Different Ice Skate Maintenance Routine for Different Purposes

Any sports equipment that is in regular use needs proper care in the long run. Just by putting it to use, you are fulfilling 50% of the maintenance requirement. That way, your equipment is getting worn out by use and is not rusting because of lack of use. Yet, the rest 50% is what is more difficult. Ice skates are used predominantly by two kinds of people. One is ice hockey players and other is figure skaters. Though most of the maintenance routine would be same, there are certain regimes that are followed by either of them for very specific purpose.

Ice skates used for hockey and figure skating are different and thus require slightly different maintenance. The blades of figure skating are wide and allow more curvature. The boots are made of softer material and can cause serious injuries if used in hockey.

General maintenance Ice is water and water can cause rusting of the metal if the metal blades are not dried properly after each skating session. The drying should be thorough with a cotton cloth and let to air dry for complete evaporation of traces of water. The boots too have to be protected from the water and are usually covered with bee wax to repel water. After use, let the inside of the boots dry as well. The blades are important part of the Ice skates. They have to be protected while using on a non ice surface. Guards made of wood or other non reactive materials are used to cover the blades when walking on hard concrete or other surfaces. Also, you should make sure you tie the laces properly. A very minor thing, but it can cause you to have a real bad fall and even break your ankles.

Sharpening the skates They are supposed to be sharpened after every 20 – 25 hours of use. The sharpening is where the trick to specific maintenance lies. For side to side movement, the skates should be much blunt so that there is less friction. This is perfect for goaltenders’ skates that have more of sideways movement.

For defense players, they have to have sharp edges to make quick turns effortlessly, as opposed to the goaltenders. At the same, to glide along, shallow cuts are best. Buy your skates; be it ice or inline skates, with care depending on the purpose and take care of them in right way

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