How to take care of skates?

[Query]

So, Bill_S, do you recommend/use Sno-Seal on the rest of the sole, or something else?

[Bill_S]

I don't offer recommendations because I haven't done comparison testing. I might try to do that sometime with strips of leather in a controlled experiment. It takes experimental evidence to be able to go beyond conjecture, although informed opinions that weigh related facts are often on-the-mark.

FWIW, I do use Sno Seal. There's a long history of it working just fine, with the caveat that it needs to be refreshed occasionally. I do add the silicon sealant under the mounting pad for reasons mentioned in a post above. I have never had a screw come loose, nor any leather rot -- even with skates used 12 hours per week for 5 years. The methods that I use outlast the skates themselves, and that's all I can ask.

[isakswings]

What is a good tip for remembering to take hard guards off after a competition? In 2 years of competing, we have NEVER forgotten to take J's hard guards off her skates until her last competition. We are usually quite diligent about caring for her boots and blades. However, that time, we forgot to take the guards off and put them in her bag! OOPS! I did not realize the error until the next day. By then, there was a small amount of surface rust on her 2 month old blades! It came off but I definately do not want that to happen again, so any tips for competitions? Usually, we dry the blades and put her soakers on right away. That time however, she was watching a friend compete after she competed and we forgot to properly dry her blades.

Thanks!

[Isk8NYC]

I wouldn't obsess about one mixup, to be frank.  It was just a mistake that didn't really do any harm.  The blades had probably dried by the time you put them in the bag.  I think watching the friend skate was a more important lesson in sportsmanship than the one you learned about skate care, lol.

To answer your question: Have HER put the soakers inside her shoes/sneakers when she puts on the skates.  That way she can't put on her shoes/sneakers without pulling out the soakers, which will be a reminder to dry the skates and put them away properly.

[Query]

The strange thing is that while I've met or corresponded with a lot of people who have had problems with rotting and significant rust on the blade, I never have - and there have been times when I didn't wipe mine dry, but just let them air dry, and a few times I left boots in the car, and I haven't been consistent about using wax (I think leather conditioning oil works almost as well).

My current skates (which were way over my level) have seen a few thousand hours on ice over about 11 or 12 years. I've used some blades for a few years at a time.

I had a little rust form on non-stainless steel screws - I replaced them with stainless screws.

I have a theory about this: If you have good quality equipment, you won't have major problems with rot or rust unless you do something extreme, like keeping the skates in a trunk, hot car, bag or box, leave the plastic guards on for more than a few minutes, or you store them somewhere that stays humid all the time.

Yet, in theory it makes sense to use Soakers or equivalent breathable guards, dry the blades and screws and coat the blades and screws with a layer of oil after every skate, especially if you won't skate for more than a day, apply a wax to the outsoles, keep the skates in the open indoors or inside a breathable mesh container (a $0.99 supermarket mesh bag is probably better than a relatively unbreathable $140 Zucca bag), and don't leave them in the car any time you don't have to.

For some people, this stuff is too expensive to be careless. I mostly do these things now, though with my current stainless steel blades, I don't use oil if I am going to skate within a few days.

P.S. - I just fixed my wording. I'm sorry if anyone thought "in the open" meant outdoors.

If you use oil, make sure it is a very thin layer, so you don't mess up the ice.

[blue111moon]

I don't obsess at all.    I just make sure to wipe the blades DRY after each session.  Not just a quick wipe - I rub the blades dry with a cotton towel.  Then the soakers go on, the skates go in my bag (a cheap rolly suitcase), the bag gets zipped and dumped in the trunk of my car.  The only times I bring the bag in is when the weather outside stays cold.  Even then I don't open the bag between sessions.  During the summer when my feet get sweatier than normal, I spray a little of the Dr. Scholl's Foot Spray into the boots once or twice so they don't smell.

I don't use oil or wax - once in a very great while, I'll take a piece of wax paper from the kitchen and rub the blades because it gives me a little more glide (learned that trick doing figures).

My boots last an average of 10 years (skating 2 - 3 times a week) so I'm not hard on them at all.  And I've only had one pair that had soles that rotted out in lest than 3;  Riedell rebuilt them for free, saying that the leather was probably "bad."  An old friend started me using Jubilee Kitchen Wax to clean scuffmarks and dirt off the uppers instead of polishing over them.  Someone told me once that the alcohol in polish isn't good for the leather.  Don't know if that's true or not but the Jubilee generally cleans them enough so that they don't need polish anyway.

That's just about it as far as care goes for me. 

[isakswings]

I wouldn't obsess about one mixup, to be frank.  It was just a mistake that didn't really do any harm.  The blades had probably dried by the time you put them in the bag.  I think watching the friend skate was a more important lesson in sportsmanship than the one you learned about skate care, lol.

To answer your question: Have HER put the soakers inside her shoes/sneakers when she puts on the skates.  That way she can't put on her shoes/sneakers without pulling out the soakers, which will be a reminder to dry the skates and put them away properly.

