Graf attack holder?

[CathyGo 15]

Only the third time I went to skate with my new G5035's the blade fell out while I was lacing up for lessons. Somehow the brass colored part of the screw had completely fallen off. I took it back to the place that I bought them from and they "fixed" it. They put the wrong size screw in there. I took it back to them again asking them to fix it right this time and they put the proper screw into it. But now it doesn't stay tight. I tightened it in the car and it fell out again while lacing up. I took it back to them seeking a more permanent solution. They showed me that the screw had gouged out plastic and there was no way that it was going to hold tight. They are going to warranty it through Graf. I'll be getting a new pair of skates.

I see plenty of comments abut the Cobra holders but are these Attack holders something that needs to be replaced too? I'm a beginner. If I lose a blade on the ice I'm going down hard.

On the up side I'm finally able to get through most of a lesson without my feet killing me.

[mickz 107]

Sounds like the screw was over-tightened if it managed to gouge the plastic holder.

[jimmy 194]

Nothing wrong with the Attack holders. On Grafs and bauers if the screws are tightened too much they can sink into/crush the plastic, pretty common mistake by those who are unaware this can happen. You really didn't need a new pair of skates, they could have replaced that holder for you if they had them in stock.

[CathyGo 15]

Personally I think they damaged them the first time they "fixed" them. The guy took a long time doing it and had also put some reddish goop(not a glue or anything) in there. I would have actually preferred to just get a new holder but since they are using the warranty they have to send the whole skate back. It will be on them if Graf refuses to cover it due to damage they caused but with it completely falling out the third time I put the skates on it's possible it was defective straight out of the box. Not molded quite right or something.

[jimmy 194]

If they were just loose the first time (which is common with new skates) all they needed was a little tightening. Sounds like they messed them up big time?

[Davetronz 109]

"Reddish goop" was likely a thread locker.

But as stated, if the holder has been pooched by over-tightening in the first place, there isn't anything they could have done to fix it other than replace the holder.

[jimmy 194]

On most new skates the nuts are not tightened enough at the factory so usually they just need to be snugged up. I can't even envision what that shop was trying to do.

[jsykes 35]

As a note, there was an issue on some of the early shipped Attack holders. I've had issues with these from my first booking order of skates using these holders. The "lollipop" that holds the steel in was not sized correctly and they would not tighten properly and when you tried to tighten them more, it would often spin inside the holder making tightening them impossible.

Also, we found the brass screw/nut on some of them to be too long, so the threads would bottom out before they tightened down correclyt. We've done a very high number of repairs on these to make them work.

For some time, I was told by Graf we were the only ones having this issue, well finally a week or so ago, when I told them I would not be buying any more of them because had to fix almost 1 in 3 of them sold, they said there were issues with the early models and got the wrong hardware and they would send me out all new hardware to fix all I still had on the shelves and more to fix those that came in for repair.

So it sounds like you may have had one of these early ones and it sounds like they're going to get you a new skate so you should have the new hardware and hopefully will be good to go.

However, check the tightness from the start and you may have to check them for a few weeks. We've also seen them need to "settle in" for lack of a better word, where they do loosen up every skate or so for a few weeks when new, then finally stay put.

[mojo122 529]

So early release equated to zero quality control.

[laserrobottime 148]

So early release equated to zero quality control.

That's Graf in a nutshell...

[jimmy 194]

So early release equated to zero quality control.

Kind of like the One90 clear-blue holder, huh?

I've been selling the Grafs with the Attacks since they first came out, haven't had one problem with any of the holders or screws, so this is the first I've heard of any problem.

[CathyGo 15]

As a note, there was an issue on some of the early shipped Attack holders. I've had issues with these from my first booking order of skates using these holders. The "lollipop" that holds the steel in was not sized correctly and they would not tighten properly and when you tried to tighten them more, it would often spin inside the holder making tightening them impossible.

That spinning is exactly what they said they thought had happened. They called me back today to tell me that I would just be getting a new holder. That's perfect because I really didn't want to have to break in new boots. I'm probably SOL for lessons on Saturday but they estimated about 30 minutes to swap them out once they get the holder in.

It was suggested that I put nail polish on the screw to keep it from loosening.

[jsykes 35]

Kind of like the One90 clear-blue holder, huh?

I've been selling the Grafs with the Attacks since they first came out, haven't had one problem with any of the holders or screws, so this is the first I've heard of any problem.

