How Ice Skates Are Made (maybe)

[AgnesNitt]

An article from madehow.com on the manufacture of skates. I don't know how accurate it is.
http://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Ice-Skates.html

[FigureSpins]

Klingbeil has a video on their site that shows how custom skates are made.  It's a Martha Stewart video from some time ago - Bill Klingbeil appears in it, may he rest in peace.

http://klingbeilskatingboots.com/video.html

(I could be wrong, but I think a young Emily Hughes is one of the skaters shown on the video.)

[Isk8NYC]

Nice article about Harlick and their collection of famous Harlick-wearing skaters
http://www.lifeskate.com/skate/harlicks/

[Query]

If you decide to make your own, some of us would love to hear about your methods and the results.

[Isk8NYC]

Riedell put up a few videos as well:

Riedell Skates Revealed - Part 1: Manufacturing the Finest Figure Skating Boots
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcuYZUQO21U

Riedell Skates Revealed - Part 2: Proper Skate Fitting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WKe1nakjdU

Riedell Skates Revealed - Part 3: Comfort Features to Enhance Performance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3p5btCnAkE

[FigureSpins]

New video from Klingbeil, including the soleplate signature flower.

http://vimeo.com/46451576

(The stream stalls/stutters, so pause it initially to let some video download before you hit "play.")

[Query]

Presumably the manufacturer videos are accurate as far as they go, though I'm sure they keep some trade secrets.

---

The madehow video is a bit dated, and is somewhat generalized. e.g.:

AFAIK, it's been a while since any leather was used in most hockey and speed skates, and high end hockey and speed boots are usually made in in large part out of carbon fiber and plastic (possibly epoxy?) resin.

There was a "How It's Made" TV episode on how hockey boots were made, but in addition to leaving out many details, I'm sure it was specific to one manufacturer, one model line, and to the point of time in which the episode was made. See

http://science.discovery.com/videos/how-its-made-speed-skates.html

Incidentally, they had episodes on roller skates too:

http://science.discovery.com/videos/how-its-made-roller-skates.html
http://science.discovery.com/videos/how-its-made-roller-skate-assembly.html

Speed skates are only "straight" in terms of having no hollow, but long and short track speed skates (the most common) are now laterally curved, and have rocker. I think they no longer have reinforcing tubes. Though I have a 30 or so year old pair that does, and which was not laterally curved. (The claim that they have no rocker is, according to a local former pro shop owner and sharpener who raced nationally, as well as to a local coach who teaches skaters to shape their own, completely untrue, though they have a longer rocker.) I don't have sources of info on the speed skates that were (are?) used on long straight canals - perhaps they were straight?

I'm not sure about outdoor recreational skates, a category the article didn't mention.

Figure skating manufacturers don't build skates the same way as each other - though Don Klingbeil said that one of the others (S P Teri?) was originally trained by the Klingbeils. The statement that figure skates completely cover the ankle is no longer true for many ice dance boots, and the height varies more than indicated.

But all of us who don't take the time to research things completely, but use often sources like the Internet, or just go to one or two expert sources, make mistakes. I admit I do.