Bending
(Hans Gijsen 2009 - now) A clear and illustrated explanation of blade bending. For a mathematical approach see page Bending math's. Important before starting to bend is the rocker. It must be thoughtfull and correctly applied. Only then it's possible to optimize the blade's behavior in the bend.
Attention: Not al skate blades can safely be bended. First see if your brand and type are suitable!
On the circle we used for illustrating the rocker, an angle is drawn of 48 degrees, somewhere opposite the little skate segment.
Next we cut in one of the lines for the angle, right untill the center.
Than we overlap both loose ends just until the second line of the 48 degrees angle.
On that line we fix the other end with scotch tape.
The flat circle has become a three dimensional cone, with a top angle of 120 degrees. And the tiny model of a rockered flat blade has become the model of an accuratly rockered and bended blade. In fact, this is a practical workable model, for what is maximum feasible. Every cone with a larger top angle (less bending) is also possible. In the mathematical model on page Bending math's. a top angle of 140 degrees is used. The tiny segment of 4 mm at the edge of the cones base remains our blade model.
With the cones blade segment perpendicular on the table we see the bending
if we look axial at the blade. (picture)
The rocker shows in a radial view at the blade segment.
The rocker is quit the same as it was in the flat circle.
Which means nothing has changed concerning optimised gliding conditions.
Even so, the cones base makes an angle of 60 degrees with the surface.
So the blade wil make a 36,4 m bend of its own, in this perpendicular position.
An angle of 60 degrees between skate blade and ice implies a 30 degree angle of its cones base. The blade wil make a 21 m bend of its own now. (18,2m / cos30)
The smallest possible angle that our models blade can make to the ice is 30 degrees. The full blade length contacts the ice then and the blade wil make a bend of 18,2 m. The base circle of the cone. Every smaller angle with the ice wil force the front and rear end in the ice. Like real breakes!! With our cone model this is impossible without distorting it, because the full base circle rests on the surface. But in reality our blade is just a tiny piece of the cones base circle, so things can happen.