Since the skate tech helped so very much with the boot fitting, I decided to splurge on new blades. Stuck with the Gold Seals, even though I don't need them, but chose the lighter-weight Revolution blades. So far, so good. Love the chrome and they're really fast on the ice. Supposedly, they won't need sharpening as often - we'll see. I don't like dull blades, so I'll notice quickly.
I'm breaking in the skates a little at a time because the rink's pretty crowded and I can't navigate as confidently.
The first thing my fitter asked was that I use the stock nylon laces for 10 hours of skating. I hate nylon laces - they cut my hands. Thanks to the skatingforums.com member who suggested wearing gloves - that really helps a lot. I can pull tightly, per the fitter's recommendation, and the laces are still white. (No blood from my fingers!)
I do have to tie a double-knot at the top because the nylon is slippery and comes untied more easily than cotton laces. No biggie. I've found that the half-knot above the eyelets is still a good practice; if the top comes undone, the lower part of the skate remains tight. Saves some time. It's tricky to tie the skates with gloves on, but you get used to it.
Still, once I get past the first 10 hours, I'm switching to cotton-blend laces and adding a few rhinestones with E6000 glue, just for fun.
This morning, I left the top hook undone, which gave me more kneebend. That increased my ability to maneuver, turn and stop -- always a good thing.