Equipment

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Required Safety Equipment

Skates (Rentals included with membership)
Helmet: Speed skating helmet, ski/snowboard helmet, or CSA approved hockey helmet may be used. Only a speed skating helmet can be used for sanctioned meets.
Bib style neckguard
Cut-resistant gloves
Knee pads
Shin guards
Safety eye wear (to ANSI Z87), strap for racing
Ankle protection - cut resistant (inside suit, socks or anklets)

Skate Sharpening

Place skates in jig with inner sides facing each other. Using the stone as a guide make absolutely sure the skates are flat in jig. Check that the adjustment screws are NOT touching the frame. Finger tighten the blade holding clamps.
With the jig facing you use the rough side of stone and go back and forth alternating left to right as you move stone. This creates a cross cut on the blade. Do 10 motions one way then 10 the other. Flip jig around and repeat.

Repeat step 2 until you achieve a burr (mushrooming) over the side of blade. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT that you have a burr over the entire length of blade on both sides of blade. Repeat step 2 until you have a burr. Check using your finger nail.
While keeping blades in jig remove burr using the small deburring stone. Run the deburring stone from back to front on both sides of blade until you no longer feel a burr.

Skate Sharpening

Repeat step 2 until you achieve a burr (mushrooming) over the side of blade. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT that you have a burr over the entire length of blade on both sides of blade. Repeat step 2 until you have a burr. Check using your finger nail.
While keeping blades in jig remove burr using the small deburring stone. Run the deburring stone from back to front on both sides of blade until you no longer feel a burr.

Skate Maintenance

Clean skates after each use by wiping with dry cloth and wrapping in Terry Cloth type of material to protect the blade edges. The skate guards that are provided by the club as part of the rental are to be used when you are walking from the dressing room to the ice surface and return to the dressing room. The skate blades should be covered with the skate booty or similar type of material for 24 hours until the moisture is drawn out of the skate blade. DO NOT STORE THE SKATES IN THE GAURDS. IF you keep the plastic skate guards on the blades while they are damp, rust will form and damage the skate blade edges.
Keep skates sharp. Get your skates sharpened regularly (at least once/month). This must be done by hand using club equipment. Ask your coach how to get this done. Club equipment is also available for loan, so you can learn to do it yourself too. See the Skate Sharpening page for the technique.
If you find that the skates are very uncomfortable then consider heat molding the boots to your feet
Checking skate hardware: Before you put on your skates check that all nuts and bolts are tight and that there are no visible signs of deterioration.
Short track blades are intended for use only on indoor short tracks at practice and sanctioned competitions. Any damage to club blades when used on outdoor natural ice will be the financial responsibility of the skater.
Generally, please look after your skates. These skates are expensive. Treat them like they are your own.

Heat Molding Boots

If you find that the skates are very uncomfortable (think blisters, or sore spots!) then consider heat molding the boot to your feet (or ask your coach to size your feet again!). The heat molding is done at home with your oven.

Warnings:

Do not skate on the boots within 24 hours of moulding.
Close all Velcro to help protect it from heat. (At SLSSC we are seeing some damage to velcro, and ZT sports believes heat moulding could be the culprit.)
Put the blades back on prior to putting warm boots on your feet. The blade helps the relationship between the front bolt and the back bolt to remain true. A soft boot can twist, and warp – the blade acts to keep the boot true.
Do not walk or stand in the warm boot (with or without blades). This collapses the area that the nut has to slide in and mades blade installation and maintenance difficult.

You will need:

Wrench (likley 10 mm, or 5 mm Allen key) to remove and attach blades.
A gold or silver sharping helps you mark the position of the blades prior to removal. Mark Left versus Right blade, and position of offset. For CBC or Maple boots, you also need to mark position forward and back on the boot.
An hour of your time.
A chair that allows the skater to sit with ankles in basic position (a dining chair is often great, a couch is too low and doesn’t let the blade slide under for correct ankle position.)

Please take care to follow the instructions carefully, as mishandling of the skates during this process can result in damage or reduced boot support for skaters in the years to come.

Preheat your oven to 160 degrees F
Put on thin/normal socks.
Mark your blades with left and right (sharpie), front and back.
Mark the setup of the blades on the underside of the boots (silver sharpie). Note that the blades can be adjusted side to side, and in some cases, front to back, so make adequate marks.
Remove the blades from the skate (two bolts that hold the blade supports onto the boot). The aforementioned marking of the blades will allow you to replace them in the same place after the heating process.
Loosen laces but close all velcro to protect it. Do not let anything dangle in the oven.
Place both skates in the oven on a pan or a rag to prevent damage from grill. Make sure the skates are centered in the oven and will not be damaged from flame or burner (including those laces and velcro straps).

Heat the skates for 10 min, then flip them over. Twenty (20 )min is recommended, but check them frequently in case oven temperatures vary.
When 20 min are up, turn the oven off and remove one skate. Attach boot to the blade carefully. Do not over tighten or worry about perfect centering at this point, we just want the cup to support the boot in the attachment area. Overtightening will collapse the space that the nut has to slide inside of, just use the blade to help true up the boot bolting zones to each other.
Sit in a chair when putting on skate, and do NOT walk on the warm skates. The chair should have room to tuck the blades underneath and be high enough to allow the ankles to be bent. A low couch is generally not suitable.
While inserting your foot into the boot, ensure that you hold the top of the boot around the achilles area to prevent compressing the back of the skate. Lace up to a normal tightness, do not overtighten, eyelets may be weakened. There should be no need to attach velcro or buckles at this point, so avoid pulling on them.

Sitting in a chair you will push your knee over your toes and align the centre of your knee over your 2nd toe. Keeping the boot square is very important during the molding process (do not let ankle fall inward). This achieves molding in the skating position.
Once one foot is laced, go ahead and put on the other skate.
Along with the critical knee over skate angle, it is important for the skater to go through the full range of motion. Remaining seated in the chair you will slide your foot forward putting you in a extension position.The motion should not be held and should be repeated every 5 minutes. Allwoing for the extended position while molding will greatly improve comfort when standing up, as well as improve performance for stretching at the line. After the extended position is acheived, return the foot to the previous knee over skate position.
Skates should take 20 min to cool. When taking them off, take care to unlace fully, so that you don’t compromise the boot if it is still a bit warm.

EQUIPMENT

Required Safety Equipment

Skate Sharpening

Skate Sharpening

Skate Maintenance

Heat Molding Boots

Warnings:

You will need:

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