Is this normal when you try a shorter blade

[icedancer]

I was thinking it would either be a case of not sharpened properly or a need to change the ROH because that does affect the glide. If I wanted to try a different ROH would I try 6/16ths for it to be an easier glide?

Well I think you need to get that sharpening checked out for sure!  I think that was the initial response of everyone who responded here - everything else is just theory and conjecture!! 

The mystery of the boot and blade and sweet spot continues!

[tstop4me]

I was thinking it would either be a case of not sharpened properly or a need to change the ROH because that does affect the glide. If I wanted to try a different ROH would I try 6/16ths for it to be an easier glide?

If you want an easier glide, you want to increase the ROH from your current 7/16" to 1/2".  But you mentioned you now have side slippage.  So that may get worse.

[TreSk8sAZ]

So - you are suggesting that Christy could be letting her feet lean feet too far back (scraping the back corner of the blade) or too far forward (scraping the toe pick), and that if changes her foot usage, everything could be perfect?

If you are right, maybe I gave up too soon on my shorter blades...

Yes. In my case, in the old boots/blades, I was essentially skating ahead of my foot to get onto the rocker. Now that the boots are the proper length, and the blades are as well, I have to constantly make sure I am over the blade. I have changed how I press into the blade, where I do that, and what part of my skate I use to do that.

Interesting. I can understand how the sweet spot would affect things like jumps and spins which I wouldn't dare try with the smaller boots / shorter blades as they just didn't feel stable, but not sure how that would cause so much drag on the blade? I went down a 1/4" on blade length about 18 months ago and didn't experience any problems with the change at all, so I'm finding it strange that going down another 1/4" would cause so much drag.

I was thinking it would either be a case of not sharpened properly or a need to change the ROH because that does affect the glide. If I wanted to try a different ROH would I try 6/16ths for it to be an easier glide?

It definitely could be the sharpening. I will say, though, that when I changed blades I found on certain things I was pushed more into the ice or felt like the blades were scraping or slower because I wasn't used to where the rocker was. And I'm talking about things like crossovers and footwork. I also found I would slide sideways at times because I wasn't used to where to push, and I'd end up not being on as solid of an edge as I was expecting.

Each person is so, so different, and each piece of equipment is different for each person. There may not be one right answer, you may just have to experiment.

[celia]

Adding to the thread with my experience changing boots and blades:  I've switched to Edeas with a 1/2" shorter blade.  Tried them out this morning and definitely will need to adjust my weight placement (I keep leaning too far forwards, especially when skating backwards) but the glide felt the same.

Details:
Old:
Jackson premiere (7.5C)
Pattern 99 (10")
ROH 3/8"

New:
Edea Chorus (255C)
Pattern 99 (9-1/2")
ROH 3/8"

Reasons for a 1/2" of blade length: My old Jacksons were 1/2 a size too big (I wanted to re-use my blade from my old Riedells and that was the compromise).  So my "real" Jackson blade length was a 9-3/4".  Then going to Edea with the higher heel got me to 9-1/2".

Result:  After one skate, I would say the sweet spot is different and it feels like my toepicks are much further back relative to where the ball of my foot is.  But, just like TreSk8AZ, my previous boots/blades were too big.  My cross-strokes forwards are easier, my cross-strokes backwards feel like a tangled-leg face plant waiting to happen.  Basic jumps and spins exist, but the spins are wobbly and the jumps are tiny and I feel like a beginner again.  I'm hoping the learning curve will get better after the first skate, but I definitely feel it! 

As far as the Edea boots, there appears to be no break-in as promised; I can fully bend my ankles.  There was a little arch cramping 10 minutes in and then it went away. 

But as far as the OP's question, no differences in glide, slipping sideways, etc.  Being freshly sharpened, the blades do indeed "feel" sharp.  It's all a front/back rocker issue for me.

[celia]

And as a further tangent - my old skates were about 5.0 pounds for the pair, and the new skates are about 4.4 pounds for the pair.   I didn't have the best scale to take these measurements and they vary each time a little, but the difference between the two seems to be consistently 0.3 pounds less per skate/blade combo.

[celia]

Update -  it took about 15-20 hours of skating for the new boots/shorter blades to feel like "my" skates again.  Jumps and spins are roughly where they used to be.  Moves in the field and 3 turns still a little "off" but I figure they will get there.  Edeas were comfy from the start though as reported by others I do relace sometimes after the first half hour or definitely after one hour.