Ice skate wood rot?

Question

i'm not sure if the wood on the mount of my boot is rotten. how can i tell? and if it is, is it time to get new skates? when a rivet fell out, the wood is pushed up and back.

also why do rivets fall out? how often does is it supposed to happen? and how often should rivets get loose.

i skate once a week for 2-3 hours. have Jackson FS skates.

Thanks

Answer 1

keightelynne is 100% correct with her answer.

Answer 2

The sole of your boot is actually made of compressed leather, not wood.  Crazy how it looks like wood though!  :)  If the leather is rotting, it will get black in color and the inside of your skates will probably stink to high heaven.  I actually had mildew inside of my skates once because of cracked sealant not allowing water to get out so the leather could dry after useage.  Yuck!  It is possible for screws or rivets to fall out.  Many times the screws become stripped and no longer have anything to hang on with.  Maybe take your skates to your skate shop and tell them about the problems you're having.  They may be able to assist you in fixing the problem or at least be able to tell you if the boots are "toast" or not.  Most likely, if the seal is bad or there are problems with the screws, they can sand down the sole, put on new sealant and even plug the holes so that new screws can be used.  You should check your boots/blades frequently to make sure they're in good condition.  Tighten all screws with a screwdriver, put on a new coat of Snow Seal from time to time and ALWAYS pull your skates out of your bag after you're done skating and allow them to dry out at least overnight.  It'll help dry out the soles and prevent stinky skates!  :)

Answer 3

#1 theres no wood in your skates only leather

#2 the leather can get damaged from the water, but jackson skates have a protective seal that no other brands have so yours must be very old

#3 yes i would recommend new skates and be sure to use snow seal on the bottoms about once a month to prevent them from rotting