Thanks and yes, it was important for her to watch the friend skate. We stay and watch a lot of her friends. We enjoy it! It is so much fun to watch the other kids skate. We've been known to stay at a comp just to watch the other kids skate. We just forgot to take off the hard guards since we were in a hurry to leave once the friend was done skating. Love the tip about the soakers.

Angie

[FigureSpins]

Harlick has some great skate-care tips (even how to care for suede boots) on their FAQ page:

http://www.harlick.com/order/faq.php

I especially like these answers:

What is the proper way to break-in my new boots?

Why do I fall to an inside edge all the time? (featuring article by Dr Mike Selsner)
How do I care for my boots?
Why do my tongues twist?
How do I clean suede leather?

[kiwiskater]

Anyone got any tips on caring for gouges in the leather...some darlings (e.g. my brother) got too close during some lessons and I have gouges in the leather where their blade has run over my boot, I also got some from the pro shop when the took my boot for stretching (grr)

[sk8Joyful]

Harlick has some great skate-care tips on their FAQ page:

wow - these 2 challenges, are experienced by other skaters too? - THANKS for these helpful! explanations.

[Isk8NYC]

Anyone got any tips on caring for gouges in the leather...some darlings (e.g. my brother) got too close during some lessons and I have gouges in the leather where their blade has run over my boot, I also got some from the pro shop when the took my boot for stretching (grr)

Taping your skates helps prevent them.  However, once they're there, there isn't much you can do.  I've had good luck at disguising the cuts with superglue and a matching white paint pen.  Actual deep gouges and dents aren't easy to get out.

I wonder if a little heat and moisture might help plump up a gouge?

[kiwiskater]

bummer! I'm not sure we even get skate tape here... skating is such a minor sport here!

[Isk8NYC]

Look for white vinyl adhesive tape at the hardware store, but change it often so it doesn't yellow or fade your skates.

[Kim to the Max]

Anyone got any tips on caring for gouges in the leather...some darlings (e.g. my brother) got too close during some lessons and I have gouges in the leather where their blade has run over my boot, I also got some from the pro shop when the took my boot for stretching (grr)

Those are badges of honor! Don't cover them!!

But if you must, I agree with Isk8NYC...Skate Tape is the way to go...or white vinyl tape...

[kiwiskater]

Those are badges of honor! Don't cover them!!

LOL thanks!

[Isk8NYC]

Those are badges of honor! Don't cover them!!

If YOU sliced your boot doing something, it would be a badge of honor.  When someone else does it by accident, not an impressive "war story."  (OKay, well a pairs/dance partner is a different story, if you were skating at the time.)

[Kim to the Max]

If YOU sliced your boot doing something, it would be a badge of honor.  When someone else does it by accident, not an impressive "war story."  (OKay, well a pairs/dance partner is a different story, if you were skating at the time.)

Lol true I have tons of dings and slices from coaching learn to skate...not impressive, but personally, I like the look of beat up skates more than I like shiny new ones...it's a personal thing

[Query]

Boot covers!

[Kat]

All the scuffs and marks on MY skates, I'm pretty sure, are from clunking around together in my skate bag, not from skating!

[Isk8NYC]

If you have Riedells with PVC soles, the color rubs off on the boot and it's almost impossible to remove the scuffs unless you get to them right away.

[FigureSpins]

Just a shout out to Bill_S for his wonderful "How to mount blades" page on his website.
http://www.afterness.com/skating/mounting_blades.html

I had my blades pull loose yesterday, so I stopped at the Home Depot on the way home.

I pulled up his webpage (on my phone) for reference and successfully purchaed #6 stainless steel screws in 1/2" and 3/4" lengths.  (Half were flat head for the round holes, half were round head for slotted holes.)

I swapped the screws this morning; had to plug a few holes because they had gotten too big.  I stripped the head of one of the heel screws, but managed to back it out with a pair of pliers.  Used a new screw and it was fine.  It was nice to skate on blades that didn't move as I stroked or glided on an edge.  Felt much more secure, wonder why?  (LOL)

We have a pill box we won in a raffle and never used, so I think I'm going to put the extra screws in there so I can tell them apart from the non-stainless steel screws.

Thanks for the assistance and information, Bill!

[AgnesNitt]

There have been discussions on the original board about what radius of Hollow is. Here's a hockey page that does a good job explaining it.

http://www.redi-edgeice.com/skate-sharpening-tips.aspx

[Robin]

Here's a trick to keep blades in good shape (and not worry so much about soakers!): after skating, run your blades under hot water and wipe them off. This heats up the blade and prevents water in the air from condensing on them. This is especially helpful in humid weather. Works like a charm.

[Isk8NYC]

This topic has links to heat-molding advice:
http://skatingforums.com/index.php/topic,3532.0.html

[treesprite]

Note about heat guns. There are two kinds of heat guns, those sold as hardware and those sold as craft tools. Hardware heat guns get extremely hot - I have used them for bending schedule 40 PVC pipes, and believe me, you do not ever want to get one near your skates! The craft ones do not get that hot, but get hotter than a hair drier - those are the ones I've heard of people using for spot heat molding of skates.