Recommendations about patch/figures blades

[dlbritton]

Looking for suggestions about (low to mid range cost) blades to consider for Figures class/Testing. I am working on the Adult Bronze patterns plus Forward edges from Preliminary. I had my current Coronation Ace blades moved from my old boots to my new boots and was thinking about getting a pair of blades to mount on my old skates for use in my figures class.

Since I won't be doing any jumping or spins in these would a low end blade like a Ultima Aspire XP or Eclipse Cosmos be acceptable? Patch specific blades are no longer made and finding old/used ones is difficult.
Does 7' vs 8' rocker profile make a big difference?

I have seen recommendations for a very shallow ROH for patch, 1 - 2 inch. Is that what people have used or would something like 9/16 to 3/4 be more suitable?

[Loops]

Patch will be a great solution for you while you manage your knee situation!  I miss patch soooo much.

My old skate tech used to do what he called a combination grind on our blades (for those just starting figures and not yet into patch boots).  He's retired, but I'm still in touch with him- I could ask his suggestions, if you want.  At the beginning level, I don't thing 7 or 8' rocker will make a difference- you need the glide more when you get to higher tests and paragraph figures.

I'm sure you can find general profile info for SilverTest or GoldTest.  I can photograph my Silvertests for you if you want. 

I would play around first with an old pair of blades if you have them, lose the drag pick and make a shallower grind- mine are 1.5".  That's shallower than normal as I recall (usually it's 1") BUT I feel like the blades are a smidge wider than freestyle blades.  If that's the case, it'll certainly come into play with the grind.

Don't give up on finding patch blades though.  They do come up from time to time, and I feel like someone has said that there are some stores that carry old stock. Did I even hear somewhere that they can be ordered??  Where are the people competing at lake placid special figures getting their blades?   I'm sure all that will come up in the course of this discussion.   If you find patch to your liking special ordering might be worth exploring.  Patch dedicated blades made a huge difference for me in figures (note- I'm low-test- had just passed my 2nd when I stopped skating).

[AlbaNY]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but what I've read about figures and the blades would suggest an 8' rocker blade rather than 7' if having to purchase a new blade for the purpose.

[dlbritton]

A little more info. After a bit of Googling I found figure8.ca in Canada and they have JW Comet Test for $80 US, JW Figure Test for $100 US, MK Silver Test for $100 US, MK Gold Test for $150 US. All have shipping of $36 US.

Interestingly the JW blades have a 1" ROH and the MK have a 7/16 ROH.

Given the prices I would be tempted to go for the Gold Test but don't want overkill. I assume blades are more universal as opposed to boots where high end is much stiffer and inappropriate for a lower level skater.

Out of those 4 does anyone have opinions on the best for someone just starting patch lessons?

Also does anyone have experience ordering from Canada regarding import taxes/duties? The company didn't know if duties imposed in US, they just ship out.

[FigureSpins]

I have a pair of old boots with 10" Silver Test blades on them and it was unsettling to use them after wearing freestyle blades for so many years.  The flatness of the blade is weird, the missing lower toe pick is very noticeable, and it felt like I could easily "go over" the front of the skate to fall forward.  The 1" ROH was very drastic for me because my FS blades are 3/8", so I slipped on every edge.  I don't think my repurposed skates back in the day were actually 1", to be honest.  I don't remember my skates feeling so foreign when I switched them between sessions; maybe because we started with Figures? *shrugs*  (30-minute sessions: Patch - FS - Dance - FS - Dance were offered twice a week by the club.)

I would recommend learning figures with your existing skates and watch for a good used pair of the same model blades.  Put them on an old pair of boots and have the blades modified by your skate tech for school figures.  It's basically taking off some of the drag pick and using a shallower ROH.  If you currently use 1/2" ROH, try 3/4" rather than committing to 1" from the beginning.  You can always adjust on later sharpenings, once you get used to the ROH.

There is a School Figures thread in On Ice, if you want more tips.  http://skatingforums.com/index.php?topic=3983.0