7 Easy Steps to Maintain your Ice Skates
- Wear skate guards - Always use hard skate guards suitable for walking in when you leave the ice.
- Use soakers in your bag - Transport your ice skates with soakers (also soft guards and blade covers) to avoid the blades...
- Wipe off the blade right after use - Clean the blade with a dry cloth or an old T-shirt to keep them from...
How do I prevent my ice skates from rusting?
Prevent rust by drying your blades thoroughly after each use with a soft rag or towel. Use cloth blade covers to keep the blades from rusting during storage. Never store ice skates with hard plastic covers over the blades. These guards are designed for walking around the rink, not storage, and will lead to rust if left on wet blades.
How should I store my ice skates?
Never store ice skates with hard plastic covers over the blades. These guards are designed for walking around the rink, not storage, and will lead to rust if left on wet blades. Emily Beach works in the commercial construction industry in Maryland.
Should hockey players use skate blades covers or soakers?
Yet when it comes to skate blade covers (and yes, as far as we’re concerned, guards and soakers are two different items under the umbrella term, “skate covers”), hockey players should probably use both. Quality versions of either can be had for less than $20.
Can You Turn your skates into rollerblades?
Beyond that, animal-head skate blade covers are available — and lest you think the penguins, unicorns and poodles are only for kids’ skates, many will fit adult blades. If you want to take it even further, there is now an option for a hard guard with wheels attached, essentially turning hockey skates into rollerblades.
How do I protect my skates?
Wear blade guards as soon as you leave the ice or rubberized surface to avoid scraping or chipping the top layer of chrome off your blades, leaving the steel underneath vulnerable to corrosion from moisture. When you remove your skates and take off your guards, wipe the blades and mounting surfaces dry.
Should you oil ice skates?
Applying a light coat of oil periodically to the edge of your blades can help maintain the edge and prevent surface rust to the carbon steel. And while you won't have to sharpen or oil your blades each time you skate, there are certain steps you should take to protect your blades every time you come off the ice.
How do I protect my hockey skates?
Store your ice skates without guards - Or use soakers in terrycloth to absorb any excess moisture and keep your blades from rusting. Do not store your ice skates in hard skate guards, which will make the blades rust.
How do you store skates for long periods of time such a seasonal storage?
Store your ice skates in a cardboard box – they're durable, affordable, and won't trap in moisture like plastic bins. Before putting in your skates, wrap the blades in a dry towel to prevent any damage to other things in the box, like extra laces or other ice skates. Once the box is closed, it's ready to store.
How do I keep my ice skates from rusting?
Use blade blankets to protect your blades as they return to room temperature. Make sure both the skate blade and the mounting surfaces are dry. Keeping the mounting area dry prevents screws from rusting and your boot's leather from rotting.
Why tape your ice skates?
It is used to protect the leather from scrapes, scratches and scuff-marks and also to give the skates a remarkably clean, bright look that no polish can match. SK8 TAPE is inconspicuous and is intended for use in both practice and competition.
How long do hockey blades last?
It depends on the blade, the skill level, the skater, etc. Done frequently enough, a blade should last 5 to 8 years for the average recreational skater.
Do I need a skate guard?
If you don't have skate guards and throw your skates in your hockey bag any number of things could hit your blades and damage the edges. Things like your helmet, your cage, your other skate blade, etc. Your unprotected skate blades could also (but not too common) cause a rip in your hockey bag.
Do NHL players wear skate guards?
Approximately 70 percent of NHL players wear Bauer skates. About 8 years ago, they switched to CURV composite material, moving away from the more conventional, leather-type boot. The difference is a stiffer, lighter skate that improves performance.
Can I store my skates with hard guards?
Never store your blades in hard guards when traveling, as they hold moisture and could cause your blades to rust. When transporting your skates to and from the rink, cover your blades with a cloth blade cover or store in a boot bag. When you get home, remove the skates from your bag and allow them to air dry.
How long do ice skates last?
