How to repair skate? | Golden Skate

How to repair skate?

ausal

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 9, 2009
The lining of my boot has torn. There is a bare spot causing a blister. I would like to patch it myself rather than taking it to a tech. If I take it to a tech I will be skate-less for a week. It looks like I could make a patch out of a gel pad (the type you cushion your ankle bone with) but how would I secure it? Duct tape? Thanks for any advice
 

tstop4me

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 2, 2015
Country
United-States
The lining of my boot has torn. There is a bare spot causing a blister. I would like to patch it myself rather than taking it to a tech. If I take it to a tech I will be skate-less for a week. It looks like I could make a patch out of a gel pad (the type you cushion your ankle bone with) but how would I secure it? Duct tape? Thanks for any advice
The most common gel ankle sleeves (Bunga and Silipos) are infused with mineral oil; therefore, adhesives won't stick well to them. I've tried different liners for DIY orthotics. The best material I've found is Velcro tape. Velcro tape comes in two mating sections: hooks (hard, bristly) and loops (soft, cushiony). Use just the loops portion. Get the genuine Velcro tape; knock-offs tend to be crappy. Depending on the size of the patch and width of the tape, you may need more than one piece of tape side-by-side.

The tape adhesive should be strong enough to last you through at least one session for you to try out. If it works out, how long the adhesive stays depends on the material of the boot lining, the size and shape of the patch, and the placement of the patch. If you find that the tape comes off after only a few sessions, you can use E6000 glue for a strong, durable, pliable bond. Note: E6000 needs a full 72 hrs (3 full days) to reach full strength. The Velcro tape itself is fairly resistant to abrasive wear.
 

NanaPat

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Country
Canada
The lining of my boot has torn. There is a bare spot causing a blister. I would like to patch it myself rather than taking it to a tech. If I take it to a tech I will be skate-less for a week. It looks like I could make a patch out of a gel pad (the type you cushion your ankle bone with) but how would I secure it? Duct tape? Thanks for any advice

I would say absolutely no duct tape. I am currently using it on my foot to treat a wart (hey, Harvard Medical School recommends it) and it tends to slip and/or come off before the recommended week-at-a-time is up. It also leaves a gooey black residue. The residue comes off the foot eventually, but you don't want it in your boot.
 

sandraskates

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 31, 2006
Country
United-States
It would be good to know where the tear in your lining is. Near your little toe? Heel? Inner or outer ankle bone?
 

ausal

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 9, 2009
So the adhesive side holds the gel pad in place and the Velcro loops are flush with your foot? Do you feel them as a rough surface on your foot when you skate?
 

NanaPat

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Country
Canada
So the adhesive side holds the gel pad in place and the Velcro loops are flush with your foot? Do you feel them as a rough surface on your foot when you skate?

I had trouble picturing it at first. I think this is what it is: forget the fact that it's Velcro and is usually used as a fastener. You only use one side of the velcro (so nothing to fasten to), the soft fuzzy side, and it IS the padding. You buy the kind with adhesive on the back. You make a patch to fill the hole in the boot padding and fasten the adhesive side to the boot. The fuzzy side faces your foot.

If you have to buy both "sides" of the Velcro, throw away or find another use for the other part. Some sewing stores sell each side separately by the meter (or yard) off a spool. In that case, just buy the fuzzy side. You can also buy "industrial strength" adhesive-backed velcro at some hardware stores; it tends to be a squarer shape instead of long and skinny.
 

tstop4me

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 2, 2015
Country
United-States
So the adhesive side holds the gel pad in place and the Velcro loops are flush with your foot? Do you feel them as a rough surface on your foot when you skate?

I had trouble picturing it at first. I think this is what it is: forget the fact that it's Velcro and is usually used as a fastener. You only use one side of the velcro (so nothing to fasten to), the soft fuzzy side, and it IS the padding. You buy the kind with adhesive on the back. You make a patch to fill the hole in the boot padding and fasten the adhesive side to the boot. The fuzzy side faces your foot.

If you have to buy both "sides" of the Velcro, throw away or find another use for the other part. Some sewing stores sell each side separately by the meter (or yard) off a spool. In that case, just buy the fuzzy side. You can also buy "industrial strength" adhesive-backed velcro at some hardware stores; it tends to be a squarer shape instead of long and skinny.
Sorry if my first post was not clear. Yes, NanaPat correctly figured out what I meant. Skip the gel pad. Use the loops portion of the Velcro tape as the patch itself. It is soft and cushiony (I use it as the top layer of a DIY orthotic for my skates). I would recommend that you buy the regular strength Velcro tape with sticky back for this purpose (https://www.velcro.com/products/adhesive-backed/); readily available at office supply stores, crafts stores, big box stores, and, of course, Amazon. I have the industrial strength Velcro patches as well: but in addition to higher strength adhesive, the hooks and loops are also higher strength, with the result that the loops of the industrial strength are not as soft and cushiony as the loops of the regular strength (also, the industrial strength adhesive is really strong; not a good choice if you need to play around with different trial patches to see what works; the regular strength adhesive will allow you to peel off trial patches more readily). And as I cautioned before, make sure you get the genuine Velcro branded tape.

As I mentioned above, if the trial Velcro patch works, but the adhesive on the tape doesn't hold up for multiple sessions, you can apply E6000 glue (over the existing adhesive on the tape). But then you should allow 72 hours for full strength bond (you can get by with 48 hours if you're in a real hurry, but I wouldn't cut it any shorter). Also, if one layer of Velcro is not thick enough, you can use E6000 to glue multiple layers together.

Details depend on the specifics of your patch. Experiment with the Velcro tape (shape, size, thickness) by itself to see if it works for you. Assuming it does, then use E6000 if needed.
 
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