What I was finally told, was there were some "batches" that got out early on. I dont know, but ever since it came out, we've had an abnormally high number (compared to other skates) that we've had to fix the hardware on these Attack holders. The Cobras have been no problem. Graf have been one of better selling skates over the years, second only to Bauer, so we have a lot of them out there and we've had to fix many of them.

Last week I had a kid come in the shop, she had gone to kick her heel back into to the boot to lace them up and when she did the steel went flying across the locker room. Sure enough, the hardware was still in the holder, the "lollipop" had somehow just popped out of the steel. When I tried to use the same hardware, it would just spin in the holder. I put in different hardware and solved the issue.

We do probably one repair like this ever two weeks or so.

[CathyGo 15]

Ick. I'll give the new one a chance but any kind of problem and I'm switching holders. So how do I find out what holders fit my boot? It's a size 5.5 so in junior still.

I'm not even a skilled enough skater to play hockey yet so I don't need top of the line. I just don't want to have to worry about my blades coming out.

[mickz 107]

Ick. I'll give the new one a chance but any kind of problem and I'm switching holders. So how do I find out what holders fit my boot? It's a size 5.5 so in junior still.

I'm not even a skilled enough skater to play hockey yet so I don't need top of the line. I just don't want to have to worry about my blades coming out.

Your size 5.5 Graf should have a 254mm holder.

[CathyGo 15]

I finally got my new holder today. The suggestion from the Graf rep was to hold onto the outside of the holder where the plastic tries to stretch with pliers if I ever need to mess with the screw. He said it should reduce the chance of it managing to gouge into the holder. Shouldn't have to do that but whatever. If it keeps the skates usable I'm good with it.

[Davetronz 109]

When tightening the bolt on graf holders, I've always put the plastic of the holder where the round part of the screw attaches into the notch of the blade into a bench vice.

By providing slight compression of this area, it prevents the round part of the screw from rotating in the holder/notch and allows you to snug things up better without stripping stuff. Just be careful not to over compress the plastic of the holder.

[CathyGo 15]

Your size 5.5 Graf should have a 254mm holder.

So any brand is okay? Would a Tuuk holder work?

I noticed the blade clicking on my way to the ice and sure enough it was loose again. I can't afford new holders right now but I'm not staying with these. I love the boot but these holders are a POS.

[CathyGo 15]

Tightened carefully and cautiously before going out on the ice. *click click* when I went to loosen the laces after skating about 15 minutes. Pulled on the steel and it came right out. I'm going back in to the store to see what they can do. I think I will end up talking to Graf directly. It's not the LHS fault that the holder is a POS and I do not want to swap this one out again for the same holder. I can afford new holders($40) but it's the $50 for new runners on top of that that I just can't cover right now.

[CathyGo 15]

If anybody is interested I got accepted to a school in Missouri and was so frustrated with the whole situation that I threw the skates into storage along with all my stuff once my lesson session had ended. I got back to Arizona earlier this month. I pulled my skates out of storage and called Graf today. They asked me to send them an e-mail outlining all the information about my skates and everything that had happened with them and assured me that they would try to make it right. Here's hoping they fix or replace my skates. I'm still poor as hell but my local rink allows veterans to skate for free so if they can fix my skates I'll be a very happy skater.

[CathyGo 15]

I requested not to go back to the Scottsdale location of the place I bought the skates from because they didn't really go a good job of putting the new holder on. The rivets aren't mashed down real well and one of the rivets either fell out or was never put on and the hole is misaligned. The response I got was that I could take my skates to the Chandler location and "They can look your skates over and open up a warranty claim through us if they see fit." I actually got them to snug down pretty good last night so I'm going to skate tonight and see what happens.

[CathyGo 15]

It's loose enough to click when I walk around and the blade moves up and down in the holder with moderate force after 30 minutes of light skating. Screw has loosened and it's clear that the whole thing would have just gotten looser as I skated. Will run it by the guy at the Chandler location and see what he thinks about either sending it back to Graf or just putting some sort of glue down there. I'm just a rec skater. Can't imagine I'll wear down my steel all that quickly so if I turn it into non-removable runners so be it.

[Vet88 673]

Blue loctite or similar is the answer, that should stop the screw from moving as long as you can get it tight enough in the hole without the plastic deforming around it..

[flyers10 57]

I'd just put some tuuks or the ccm holder on and not have to worry anymore.

[fbvnyc 12]

"Reddish goop" was likely a thread locker.

But as stated, if the holder has been pooched by over-tightening in the first place, there isn't anything they could have done to fix it other than replace the holder.

Pretty sure red is more permanent. They should have used blue. Regardless OP states the wrong size screw was used. They clearly stripped the plastic threads.