Anywhere from 1 – 20 years. It totally depends on quality of components, upkeep and maintenance, the type of skating you do, and how often you skate. The wheels may be the first to go, but they can be changed. The key is to clean and maintain your bearings, wheels and other parts to help them last.
What do you clean ice skates with?
Clean Your Skates To do this, use a clean microfibre cloth and some warm soapy water to gently wipe over all surfaces of your skate boot and blades. If your boot has laces, you may wish to put these in the washing machine with your usual laundry load to get them back to their optimal condition.
What do you do with new ice skates?
1:037:288 TIPS ON HOW TO BREAK IN NEW FIGURE SKATES - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe first tip that I highly recommend all skaters to do is to massage out your ankles. And the soreMoreThe first tip that I highly recommend all skaters to do is to massage out your ankles. And the sore spots on your feet. When you put on your brand new skates they're going to be pretty snug.
Do you store ice skates in soakers?
Store your ice skates without guards - Or use soakers in terrycloth to absorb any excess moisture and keep your blades from rusting. Do not store your ice skates in hard skate guards, which will make the blades rust.
How do you polish ice skates?
1:477:39How to Re-polish your Figure Skates, Applying Boot Polish TutorialYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo just a little bit of polish. Brush. It on really really fine. And kind of work it back and forth.MoreSo just a little bit of polish. Brush. It on really really fine. And kind of work it back and forth. So you get a smooth finish.
Can I store my skates with hard guards?
Never store your blades in hard guards when traveling, as they hold moisture and could cause your blades to rust. When transporting your skates to and from the rink, cover your blades with a cloth blade cover or store in a boot bag. When you get home, remove the skates from your bag and allow them to air dry.
What to wear when walking on skates?
Even though rinks and arenas are equipped with surfaces meant for walking on with skates you should always wear soakers or guards while walking to protect your edges. Sand, dirt or gravel may wear down on your sharp level edges creating chips in your steel or encourage the dulling of your edges. Unnecessary grinding of your blades to buff out chips or fix uneven edges wears down on the lifetime of your blades. Protect your blades while walking with your skate guard soakers.
Do you need a skate guard in your car?
Whether your skates are in your bag or the trunk of you car - you should always take the extra minute to protect your blades with skate guards. Guards are designed to protect your blades and keep moisture away. If your skates feature removable blades, storing blades in a hard bladecase will protect your edges, protect other items in your bag and it will make them easier to find amongst all your gear.
What happens if you leave moisture on a skateboard blade?
Any leftover moisture or condensation that occurs as the blade warms will be wicked away, keeping the blade dry. If moisture is left on a blade — or worse, trapped against the blade by a skate guard — rusting will likely occur.
What is a skate guard?
Skate guards are typically a hard, slim plastic cover designed to protect the sharp edge of your blades. They’re fine for avoiding nicks from other gear in your equipment bag, protecting your hands while blindly fumbling through your bag and from tearing a hole in the side of your bag. They also have a functional aspect, allowing you to walk freely off ice without ruining your steel.
What is a soaker for skateboards?
Skate soakers are the soft, cloth-lined pouches that fit over skate blades not unlike a shower cap popped over your mom’s bouffant. However, where her shower cap was designed to keep her ’do dry, soakers help your blades become dry. They’re a better option for any use besides walking.
When should you wipe down your skates?
When a game or practice is finished, a player should wipe down his or her blades and boots with a towel. When the blades — mounting hardware as well as the sharp parts — are dry, on go the skate soakers.
Do hockey players use skate soakers?
Not everyone uses hockey skate guards. Not everyone uses skate soakers. Yet when it comes to skate blade covers (and yes, as far as we’re concerned, guards and soakers are two different items under the umbrella term, “skate covers”), hockey players should probably use both.
Can you store skates with hard skate guards?
Never store your skates with hard skate guards on them. That will promote corrosion.
Can you play hockey with dull blades?
Otherwise, you'll quickly find that hockey isn't nearly as much fun with dull, rust y blades.
