I overheard some adults chatting last week and one of them asked "What would happen if skating blades were magnetized?" It was an intriguing thought! It was fun to imagine a supercollider-style track to rocket skaters around the rink during general sessions, lol.
What else could magnetized skate blades be used for? Maybe something with Figures, like the old MagnaDoodle toys?
Quote from: FigureSpins on September 19, 2013, 01:02:01 PM
I overheard some adults chatting last week and one of them asked "What would happen if skating blades were magnetized?" It was an intriguing thought! It was fun to imagine a supercollider-style track to rocket skaters around the rink during general sessions, lol.
What else could magnetized skate blades be used for?
Given that I already have a gravitational attraction for all small skaters to come towards me, I don't think I need to add a magnetic attraction as well...
And just imagine the carnage on synchro teams with magnetised blades clashing.
But, wouldn't it be fun to imagine that? Or ice dancers being tighter than ever, lol.
I wonder if they would help my jumps - no way I could check out early if they were magnetized, lol!
Not the same as magnetized blades, but I've always thought if I attached very strong magnets to my inner thighs, perhaps I could actually get them to touch when I attempt a sit spin, instead of having the free leg hanging off to the side in a world of its own. Imagine what would happen when you tried to exit the spin!
Quote from: Live2Sk8 on September 19, 2013, 08:30:54 PM
Not the same as magnetized blades, but I've always thought if I attached very strong magnets to my inner thighs, perhaps I could actually get them to touch when I attempt a sit spin, instead of having the free leg hanging off to the side in a world of its own. Imagine what would happen when you tried to exit the spin!
You could try bungee cords. ;D
Sadly, I've thought about the bungee cords too!
You can charge extra for magnetized blades. I think some people wear magnets because they believe it helps their health. (http://www.ehow.com/list_6133008_benefits-wearing-magnets_.html)
If you coat the sides with quartz, you can also charge extra for establishing a "crystal resonance" which helps the true believer attain a state of inner balance.
:psychic
Shall we say $400 extra/pair?
:angel:
Quote from: FigureSpins on September 19, 2013, 01:02:01 PM
What else could magnetized skate blades be used for? Maybe something with Figures, like the old MagnaDoodle toys?
Finding loose bobby pins in my skate bag ;)
The Baeumler/Kilius performance comes to mind....hooking up skates in the spin....ouch.....(I tried to find it on youtube, no dice)
This would not involve magnetizing the blades themselves, but just this week I had a fantasy of strapping a strong magnet in my right hand to help me find and grab my blade when doing a catch-foot camel, LOL!
As a studying engineer and figure skater, thought I'd weigh in... analytically, I cannot see any evidence to suggest an improvement in anyway by magnetising blades.
In fact, I dare say the process of doing so, would alter the process used in hardening the steel in blades, making them entirely too brittle... It may work for ice dancing where it won't have the huge impact forces of jumps, but then it'd be softer too, and the edges would be awful.
Consider the vast majority of magnets are made in a sintering method (powdered metal forming). The creation of magnets is done by aligning the molecular poles in a uniform direction. (this is why steel is magnetic, but tends to negate its magnetic field when not magnetised).
Personally, I would go so far as to say it might in fact make the blade worse. I can't imagine how many pollutants are on rinks floors or around the corner (how many of us have put the guards on and nipped over for a quick coffee at the cafe across the road?). If the blades were magnetic, it'd attract dust particles with magnetic properties very easily, dulling edges and causing rust.
As for an improvement, water molecules are polar, however, the overall force is so incredibly weak, that short of creating surface tension, it's insufficient to make any real difference to the beed formed between the blade and the ice.
Gulp ... first thing that came to my mind ... if they were magnetized, then, I could attach the really cool Swarovskis I have with the metal bezel on to them in really neat patterns ... and change them to match mood, music or dress :angel: