Author Topic: Old skates  (Read 2156 times)

Leif

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Old skates
« on: November 26, 2018, 09:07:49 pm »
Yesterday at the rink there was a chap putting on old style ice hockey skates, the kind with leather uppers and holders made from metal tubes. :o They must have been 40+ years old. I’ve seen prehistoric skates before, but never on someone’s feet. I would love to skate in a pair, see how skating used to be. They went out of fashion while I was in my teens.

WednesdayMarch

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Re: Old skates
« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2018, 07:31:24 pm »
You can probably pick up a pair on eBay...

My first pair of white boots had absolutely no support at all.  I managed to skate in them back them but...  :o
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

Leif

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Re: Old skates
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2018, 01:29:34 pm »
I'm sure I could pick up a pair but I doubt they'd fit well, as I have no idea how the sizing works. My shoes are size 9, and yet my Bauer ice skates are size 6.5 D on the left foot and 6.75 EE on the right foot.  :o I'm sure sizing would be different for vintage skates.

A chap at the rink noticed I had new skates so while he prodded mine, I had a look at his figures. I was amazed at how floppy they were.

WednesdayMarch

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Re: Old skates
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2018, 08:32:34 pm »
A chap at the rink noticed I had new skates so while he prodded mine, I had a look at his figures. I was amazed at how floppy they were.

Ha!  Mine (Graf Dance) are like rock. Very low cut, but seriously solid.  And I love them.
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

Leif

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Re: Old skates
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2018, 10:34:56 am »
Ha!  Mine (Graf Dance) are like rock. Very low cut, but seriously solid.  And I love them.

I take it the low cut is to allow ankle mobility? Do you heat mould them to your feet? Do they hurt?

Mine are carbon fibre, very very stiff, and moulded to my feet.

WednesdayMarch

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Re: Old skates
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2018, 12:28:30 pm »
Yep.  The low cut at the back means I can also point my feet, as dancers are supposed to do.  I found the lowness all round absolutely terrifying to start with, but now I'm used to them, I don't notice it, apart from the ease of pointing and bending at the ankle and knee.

Comfortable?  Oh, you'd better believe it.  Once I got used to the seriously hard top edge cutting in lower than the place on my leg that was hardened by my previous boots, I have never, ever, ever, in all my born days had skating boots this comfortable.  They are not heat moulded (other than by the heat of my feet in wearing) but I call them "coaching slippers" because they are just so comfortable.  I think the main reason for that is the width.  They are the wide fitting and I've got space to actually wiggle my toes.  I've spent months fussing about them potentially being too big, because I've been used to such a tight fit before, but now I've decided that I bloody love them and I'm not going to worry any more.  I can skate in them and I'm comfortable.  Happy days.
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

Leif

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Re: Old skates
« Reply #6 on: December 14, 2018, 08:04:09 am »
Yep.  The low cut at the back means I can also point my feet, as dancers are supposed to do.  I found the lowness all round absolutely terrifying to start with, but now I'm used to them, I don't notice it, apart from the ease of pointing and bending at the ankle and knee.

Comfortable?  Oh, you'd better believe it.  Once I got used to the seriously hard top edge cutting in lower than the place on my leg that was hardened by my previous boots, I have never, ever, ever, in all my born days had skating boots this comfortable.  They are not heat moulded (other than by the heat of my feet in wearing) but I call them "coaching slippers" because they are just so comfortable.  I think the main reason for that is the width.  They are the wide fitting and I've got space to actually wiggle my toes.  I've spent months fussing about them potentially being too big, because I've been used to such a tight fit before, but now I've decided that I bloody love them and I'm not going to worry any more.  I can skate in them and I'm comfortable.  Happy days.

How did you get such good fitting skates which I assume are off the shelf?

Last night I took out the Bauer Speed Plates (heat mouldable insoles) and used instead the thin 'traditional' insoles which also came with the skates, and the skates fitted like slippers, as you describe. The only issue was slight soreness on the undersides of my feet due to the hard skate base, and the sensation of the rivet heads beneath the hard insoles. I am not sure why the Speed Plates were not so good, maybe a little too thick, so now I'm looking for some foam insoles about 2 mm thick, which provide some softness.

WednesdayMarch

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Re: Old skates
« Reply #7 on: December 14, 2018, 10:43:18 am »
How did you get such good fitting skates which I assume are off the shelf?

I bought them without even trying them on - they were on eBay at £110 so I checked the manufacturer's size chart for measurements and took a leap of faith.  I knew I could send them back if they were completely wrong, so it wasn't much of a risk.  When they arrived, I whipped out the insole to see if it fitted my foot for length and it did.  They were definitely wide enough, too.  Heaven.  I still can't believe my luck at getting such a bargain!  I suspect they didn't fit anyone else, as somebody had written UK2.5 in thick black pen and beige suede boots aren't normally worn by children!
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

Leif

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Re: Old skates
« Reply #8 on: December 14, 2018, 03:16:14 pm »
Blimey. The Gods were definitely on your side.  O0

WednesdayMarch

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Re: Old skates
« Reply #9 on: December 14, 2018, 03:58:51 pm »
Blimey. The Gods were definitely on your side.  O0

Most of them.  My blades were 1/4" too short for the new boots and that matters a lot with dance blades, especially when you have stupidly small feet.  MK Dance are over £300 a pair.  That hurt...
Returned to the ice in Sept 2017 after a major leg injury in 1999. Skating in Jackson Elite Pro & MK Vision Syncro. Still scary after all these years.

Leif

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Re: Old skates
« Reply #10 on: December 18, 2018, 01:06:36 pm »
Most of them.  My blades were 1/4" too short for the new boots and that matters a lot with dance blades, especially when you have stupidly small feet.  MK Dance are over £300 a pair.  That hurt...

In that case you don't want to know how much my boots cost. Blades last 6 months, and cost £100 a pop. Helmet, stick and pads cost ~£1,000.



 

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