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How to Care For Figure Skates

by Kate Evelyn

Overview

If you plan to use a pair of figure skates for many years, whether it's to skate for recreation or professionally, you need to invest some effort and time into their care. This is not to say that you have to spend hours on upkeep, just that you need to perform some basic maintenance tasks. They shouldn't take your more than one half hour each week. Make sure to maintain both your boots and their blades. Both are equally important.

Step 1

Get your skates' blades sharpened regularly. You need to do so when you notice your skates sliding after you land your jumps. Each time this happens, write down the date and time. Eventually, you will have a good idea of how long you can wait between sharpening. Go to a professional that knows figure skates. Don't try to do it yourself.
Step 2

Each time you step off the ice, wipe the shaved ice or snow from the rink off with your fingers, being careful not to cut yourself on your blades. Then put guards on your blades. Do not walk around with blades exposed, even for a few minutes.
Step 3

Dry your skates before putting them away using a cotton towel. This will prevent rust from developing on your blades as well as mold or mildew on your boots. For best results, wipe once immediately after you remove your skates and again after 15 minutes. Condensation can form as they warm up to room temperature.
Step 4

Polish your boots with a commercial leather polish every four weeks. This will not only keep them soft and supple but also help to keep them water repellent.
Step 5

Check the screws on the bottom of your boots after every five skating sessions to insure that they are nice and tight. Make them flush with the bottom of your boots, but do not put them in so tight that they dig into the leather.
Step 6

Replace your skate laces each time you notice significant wear. It's perfectly normal for them not to last as long as the leather or the blades, especially if you use the laces as a method to carry your skates. Make sure to get the right length so you can tie your skates tight without too much excess.

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Pen and paper Skate guards Cotton towel Commercial leather polish Screwdriver New laces
Pen and paper
Skate guards
Cotton towel
Commercial leather polish
Screwdriver
New laces
Be especially careful of the toe picks on your blades. Make every effort to protect them off the ice, and vary your stops so you are not putting excess pressure on one area.
Be especially careful of the toe picks on your blades. Make every effort to protect them off the ice, and vary your stops so you are not putting excess pressure on one area.