Question:

Basic guidelines for skates...?

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I just bought my first pair of figure skates (Riedell Blue Ribbon 121). I also bought soakers and blade guards. I know that you need to put on blade guards when you are walking around the rink area so you don't wear out your blade edges. But I need to know things like how long to keep my soakers on after skating, should I dry my blades with a towel after skating, tips for preventing rusting, what should be over my blades when I put them back in my blade, and any other helpful tips you have to keep my blades looking nice and new.

Thanks! :)

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  1. Coming from a former hockey player,I like to dry the blades with a towel,then spray a very light coat of a moisture displacer commonly called (WD-40) Then put your skate guards on and place them in your bag.However I would'nt keep them in the bag too long in case there is moisture inside.I 've had really good luck with WD-40 though.Good Luck!!


  2. Ah, you got the same first pair of skates as I did!  They lasted me 16 months, skating 3 times a week, so I hope you have good skating in them  :)

    Hard Guards: Wear them whenever you are walking around off ice.  Remember that people in outdoor shoes are walking around inside the rink as well as people on skates, and their shoes bring in all sorts of dirt.  I got gum on my blade once which was pretty disgusting . . .   Hard guards stop all of this when you are walking around, but they are prone to picking up grime - a good tip is to chuck them in the dishwasher every so often, if you have one!  Don't ever leave hard guards on between skates - the water cannot be absorbed through them, or evaporate, and your blades will rust in a flash.

    After skating, I use a chamois leather to wipe my blades as they are very absorbant.  Towels are common as well.  Take some time to wipe the moisture off, but you won't be able to get rid of all the condensation that keeps reforming.  This is where your soakers come in.

    Soakers should be put on your blades as soon as you have wiped them down, and left on there till the next time you skate.  There should no need to take them off, but replace them with new ones when they start getting a bit ragged round the edges.

    When you get home, take your skates out of your bag, and loosen the laces, pulling the tongue forward, to let them air out.   This will help keep your skates a bit fresher as well  :)  

    As the Reidell Blue Ribbons have PVC soles, at this point you don't need to worry about Sno-Sealing the bottoms, but this will be important when you eventually upgrade to boots with leather soles.  The Sno-Seal waterproofs the soles, so water can't get into the s***w holes and rot the leather, which loosens the screws and leads to the blades becoming unstable.

    I think that's about it for the main points of care - enjoy your new skates!

  3. congrats on the new skates :) theyre the same model as mine..

    you are right about the guards, they should be worn whenever walking on something other than ice. just remember to take them off before you step on the ice, otherwise you'll fall right over :P (did that last week...lol)

    the soakers should be put on after you wipe down the blades with a towel after you skate, and should remain on the blades until you need to wear the skates again. remember to wipe the blade down well, especially around the screws..

    the purpose of the soakers is to soak up the moisture which gathers on the blade as its temperature returns to normal once off the ice. they should always be placed on the blades when the skates are being stored.

    NEVER store skates with the hard guards on! they trap grit and grime which will make the blade rust. its a good idea to wash both them and the soakers every now and then to get any built up dirt out.

    after or before skating you could coat the blades with a moisture repelant. definitely ask people at the local pro shop about this as some things arent meant for skating blades and can corrode them. a simple solution is to carefully run your finger down the hollow of the blade - the oil from your skin helps repel the water a little. or wipe the blades with some olive oil  or something similar.

    good luck with your new skates :D remember they will take a while to break in. follow the instruction booklet (im assuming you got one too...) to prevent premature breakdown and ensure a good breaking in.

    Happy Skating!

  4. Only use your plastic guards for walking anywhere other than on the ice to protect your blades.  Never leave them on your blades when storing them because the blades can rust quickly.  When you're done skating, wipe down your blades with a towel and try to absorb any extra moisture you find on your skates.  You can store your skates with the soakers on, but I would still recommend taking your skates out of your bag and taking the soakers off when you get home.  Let your skates air out and dry out at home.  After a little while, put your soakers back on and you can put them back in the bag.  Moisture can not only damage your blades, but it can cause your skates to smell bad and if whatever you used to seal the soles of your boots cracks, the moisture can get in there too, causing all sorts of problems from mildew inside your boots (which stinks too) to rotting of the leather.  

    Although it's almost impossible to skate in your skates and keep your boots and blades in mint condition, there are a few things you can do to try to prevent it or lessen it.  Boot covers are probably the best solution to trying to keep your boots protected.  I've never used skate tape, but I have heard it's not the easiest to deal with, sometimes leaves sticky residue on the boot and, personally, I think it looks silly.  Keeping your blades pristine is hard because we all click our blades together at one point or another....it's unavoidable. :)

    Congrats on the new skates!

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