Let’s talk steel

[jerd31]

I have a pair of Konekts with the Vertexx Edge runner.  Currently, I send my blades out for sharpening every 8-10 games.  I rotate between the stock Pulse SS steel (meh) and a pair of LS5G steel I picked up.  I’m looking to add another set of blades so I can send out two at a time.  I don’t know much about steel but I’d prefer something DLC coated.  It looks like my options are:

 

•Another set of LS5G (cheapest at ~$110)

•Bauer Pulse Ti ($150)

•BladeTech DLC ($160)

•Byonic Pro Super Black DLC ($160)

•JRZ?  Can’t find much online would have to contact them for info/availability ($?)

Any feedback?  Anything else I should consider?  

[johncho]

From what I remember BladeTech is very different, and it's a very much a either you love it or hate it type of deal.

My kid uses non-DLC JRZ as a 2nd set and it seems to hold up well compared to his stock. 

I got my spare blades lightly used from SLS for a great price, if you are patient, maybe you could find yours there. What size are you anyway? I have a couple of Size 9/280 that I might be selling.

Edited August 28, 2023 by johncho

[jerd31]

48 minutes ago, johncho said:

From what I remember BladeTech is very different, and it's a very much a either you love it or hate it type of deal.

My kid uses non-DLC JRZ as a 2nd set and it seems to hold up well compared to his stock. 

I got my spare blades lightly used from SLS for a great price, if you are patient, maybe you could find yours there. What size are you anyway? I have a couple of Size 9/280 that I might be selling.

I remember hearing Bladetech has some sort of flex tech in their blades, but not in their goalie ones.  

I'm a size 11/296.  Been checking SLS regularly and had purchased a set of Pulse Ti's for $60, but the seller said they lost them so no go.  I've been checking daily for sets on there.  

[TheGoalNet]

 I got the Bauer Pulse Ti. I paid for them, not sent as a demo. Literally blown away how much less I have to sharpen them compared with Bauer black steel. One of those changes I wish I did sooner.

[Snowman30]

https://tydanblades.ca/collections/pro-stock-blades

 

Don't know what size you need but at the bottom of the lists there are some pro goalie blades for goalie price considering you cannot buy Tydan of the shelf anymore

[keeperton]

22 minutes ago, Snowman30 said:

https://tydanblades.ca/collections/pro-stock-blades

 

Don't know what size you need but at the bottom of the lists there are some pro goalie blades for goalie price considering you cannot buy Tydan of the shelf anymore

 

4 hours ago, TheGoalNet said:

 I got the Bauer Pulse Ti. I paid for them, not sent as a demo. Literally blown away how much less I have to sharpen them compared with Bauer black steel. One of those changes I wish I did sooner.

I can second that the Pulse TI blades hold an edge for a long time. Been decent, though I've been using the (much less good) stock steel that came on my Konekts for the summer to test profiles.

I can second having heard good things about Tydan, no direct experience though.

[Puckstopper]

4 hours ago, TheGoalNet said:

 I got the Bauer Pulse Ti. I paid for them, not sent as a demo. Literally blown away how much less I have to sharpen them compared with Bauer black steel. One of those changes I wish I did sooner.

Back when I worked retail, Pulse Ti was the new hotness.   I never got to try it on ice (the goalie stuff hadn't hit retail by the time I moved), but you can tell good steel from bad by how it feels on the wheel.  Pulse felt nicer than the LS5 steel and Pulse Ti was noticeably better than that.  I'd put it right up there with the high end Step or RamonEdge steel for how it took an edge.

[Hockey34]

I have both pulse ti and Tydan gold (which is the same as the black just gold) they both hold an edge extremely well, the Tydan is a little taller and it is a little bit of a harder steel than the pulse ti. I just rotate them when they get dull have two sharp while two are getting sharpened. 

[TheGoalNet]

10 hours ago, Hockey34 said:

I have both pulse ti and Tydan gold (which is the same as the black just gold) they both hold an edge extremely well, the Tydan is a little taller and it is a little bit of a harder steel than the pulse ti. I just rotate them when they get dull have two sharp while two are getting sharpened. 

Steel is a big blind spot for me. As stated above, should have gotten into this earlier.

When you say harder? What's the benefit, it'll hold an edge longer?

[A.YOUNGoalie13]

1 hour ago, TheGoalNet said:

Steel is a big blind spot for me. As stated above, should have gotten into this earlier.

When you say harder? What's the benefit, it'll hold an edge longer?

The harder the steel, the better the edge retention. All of the nicer steel is harder so it lasts longer, its harder to nick, etc. LS5 black is pretty much just stainless with a black coating on it. Its really not great steel

[jerd31]

Tydan has some pro stock in my size that they just list as "mirror finish".  Anyone have any insights to what this is?

https://tydanblades.com/collections/pro-stock-blades

Quote

Vertexx Edge 11:

Mirror Finish - Bobrovsky - 30’ - $40 x30 *new

 

[Hockey34]

38 minutes ago, jerd31 said:

Tydan has some pro stock in my size that they just list as "mirror finish".  Anyone have any insights to what this is?

https://tydanblades.com/collections/pro-stock-blades

 

It will be probably a silver blade. You can email them they are super good about responding.

Edited August 29, 2023 by Hockey34

[jerd31]

37 minutes ago, Hockey34 said:

It will be probably a silver blade. You can email them they are super good about responding.

He responded within minutes- standard steel blade with mirror finish.  At $40 a pair, pretty tempting.

[Chenner29]

10 hours ago, TheGoalNet said:

Steel is a big blind spot for me. As stated above, should have gotten into this earlier.

