Equipment Maintenance Reminder

[AgnesNitt]

Our handy-dandy homemade "inside moisture absorbing" inserts (old baseball socks filled with silica sand) - got an upgrade - we tied a knot at the top of the silica sand, and then put an activiated charcoal filter from an aquarium store in, then tied another knot.

The inside of the most disgusting, stinky, dank and revolting pair of skates you can imagine are now dry and odor-free. No more complaints from coworkers about my storing my kid's skates under my desk during the day. Also takes the odor out of the skate bag ...

Can you pop that silica sand filled sock in the microwave and heat it up?  I so want some warm skates now that I have either arthritis or gout in my right big toe.

[Sk8tmum]

Can you pop that silica sand filled sock in the microwave and heat it up?  I so want some warm skates now that I have either arthritis or gout in my right big toe.

Hmmm ... I know that I can reheat the things to make them "absorbable" again once they have soaked up their maximum sweat capacity (ick) - but, wouldn't it make more sense to use those hot/cold packs that you can heat up in the microwave? I actually have one that I think would fit nicely in a skate - it's a long narrow one - and you simply zap it for a minute or two and it's toasty warm.  There are also reusable "heating" thingees that have a little metal disk that you"click" and go; after use, such as stuffing in a skate to warm it up, you boil them and it resets them ... those would be portable and easy to carry to the arena, plus being cost effective.

[FigureSpins]

Note to self: check the wheels and frame screws on your skate bag monthly. 

My suitcase/skate bag has three flat wheels because I didn't notice that junk had wrapped around the axels and kept the wheels from turning smoothly.

My DD's overpriced Zuca bag has lost the corner nut/bolt for the third time.  Good thing I have extras; I'm going look into getting the lower front brace replaced since that seems to be out of square now.  Maybe it's the cause, maybe it's a symptom, but it shouldn't be that way.

Zuca recommends checking every fitting monthly because they do loosen up.  If you buy one, save/scan the receipt because they'll replace parts for free if it has a problem in the first year.

[Isk8NYC]

If you don't want to/can't use a dishwasher to clean your skate guards, soap and water with a nail brush works well.  (An old toothbrush or a scrub brush is fine, too.)

Rinse well and let dry thoroughly before using again.

Store your skate guards and drying rag in a separate compartment from your skates.

[Isk8NYC]

Since it's the off-season for some of our members, make sure to store your skates properly when you're off the ice for a while.  A light coating of machine/mineral oil or WD-40 will keep the blades from rusting.  Don't keep your skates in a hot attic or a damp, musty basement.  A better spot is the floor of your closet.

[FigureSpins]

Took an hour today and did some overdue skate maintenance.  I cleaned and polished the uppers, waterproofed the soles and tightened all the screws.

Best of all, I found a scrub brush with l-o-n-g bristles that was perfect for scrubbing out my guards!

[Isk8NYC]

PSA: Don't put Rockerz guards in the dishwasher.  The springs will rust!  You can buy new springs from retailers.

To clean them, I bought a Lysol scrub brush with long bristles, but I still had to trim some of the sides to  make it fit in the channel.  Someone suggested using a brush made for cleaning narrow tubes, like straws and turkey basters.  I tried it today with my turkey baster cleaning brush and it works, but the brush had very-soft bristles, so it took some elbow grease.  If you can find a more-stiff cleaning brush, it works better -- maybe from a dollar store?

ETA: One of the pro shops near me will clean out the channel on your guards with compressed air.  Not as great as a scrubbing, but gets all the loose stuff out before it can become embedded in the plastic.

[Isk8NYC]

This is a reminder to check your blade screws and, if you're still using the temporary-mounting screws, get the permanent screws installed if the alignment is correct.  #askmehowiknow

Admin note: I've restored the monthly reminder for this topic on the skatingforums calendar function for 2021-2022.  Lost track of those calendar entries about a year ago - I wonder why?