jackson freestyles

[jcookie1982]

Are you able to change the blade on Jackson Freestyles down the road, or are the blades bolted down and can't be changed, like the blades on the riedell ribbon series skates?

[dbny]

They have stacked leather soles and the blades are screwed in, so you can change them.

[jcookie1982]

I just got the freestyles I ordered in the mail today, and its really weird because the blades are mounted in with only two screws on each skate, and a bag of screws came in the box. The instructions on the bag said that the blades are mounted straight, and I needed to add the rest of the screws after making adjustments. There aren't even any holes in the bottom of the skate to screw them in. I called the company that i bought them from, and the lady told me that they should be ready to skate on and I should have to add screws, but I know that the blades aren't secure. I just think its odd that they would expect me to drive the screws into the boot myself. For those of you with freestyles, did yours come like this too??

[sue123]

I just got the freestyles I ordered in the mail today, and its really weird because the blades are mounted in with only two screws on each skate, and a bag of screws came in the box. The instructions on the bag said that the blades are mounted straight, and I needed to add the rest of the screws after making adjustments. There aren't even any holes in the bottom of the skate to screw them in. I called the company that i bought them from, and the lady told me that they should be ready to skate on and I should have to add screws, but I know that the blades aren't secure. I just think its odd that they would expect me to drive the screws into the boot myself. For those of you with freestyles, did yours come like this too??

I never had Freestyles, but I had Competitors that came with an Ultima Mirage blade, and it also had a temporary mounting. I don't think it was 2, but it wasn't a lot. You have to make sure the blades are mounted right for your feet, if you pronate, you might need to get the blade shifted a bit. After my coach was satisfied with the mounting, I took the skates to a pro shop and they did it for me. I suspect that that's what the company you ordered them from expect you to do as well.

[dbny]

You have to make sure the blades are mounted right for your feet, if you pronate, you might need to get the blade shifted a bit. After my coach was satisfied with the mounting, I took the skates to a pro shop and they did it for me. I suspect that that's what the company you ordered them from expect you to do as well.

That's it exactly. No use in drilling holes in the wrong places. Two screws will hold long enough for you to see if the mounting is correct for you. I wouldn't jump until the permanent mounting, though.

[Isk8NYC]

I called the company that i bought them from, and the lady told me that they should be ready to skate on and I should have to add screws, but I know that the blades aren't secure. I just think its odd that they would expect me to drive the screws into the boot myself. For those of you with freestyles, did yours come like this too??Most better skates come from the factory with the "temporary" screws in the slotted holes of the blades. Those screws can be loosened to adjust the mounting if the factory setting isn't perfect for the skater. Give them a try and when the settings correct, use an awl to start 2-4 other (round) holes and insert the screws. Leave a couple of holes empty for future use.

As for jumping on the temp screws: no doubles or higher, and I wouldn't try more than a few singles. Waltz jumps, toe loops and half-rotation jumps are fine.

Since I bought them from a physical pro shop, they handled the adjustments and put the permanent screws in for free, as part of their service.

[Skittl1321]

The adding of my permanent mounting screws is one of the more memorial experiences in skating. I asked the skate director if I had to do anything special to mount them, or to really just screw them in. She said she thought I just screwed them in normally, but she had always had someone do that. Ask Sergei, he would know.

Sergei, an old-style russian coach told me the following (imagine a deep accent, which at the time, really made it funny) "You have man?" (I nodded wondering why I couldn't do it myself.) "He has tool, goes wrrrrr, wrrrr (miming a drill.) That's all you need."

So yes, it turns out, all you need to do is just screw them into the heels, no pilot holes needed.

[sunjoy]

As for jumping on the temp screws: no doubles or higher, and I wouldn't try more than a few singles. Waltz jumps, toe loops and half-rotation jumps are fine.If she really has only two screws, rather than every-other hole, that sounds pretty flimsy for any jumping. When one of my heel screws got stripped, the other one would constantly work itself loose, and that's with three tight front screws.

Also, your regular sharpener/pro-shop should be able to put the screws in for you, maybe for a nominal fee.

[Morgail]

Sergei, an old-style russian coach told me the following (imagine a deep accent, which at the time, really made it funny) "You have man?" (I nodded wondering why I couldn't do it myself.) "He has tool, goes wrrrrr, wrrrr (miming a drill.) That's all you need."


hee! :lol: That's so funny, yet embarrassing, as that is exactly what I did.

Just make sure they are mounted in the right place for you, and screw them in yourself (or get someone else who is drill-proficient if you're like me and have never used a drill and are afraid of ruining your horribly expensive skates).

[Isk8NYC]

If she really has only two screws, rather than every-other hole, that sounds pretty flimsy for any jumping. When one of my heel screws got stripped, the other one would constantly work itself loose, and that's with three tight front screws.

Also, your regular sharpener/pro-shop should be able to put the screws in for you, maybe for a nominal fee.I wouldn't use them for more than a few sessions, but the temp screws should be fine for little jumps.My oldest DD is 5'9" and she used the temp screws for the first month of doing flips and loops. They didn't come loose, but as I said, don't let it go on too long. You do want to check the mounting for jumps as well as edges and spins. Sometimes, alignment problems don't become apparent until after you've broken in the skates.

As for not needing pilot holes, if you've ever tried to start a screw by hand in a stacked-leather heel...well, let's just say it'll save your hand some stress, along with your manicure! LOL Seriously, you can get a bad injury if your hand slips while you're installing a screw manually because of the blade's position in relation to the screwdriver. The hard guards block your vision of the holes, so you can't use them.

Didn't think about an electric drill; I guess you'd need an extension bit to fit around the blade. Since I try to avoid power tools, I would (at most) make a pilot hole, start the screw, then use an electric screw gun to finish the job. I'd be afraid of messing up and drilling right through the boot with an electric drill. (Talk about boot damage - SnoSeal isn't going to help that one!)