PSA: Check Your Gear
If you're like me and have been avoiding rinks like the...er..plague, then your gear has likely been fermenting in its bag a while. Get that stuff out and inspect it. Clean what needs cleaning, replace what needs replacing. You don't wanna go into your next skate, open your back and find that your gear has rotted/rusted/broken fittings all over it.
Whats your Craziest Hockey story
I'll go first. Here's a bit of a back story - so this was back in novice advanced or u9 AAA. We had this giant kid on our team, in hindsight he was probably only 5'0" 100 pounds but everyone else was like 4'0 60 pounds and I was only 3'7". So yeah this kid was pretty big compared to everyone else and he had mad anger issues amongst other problems.
How to remove rust from skateboard blades?
Place the skate on its side along a tabletop. The edge of the blade should sit flat against the table. Run a low-grit sanding block along the side of the blade very gently to remove rust. Repeat this process on both sides of each blade.
How to remove rust from skates?
Examine the blades. If the only rust is along the U-shaped groove at the base of the blade, take the skates to your local skate shop for sharpening. Sharpening machines remove this type of rust with ease, while other methods may damage your blades. If you see rust anywhere else along the edges of the blades, skip this step.
How to keep a rusting blade from rusting?
Prevent rust by drying your blades thoroughly after each use with a soft rag or towel. Use cloth blade covers to keep the blades from rusting during storage.
Can you use elbow grease to remove rust from ice skates?
Rusted ice skate blades prevent you from enjoying your time on the ice and may even make it impossible to skate. Poor maintenance and skate storage causes moisture to corrode the metal coating and even the base metal underneath skates. Left untreated, rust continues to damage the blades, forcing you to invest in a new pair. Fortunately, most minor rusting can be removed using elbow grease and a professional skate sharpener.
Can you cross grind skates?
If you cannot remove the rust yourself or the skates seem to be rusted all the way through, a sharpening pro can cross-grind the skates. Cross-grinding should be a last-resort, as it removes a large portion of the blade, which shortens its expected lifespan. In all but the most severe cases, cross-grinding gives your blades a fresh start, as it removes rust, burrs and other signs of damage.
Why do skateboard blades grip the ice better?
The blades will also grip the ice better, which on one hand allows you to accelerate better and gives you more turn control, but on the other reduces your overall maneuverability and ability to stop. If you’ve ever gone “over the top” of your skates, or felt your skates chatter while stopping, your hollows are probably too deep.
What is the radius of a skate blade?
The radius of a skate blade will typically range between 1/4″ to 1¼”. You won’t see anything below 1/4″ for two reasons: anything lower is too sharp for any skater regardless of skill or discipline, and it can damage the grinding wheel used by the sharpener.
What does a shallow hollow blade mean?
In addition, a shallow hollow means there will be less surface area of the blade in contact with the ice. Shallow hollow edges penetrate less into the ice than deep hollow edges will. As a result, the blades ride more on top of the ice and you’ll notice significant more glide. This reduced friction also means you can skate faster and use far less effort to keep your speed up, resulting in fresher legs as the game goes on.
Why do ice blades have a sharper edge?
Because the blades grip the ice more, you can accelerate more quickly and turn much more tightly than you can with a shallow hollow . This depth results in much more pronounced edges along your blades with a “sharper” feel. You can also expect more surface area in contact with the ice as the blade penetrates into the ice more. ...
How to tell the blade radius of a skateboard?
You view the blade radius by looking down the blade from the front or back of the skate. You view the blade profile by looking at the skate sideways. The blade profile affects how much of the length of the blade is in contact with the ice. A larger profile means more of the blade is in contact with the ice, which means more stability and less maneuverability. A smaller profile means the opposite: more agility, but you are likely to get fatigued more quickly.
Can you skate with a smaller radius?
Someone on the lighter side can probably tolerate a deeper hollow with a smaller radius without any major problems. If you are on the heavier side, your skates are liable to grip the ice so well that stopping becomes quite treacherous. Most of the time, smaller radii are recommended for professional figure skaters or ice dancers who need to be able to make tight turns and land with strong grip after performing a jump.
