You will not find a better skate blade for figure skating than the John Wilson pattern 99.
John Wilson pattern 99 skate blades are made with a 8' rocker, and are available in 1/4" increments from 8" thru 12.25" to be mounted on 8" thru 12 1/4" long boot soles.
When ordering John Wilson pattern 99 blades, measure both of the boot soles and order the John Wilson pattern 99 blades 1/4" shorter than the shortest sole measurement. For example, if the soles measure 9 3/4", you would order a 9 1/2" John Wilson pattern 99 blade to fit properly. The industry standard recommendation is to mount the John Wilson pattern 99 skate blades 1/4" shorter than the length of the boot, but anywhere from 1/4" short to mounting end to end is acceptable. Under no circumstances, should you mount your John Wilson pattern 99 blades to hang over the end of the boot.
Blade Maintenance
The care of your John Wilson pattern 99 blades is no less important than that of boots, since the condition of edges is a key factor in skate performance. Blade guards should be worn as soon as skaters leave the ice. This avoids scraping and chipping blade chrome, which leaves the steel underneath vulnerable to corrosion-causing moisture.
After every skating session skaters should remove blade guards, wipe the John Wilson pattern 99 blades dry and then use blade blankets. This protects skates during storage and absorbs any condensation that occurs as the blades return to room temperature. You also may consider applying a suitable oil repellant fluid to the John Wilson pattern 99 blades and leave them out to air dry.
Finally, to experience the blade's best performance, have your John Wilson pattern 99 blades sharpened regularly by a trained technician.
