- The invention of the "Freedom Blade" was yet another story of the skating industry "not getting it". Since I could skate some pretty amazing and fun maneuvers on my Rollerblades and PIC® Skates that I couldn't do on my regular, ice figure skates, I thought, "why not?"
Most of these moves consisted of skating on the back wheels or the "heels" of the skates, a feat that cannot be done on regular figure skates. I wanted to be able to perform the same tricks on my ice skates, so I started designing a blade that would have a rounded, or turned -up heel portion at the back end of it. After several designs that did not work out very well, I finally made a version that actually allowed someone to "skate" on the heels of their blades!
I was one of Michael Weiss' coaches at the time, and he took great interest in the possibilities of this new blade after seeing me perform some pretty amazing and unique moves on my heels. He asked if I could get a pair made for him to use on the "Champions On Ice Tour" that he was scheduled to do after the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. I told him I would do my best.
At the PSA trade show that year, I called upon many of the established blade manufactures in the world to try and interest them in my new blade design.
They all looked at me as if I had three heads.
Except one..............................
That "one" was Chris Howarth of John Watts Skates Ltd. of England.
He took one look at my idea...stood absolutely silent for the longest time...and then simply said, "Brilliant!"
He "got it". He could see the vision.
We worked out an agreement that very day and his company started manufacturing the blades as soon as he got back home to his country.
Michael Weiss got his pair of "Freedom Blades"...he performed in them on the tour, and he liked them so much that he decided to continue to wear them during the next competitive season and continues to wear them exclusively to this day!