When you say harder? What's the benefit, it'll hold an edge longer?

Pretty much what @A.YOUNGoalie13 said below. 

also wanted to add a few points

1. For the profiling nerds, less sharpenings = less change over time on the profile.
2. There might be some minuscule gains in power transfer to the ice with the harder steel
3. IIRC there is more carbon content in the cheaper steel, it's softer and more cost effective to produce

When I had LS3Gs on my Vertexx holders, I was sharpening every 3 skates.  I switched to Tydans on that Bauer holder and was getting 8-10 before I had to sharpen

I think I'm on 30+ skates between sharpenings with my Step DLCs

9 hours ago, A.YOUNGoalie13 said:

The harder the steel, the better the edge retention. All of the nicer steel is harder so it lasts longer, its harder to nick, etc. LS5 black is pretty much just stainless with a black coating on it. Its really not great steel

 

8 hours ago, jerd31 said:

Tydan has some pro stock in my size that they just list as "mirror finish".  Anyone have any insights to what this is?

https://tydanblades.com/collections/pro-stock-blades

 

Mirror finish has a slight reflective to it

[jerd31]

13 hours ago, Chenner29 said:

When I had LS3Gs on my Vertexx holders, I was sharpening every 3 skates.  I switched to Tydans on that Bauer holder and was getting 8-10 before I had to sharpen

I think I'm on 30+ skates between sharpenings with my Step DLCs

 

Now the question is, do I get a couple sets of the Tydan mirrored steel, or get one set of one of the DLC coated steel...two sets of the Tydan + profiling will cost the same as one pair of the DLC before sending out for profiling.  I'll save more over the long run with sharpenings, but I'll have two sets of the Tydan which will last probably the same/close to the same duration as one set of DLC between sharpenings...

[Snowman30]

4 hours ago, jerd31 said:

Now the question is, do I get a couple sets of the Tydan mirrored steel, or get one set of one of the DLC coated steel...two sets of the Tydan + profiling will cost the same as one pair of the DLC before sending out for profiling.  I'll save more over the long run with sharpenings, but I'll have two sets of the Tydan which will last probably the same/close to the same duration as one set of DLC between sharpenings...

Get the 2 set of Tydan ones, it's will worth it and the steel holds up very well. Also the price is steal as those blades were close to $150/$200 when Tydan was making Bauer blades before they shut them down.

[beansbats]

On 8/29/2023 at 12:12 PM, jerd31 said:

He responded within minutes- standard steel blade with mirror finish.  At $40 a pair, pretty tempting.

I love my Tydan.  I have four sets of backup to the two that I rotate with.  At the $40 price, I'd buy them all.

-steve

[Chenner29]

7 hours ago, jerd31 said:

Now the question is, do I get a couple sets of the Tydan mirrored steel, or get one set of one of the DLC coated steel...two sets of the Tydan + profiling will cost the same as one pair of the DLC before sending out for profiling.  I'll save more over the long run with sharpenings, but I'll have two sets of the Tydan which will last probably the same/close to the same duration as one set of DLC between sharpenings...

I'm all aboard with the replies from @Snowman30 and @beansbats.

I'm one of those weirdos who will buy sticks in pairs, even if I'm trying a new pattern.

Buy the two sets of Tydans and sell the rest on SLS or something.

[johncho]

I forgot to mention that my steels on my old skates are from Tydan prostock, they are quite good. I had gotten two, and used the old stock one as an emergency pair.

Edited August 31, 2023 by johncho

[froese]

I just ordered a set of JRZ Pro Black DLC Steel for my Tf9's from Tydan. I previously had Step Steel Black for my Vapor 1x's and could immediately notice a difference between them and the stock Shift steel that came with my Trues, which I thought I'd try before ordering an after market set. It's hard to describe, but the edges just felt less solid and less consistent across the length of the blade. And gliding wasn't as smooth either.  I considered upgrading to the True DLC steel, but chatted with Ty (from Tydan) and he confirmed that the JRZ steel was much higher quality, which I had heard elsewhere. So yeah, I would echo anyone else who says good quality steel makes  a tangible difference. It's huge for me.

Anyway, I also now have two size 9 sets of step steel for the vertex holder, if anyone is interested in buying. One black, and one regular.

[froese]

My JRZ bkades arrived from Tydan on Friday, and I quickly brought them in to get profiled and sharpened in time for my game last night. Felt great, very similar and on par with the step black steel I was using with my Bauers

[turbototts]

What profile is stock on the Bauer Pulse Ti? I can't find any product description stating if it is standard or the agility profile.

Been using Bauer 3G+ and Bladetech. I noticed that the blade tech had a forward-sloping profile and it just is not for me. I prefer the standard profile of the 3G+ I just want some better steel. The 3G+ edge dulls too fast.

 

[Hockey34]

1 hour ago, turbototts said:

What profile is stock on the Bauer Pulse Ti? I can't find any product description stating if it is standard or the agility profile.

Been using Bauer 3G+ and Bladetech. I noticed that the blade tech had a forward-sloping profile and it just is not for me. I prefer the standard profile of the 3G+ I just want some better steel. The 3G+ edge dulls too fast.

 

I think it a 27'

[Hockey34]

Does anyone know what the stock profile on true blades are?

[ZeroGravitas]

13 minutes ago, Hockey34 said:

Does anyone know what the stock profile on true blades are?

An e-mail I have from 2020 says "28 foot rocker", but that was before the ShiftMax holder and steel came out - not sure if that is different or not...