My skates that I ordered just before HALLOWEEN have just arrived!!!! I tried on the boots today with arch supports insoles and they fit really well. Hooray! New blades are being mounted right now and all should be ready on Friday. They are Jackson Competitors in a size 6D for my duck feet.

The next step is to waterproof my skates. The gal at the shop suggested removing the blades, sno-sealing the leather sole, and then applying caulk where the blades are mounted to prevent any water from getting underneath. I know I'm going to snow seal them (with hubby's help removing/remounting the blades), but is applying caulk necessary?? It looks as if the caulk adds too much bulk between the blade and the sole of the boot. Anyone have any experience with this??

Do I need to remove the blades each time I sno-seal, or just with the initial application?

Thanks for all of your help. The threads on how to apply sno-seal are very helpful!!!

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I posted a page about waterproofing and mounting blades when I got my new Riedells...

http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~schneidw/...ng_blades.html

I use Silicon sealant between blade and boot. It gets mostly squeezed out and doesn't make any difference in blade height. It will fill voids and edge gaps and prevent water from entering, but it's an optional step.

Arguments for using it: It absolutely prevents water from getting under the blade mount where it can't be dried easily. However Sno-Seal will do the same thing if an extra coating is applied around the mounting plate gap and melted into it, but the Silicon sealant will last longer.

Arguments for NOT using Silicon sealant: It's messy. It smells bad when curing.

You're OK without the sealant as long you apply the Sno Seal regularly to the leather to waterproof it.

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Bill Schneider