Fred Bartick, a Minnesota-based (Bloomington, MN) skate technician with over 35 years of experience, continues his discussion of boots and blades with details about how to properly mount blades on the boot. (See Part 1 of the series here and Part 2 of the series here and Part 3 of the series here.)
Fred begins by discussing how to select the correct size blade for a pair of boots. He recommends measuring the bottom of the boots themselves and selecting a blade length that is either at that length or slightly shorter (but not more than a quarter inch shorter). He recommends putting the longest blade possible on skates, especially for young skaters who are still growing and who may be able to transfer the blades to a slightly larger boot in the future. Also, skaters tend to struggle with balance and control if the blades are too short. If a pair of boots has boots of different lengths, selecting the longest possible blade for the shorter boot is usually the best option. Fred also notes that allowing a very small overhang on the heel is OK as a way to maximize blade length.
Due to manufacturing processes and tolerances, there can be issues with how the blade sits on the boot. In some cases, the front and rear soles of the boot may be slightly twisted with respect to each other. Those cases may require some shimming to get the actual blade mounted correctly. Similarly, a boot with an excessive “crown” where there are significant gaps between the blade and the boot when looked at from the side is a problem, and Fred says, “I would maybe recommend not using that boot.” The forces required to lock down a blade on such a boot can cause the boot itself to buckle or pucker and twist or it may even strip out the screws.
In terms of blades, if the front or rear plate (or both) are not welded to the blade at 90 degrees, Fred recommends putting the blade back in the box and sending it back to the manufacturer because it is defective. With modern improvements in the blade manufacturing process, this issue is quite rare nowadays. Similarly, it is also relatively rare to actually break blades (except perhaps with heavy skaters attempting quad jumps!), and the most common break is at a defective weld.
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