbers will decrease because these sharpeners are designed to take more metal off from hard steel hockey skates.
Why don’t you
sharpen the first inch
of the blade behind
the toe picks? Simply put, this is the only area on the blade that is not skated on, ever. It’s referred to as the no skate zone (NSZ). Sharpening the NSZ, over time, will change the rocker, performance and life of your blades.
What is the
discrepancy of error
with precision
sharpening? At the most edges could be off 1/1000 of an inch (0.001 of an inch) To put it in perspective this is also the diameter of a human hair. We ensure that blades leaving our shop are as close to perfect as you can get.
Can you fix
uneven edges
that someone else
messed up?
Yes. We start out measuring the accuracy of the edges and how far off they are. In some cases we have to flatten the hollow in order to get them perfectly level. Then we replace the hollow.
Do you ship
Nationally? Yes. We will ship products anywhere in the country. We can even sharpen skates when shipped to us. If you are sending us blades to be sharpened, you can send them Fed X, UPS, USPS, or Greyhound. Please call or email us to make the appropriate arrangements. Also, include prepaid return shipping label and payment for your sharpening. Don’t forget insurance. On Edge is not responsible for loss or damage to skates while in transit.
What is a normal
turnaround time
once you get my
blades? We try to get blades finished 12-24 hours after receipt. Mail order sharpening take precedence.
Can you also fix
stripped screws /
broken screws?
Yes. Please give us 4 to 7 days to process your repair. Unless they happen to have a spare pair of skates we urge skaters to get these repairs done either over the summer or after the competitive skating season is over for them.
Soakers
What are soakers
and why should I
use them? Soakers are cloth blade covers that have an absorbent inner lining. After you are done skating for the day, dry off your blades and put soakers on your blades. As the blades warm back up to room temperature the soakers absorb any extra condensation before it rusts your blades. The worst thing a skater can do is to store their skates in hard guards. Rust is your blade’s enemy.
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On Edge Skating
2457 1/2 Theresea LN
Grand Junction, CO 81505
970.589.7706