Platinum K390 Ice Short Track Blade

Bont Platinum K390 – The Benchmark for Short Track Performance

The Bont Platinum K390 is widely regarded as the best short-track blade ever made. In the past, national team skaters would sort through large batches of blades to find the few that were perfectly straight, leaving the rest to be sold to shops. We didn’t think that was fair. Our goal was simple: make every blade as good as the best one in the batch.

Here’s what we did to get there:

• Flat steel from the start: Blade steel is usually supplied on a roll, which makes it wavy and pre-curved. We pay extra to source flat sheets of steel so the blade stays straight, even after grinding.

• Precision grinding: We use 1.3mm thick steel and grind off 0.1mm from each side, slowly and carefully, using high-end grinding stones imported from Germany. Only two blades are ground at a time to prevent heat distortion.

• Tighter blade slot: We tested multiple adhesives and found one strong enough to reduce the blade slot by 0.1mm. A smaller gap means less chance of warping.

• Secure setting process: While the glue dries over 14 hours, each blade is held at a minimum of nine points using custom jigs to preserve its bend.

• Brilliance polish: The sides of the blade are polished to reduce friction when the blade touches the ice at steep lean angles.

• Optimized stiffness: Working with top national teams, we found the right balance of tube stiffness. Too stiff and it can cause crashes. Too soft and it absorbs power.

• Strong aluminum tube: The tube is made from 7075 T6 aluminum, which is why it has a natural silver finish. This grade of aluminum is extremely strong but difficult to anodize.

The result of all this work is a short track blade that’s consistent, reliable, and ready for world-class racing. Every blade in the batch is race-ready, no sorting required.