Difficulty holding outside edge.... any recs?

[yogurtslinger]

Hi all. So, I'm getting new custom Klingbeil skates! Just sent in my order last week :)

Anyway, with previous skates, I had the problem of having very shaky outside edges- they were kind of shallow and just didn't feel very secure. Inside edges were always really easy for me though and it just seemed natural. I'm not sure whether it was a problem with the boot not fitting me properly or the blade or what. Should mention that I'm kind of bow-legged and the pro that fitted me for the boots said I have kind of a low arch.

This is my first pair of custom boots, so that will probably help a lot. But, any recs for what blades I should get? I would be working on single jumps and hopefully some easy double jumps. Also, how does the mounting process usually work? The closest pro shop to me is 2 hrs (by public transportation)... so it's going to be hard if it's mounted improperly and I have to go back and get it remounted, etc.

All ideas/suggestions/advice welcome! Thanks in advance!!

[Skate@Delaware]

When I don't hold my outside edges, it means my blades are dull. I get them sharpened to 1/2" ROH. Usually about every 20 hours or so.

Of course, if you have new boots and blades, that may be a whole 'nother story. Blade alignment is a touchy business and what works for one doesn't work for another.

Blades are NOT lined up with the seam on the toe!!!! That's how mine were mounted (by the idiots in my "pro-shop") and it screwed everything up for months!

I have what is probably the flattest blade on the planet-Coronation Comets. They are nice, and give you great glides, powerful edges and lots of blade for landings. Because they arent' real rocky, you have to work at your spins a bit harder; not an impossible task, though.

If you have a low or no arch, you might want to ask an orthopedist or podiatrist, or the very least a physical therapist who is into sports about orthotics. My daughter has flat feet and has to skate without anything in her boots....weird but true. She also pronates and is waiting to be fitted for a custom orthotic to deal with that (after the competitive season ends).

This may seem like a lot to take in, but we owe it to ourselves to be as knowledgeable about our equipment as possible.

[froggy]

when I began skating I had the issue with holding my outside edge and thus falling into an inside edge, I had the blade with my problem foot remounted and moved more in and it fixed the problem! I have a bit of a low arch, while I wear orthotics in my casual shoes I don't feel it necessary to get one made for my skate boot. However if you do have very low arches/pronated feet an orthotic along with remounting may be the answer, of course dicuss these options with your coach before doing anything.

[Joan]

Your difficulty holding the outside edge could occur if your feet pronate. Orthotics will help this. Another fix, which you can try even if your feet don't pronate, is to have the blade mounted slightly to the inside of the center line down the length of your sole. Since the pro shop is 2 hours away, you might want to ask them to waterproof the soles and mount the blades ONLY in the slotted spaces. You could then move the blades yourself as you try to find the right position and then, once you've found the best position, take them back for final mounting. A caution though, is while you only have screws in the slotted holes, you should not do any jumps.

[mikawendy]

One thing to note is that if you have orthotics for street shoes, such as the kind of orthotics made for dress shoes, it's possible that those same orthotics will NOT work in your skates. Everyone's experience may vary, but I've heard that orthotics for street shoes are mainly designed to stabilize the foot as your foot rolls through it's pattern of walking (front to back). The movement of the foot in skating is different.

[Casey]

The closest pro shop to me is 2 hrs (by public transportation)... so it's going to be hard if it's mounted improperly and I have to go back and get it remounted, etc.
Nevermind what's closest, you're getting expensive boots, no reason to have the wrong person screw them up. Ask around, find good skaters in your area or in nearby towns (maybe using this or other forums) and find out what the most reputable and recommended place is. A nice place will let you go and try them after they're temporarily mounted using only a few screws, then once they feel good, they will complete the job.

[Skate@Delaware]

Once you have your blades mounted (in the holes that are slotted only) try some one-foot glides, with your body erect, shoulder and hips very square, and free foot at the toe or heel of the skating foot. If you curve drastically in one or the other direction, they need to be adjusted more, either in or out (depends on which foot and which direction you curve). As long as they are mounted in the slotted spots, you can play with it a bit until it feels right. Then do some other glides, 3-turns and a spin or two and see how that feels. When it's right and you are straight, put in a screw on either side. Skate some more. When you are sure, put the rest in.

That being said, I skated (jumped and spun) for 4 months with only my temps in :oops: until my group coach yelled at me....and every time I jumped she would say, "Let's see if this is when Terry splats because her blades moved" I put the screws in because I got tired of hearing that.

Hopefully, things will go fine for you and you won't have to make any extra trips to the pro shop. We are in the same predicament here-a decent pro shop is about a 2 hour drive and then we areen't guarenteed that the good guy is going to be there (I gotta find out his name so I can call first). Good luck!

[Debbie S]

The problem you are having is a blade-mounting problem, not boot-fitting problem. Try to get your blades mounted at a pro shop at a rink, where you can skate in them and go back to the shop for adjustments. Unless you are very skilled, I would not try to mount or move the blades yourself. You really need a drill, and whatever material is used to plug holes in the sole after your blades are moved to new holes.

Sometimes coaches do this, so if one of the coaches at your rink can move blades, you can have them do it if you have problems down the line. Otherwise, you should go to a pro shop. Your new skates are too expensive to risk damaging them in order to save a trip.

When you get the blades mounted, you might want to take your current skates with you and explain your problems so that the person doing the mounting can get an idea of where to place the blades.

I have the same problem as you and I've had each blade moved to the "inside" of its original placement several times. When I get my new skates - Klingbeils, too! - I'm going to go to the person who mounted my current blades, even though it means about a 2 hour drive - he's moved his shop since I got my current skates but at least his new shop is in a rink. And I'm going to take my current skates and show him the mounting that finally worked.

[crayonskater]

How long have you been skating?

If you're new, it might not even be the blades, but a failure to get your weight 'up' over your blade. If your weight is square, you'll naturally fall to an inside edge. Especially if you have a low arch.

My coach tells me to think of pulling my free leg hip up; basically it's a weight shift onto your skating foot, but one that comes up and over with your abs tucked in rather than leaning to the side.

Skate @ Delaware: My feet are flat too, and they HURT with orthotics of any kind; I think skating motion is different enough that it helps to let the foot go where it will.

[Skate@Delaware]

Skate @ Delaware: My feet are flat too, and they HURT with orthotics of any kind; I think skating motion is different enough that it helps to let the foot go where it will.
It's really weird--my feet have very high arches and I have to have support or they kill me!

Guess she gets her feet from her daddy......

It is funny-when we fit her for boots, we do have to mention to the fitter that she removes any insole! They don't believe us until we remove her "cardboard" insole! We put it in to protect her stockings fromthe nailheads.