Need New Blades? Slipping on Flip Jumps

[Neverdull44]

I am in 20 year old MK Professional blades with about 10 years of use/sharpening on them.  The last time, the sharpening expert had to take alot off because the previous sharpener put a curve that shouldn't have been there in them in order to miss chopping off the lowest pick.  So, my blades are fairly flat. 

I am now skating faster into my flip jump.  I've slipped out of the toe pick divot during takeoff a few times in the last week.  I am concentrating on getting the toe pick insert close to the skating leg, and I don't slam my toe pick into the ice.  I'm 5'5" and 145 pounds, and I'm testing the limits of Newton's Second Law of Physics "force = mass * acceleration".  In other words, I have alot more to "heave" off the ice then I did when I was in my 20's.  While i have't fallen on take-off, just slipped, it's a terrifying moment to know I am unstable.  My coach thought I should have aborted one of these flips, but I was at the point of no return and did it anyhow.  I haven't slipped on my lutz or toe loop, but those I don't do as strong and fast as a flip jump.

I'm going to have to buy new blades before the end of the year.  Can the toe pick slipping be fixed by bigger teeth/crosscuts?  I've got to lose 10 pounds . . . working on that.  Could it be my technique in the flip jump causing me to miss?  Wish I had ability to video it, but the slipping happens 1 out of 20 times.

My only other blade issue is that I am working on loop jumps in succession - got to three in a row now.  By the third loop jump, I will get into this waierd pattern where the blade doesn't want to turn because it is catching too much of the circle.    But, when I do figure loops on a deep edge, I am fine with my blades.  And, I'm ok in spinning.

Tomorrow I meet with the coach.  I will get her opinion too.  Thoughts from our peanut gallery are appreciated.

[sampaguita]

I found jumps easier on the Ultima Mirage stock blade compared to the Quest Onyx stock blade. The Mirage had a bigger toepick that is closer to the ice, and I think that helped.

You also mentioned that your blades have essentially been altered. Maybe that is the cause? A new pair of MK Pro blades might just be what you need.