# Boots and Blades · Figure Skating Level 1: Beginner

Figure Skating · Level 1: Beginner · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/figure-skating/level-1/boots-and-blades/)

Boots and Blades in Figure Skating (Level 1: Beginner) on Insporta: 40 sourced facts behind 4 tests. Covers: the blade; boot fit; and more.

The parts of a blade, how a boot should fit, choosing and breaking in skates, and caring for blades and boots.

## Test 1: The blade

- Riedell calls the toe pick the rake; knowing where it sits against the ice is a basic skill. (Source: Riedell, Figure Skate Blades 101)
- Sharpening removes steel along the middle of the blade, leaving a hollow with an edge on each side. (Source: Riedell, Figure Skate Blades 101)
- A deeper hollow gives two precise edges; a flatter one leaves the edges less pronounced. (Source: Riedell, Figure Skate Blades 101)
- The blade radius sets how much blade is on the ice: more blade means more speed and less agility, less blade the opposite. (Source: Riedell, Figure Skate Blades 101)
- More blade on the ice means more speed and less agility; less blade on the ice turns more easily but runs slower. (Source: Riedell, Figure Skate Blades 101)
- Heel lift decides the clearance between the toe pick and the ice: a higher lift gives more, a lower lift less. (Source: Riedell, Figure Skate Blades 101)
- The first skates used animal bones as blades; today's blades are steel, or titanium bodies with steel runners. (Source: Riedell, Figure Skate Blades 101)
- Edge bite follows the depth of the groove: a very deep groove bites hardest, a shallow one least. (Source: Riedell, Figure Skate Blades 101)
- The first skates ran on animal bones; blades then became steel, and modern light blades join a titanium body to a steel runner. (Source: Riedell, Figure Skate Blades 101; Riedell, Ice skates FAQ)
- C points at the teeth at the front of the blade, the toe pick or rake. The other marks point at the heel, the curved runner and the mounting plate. (Source: Riedell, Figure Skate Blades 101)

## Test 2: Boot fit

- Each brand sizes its skates its own way, so a trained fitter measures the feet and the skater tries the boots on. (Source: Riedell, Fitting guide)
- The foot should rest flat with the toes just brushing the end, snug at heel, arch and ball, with room to move the toes. (Source: Riedell, Fitting guide)
- Eyelets that close up mean the boot is too wide, too long or both; a wide gap means too narrow, too short or both. (Source: Riedell, Fitting guide)
- Oversized skates do not support the foot and can cause discomfort and injury; buy a pair that fits for the season. (Source: Riedell, Ice skates FAQ)
- Riedell allows at most 3/8 inch of extra length for children and 1/4 inch for adults. (Source: Riedell, Ice skates FAQ)
- The boot should be snug, with firm arch support and the greatest support at the ankle, but loose enough at the top for a finger. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 1.4: Skates)
- Thin hose grips the foot best inside a tight boot and gives better balance; thick socks are bulky and make the foot sweat. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 1.4: Socks)
- Lacing starts at the toe with even tension; a couple of cross twists at the top eyelets hold the heel while the ankle can still bend. (Source: Riedell, Fitting guide)
- The boots are heated, the foot set into the heel cup, the boot laced firmly and the skater stands about ten minutes before re-lacing. (Source: Riedell, Fitting guide)
- In B the eyelets nearly meet, the sign of a boot too wide or too long. C's wide gap means too narrow; A and D lace with an even gap. (Source: Riedell, Fitting guide)

## Test 3: Choosing and breaking in skates

- Break-in ends when the skate has moulded to the foot; it varies by skater, and more skating moulds the boot faster. (Source: Riedell, Fitting guide)
- A tight spot can be pressed or stretched; going up a size to relieve it leaves the rest of the boot too big. (Source: Riedell, Ice skates FAQ)
- Sets pair a boot with a blade matched to its skating level; advanced skaters often choose boot and blade separately. (Source: Riedell, Ice skates FAQ)
- The firmest boots, rated 100, are meant for skaters doing triple and quad jumps; beginners need less support. (Source: Riedell, Ice skates FAQ)
- Microfibre is lighter and needs less maintenance; leather moulds with heat and can be adjusted for trouble spots. (Source: Riedell, Ice skates FAQ)
- The blade should run between the big toe and the second toe at the front and meet the middle of the heel at the back. (Source: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), 1.4: Skates)
- Riedell warns that laces that are too long are a tripping hazard; use the correct length. (Source: Riedell, Fitting guide)
- Riedell rates support in four steps, light, medium, firm and extra firm, matched to the skater's level. (Source: Riedell, Ice skates FAQ)
- Measure first, try on, let the dealer prepare and mould the boots, then skate them in until they form to the foot. (Source: Riedell, Fitting guide)
- In A the heel rests in the heel cup and the toes just touch the front. B leaves a gap behind the heel, C squeezes the toes, D lifts the heel. (Source: Riedell, Fitting guide)

## Test 4: Caring for skates

- Rubber guards belong on the blades as little as possible, just for the walk from the ice to the bench. (Source: Fred Bartick (skate technician), blade care, iCoachSkating)
- Guards hold moisture, dirt and grit, so blades left in them rust and lose their edges. (Source: Fred Bartick (skate technician), blade care, iCoachSkating)
- Soakers are fabric covers, often terry cloth, that soak up moisture and keep blades from knocking into each other in the bag. (Source: Fred Bartick (skate technician), blade care, iCoachSkating)
- At home the soakers come off, the blades dry uncovered for a few hours, and the soakers are turned inside out to dry too. (Source: Fred Bartick (skate technician), blade care, iCoachSkating)
- Blades are dried thoroughly with a blade towel straight after skating, and again at home. (Source: Fred Bartick (skate technician), blade care, iCoachSkating)
- Air dry leather boots after every use; a good polish keeps outside moisture off them. (Source: Riedell, Ice skates FAQ)
- Dirt and grit in the guards wear the edges; clean the guards from time to time with water and a narrow brush. (Source: Fred Bartick (skate technician), blade care, iCoachSkating)
- Dry the blades, use guards only for the short walk, travel in soakers, then let blades and soakers dry uncovered at home. (Source: Fred Bartick (skate technician), blade care, iCoachSkating)
- Steel and fabric both need air: first the bare blades, then the inside-out covers, which return to the blades once dry. (Source: Fred Bartick (skate technician), blade care, iCoachSkating)
- C wears a soaker, the soft cover for the trip home. A bare blade knocks against others, a hard guard traps moisture, a wet blade rusts. (Source: Fred Bartick (skate technician), blade care, iCoachSkating)

Sources: Special Olympics Figure Skating Coaching Guide (2021), Riedell's blade, fitting and care guides, a skate technician's blade-care advice, a rink's session rules and Olympedia; original questions authored, nothing reproduced. Numbered ISU rules belong to the rules categories.

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