Beyond Sharpening, do your blades need to be replaced?

As mentioned in my previous article, it is absolutely necessary to get your blades sharpened often, but this also makes it more and more likely you will get a bad sharpening. And one bad sharpening can ruin a pair of blades no matter how expensive they were. Worse yet, even a slightly bad sharpening will only get worse with time and repeated sharpenings. Once the cat is out of the bag, you cannot stuff it back in.
So, what can go wrong you ask?
Look at any figure skate blades and you will see they are not flat, they have a "rocker" curve when looking at them from the side, kind of like the bottom of a rocking chair. Only the curve is not a smooth even curve, it is what's called a compound curve (i.e the radius of the curve changes as you get closer to the toe picks). This is where the trouble starts. Inexperienced or improperly trained sharpeners will eventually flatten out the curve leading to the toe picks, which is unfortunately the most important part of the blade...this is the part of the blade that is different in different model blades and gives each blade model its distinct advantage, etc. Once the curve is damaged just once, it cannot be fixed and subsequent sharpenings will only make the damage more and more evident. There comes a time when the blade becomes a hindrance to skating and attempting to master elements.
    There are lots and lots of skaters out there attempting to skate on worn out "defective" blades. Perhaps they were used, perhaps they were cheap (soft metal gets ruined easily) or perhaps they were destroyed in sharpening. Whatever the reason, have a coach or pro shop check them and SHOW you what they see if they recommend replacement.
    And once you have new blades, find a reputable sharpener and stick with them. And because anyone can have a bad day, it is a good idea to trace the curve of you blades on a piece of paper and save it, so they can be compared after each sharpening to be sure nothing drastic has happened. And if you should notice a problem, bring it to their attention right away...and if it is bad enough, do not be afraid to ask they pay to replace them...they are a business, and charge for their service. You have the right to be reimbursed if their service ruins your blades.
   More than once over the years, I had blades ruined and "didn't feel right" demanding they pay for them...never again! Business is business.