Skates are not made to last these days. Period. You purchase a new skate in hopes that it will feel somewhat like your old one, but this is rarely the case. In some cases, you have to put them in an oven before you are even able to tell how they feel. But the very process of heat fitting can be the culprit of separated soles, in addition to premature break down, if not heated properly.
The other culprit is moisture. Often, young hockey players are gearing up for the next game as soon as the last one has finished, leaving little drying time between ice times. Eventually, (and it doesn’t take long) your skates will break down.
Also, you are up against an industry that wants you to take the easy road and purchase a brand new pair of skates.
So what happens when you have loose soles?
- Your skating is heavily impacted.
- Your blade and holder begin to bend and possibly break.
- Ruining the foundation needed to have a proper fit and effective skate on the ice.
You need a solid foundation and the best solution is preventative care, not a brand new skate. And it’s not as hard as it may seem.
We suggest buying your skate to fit properly as an ill-fitting skate will fall apart more quickly than one that fits well. Also, be sure to keep them dry. Simply drying your skates every time you wear them will already better ensure a longer lasting skate.
But, if you have delaminated soles, what can you do? Well, we often run across skates with soles that are separated from the boot, and even in these cases, the problem is repairable in most models. Again, not something the industry wants you to debunk.
This process takes a few days. It is most important that you remove your foot bed and let your skate air out before bringing them in for a repair.
When the skate is dry, we do the following to ensure you salvage that solid foundation:
- Remove the housing and blade from the skate.
- The outsole is removed, cleaned, and sanded; the same is done to the bottom insole of the skate.
- The skate and outsole are coated with glue, and placed in a press overnight so that the glue cures.
Once our checklist is complete, we make sure there is a strong bond between the two soles. We also make sure to clean any over lapping glue and remount (rivet) the blade and holder back on to the boot.
This process produces excellent results and the skate is good as new.
Remember that today’s manufacturing process bets that you are not going to take care of your equipment. They further bet that this problem might not be repairable. Good for them – not so good for you. We’ll also let you in on a little secret: there is no substantial warranty for this problem. When you figure out that you have it, the warranty is over.
So search us out. Our shop is very observant and we will be sure to properly advise you on whatever you need to keep your skates working and effective without causing you to break the bank or frivolously spend. That is the purpose of a good service shop. And that’s what we guarantee.
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