Graf skates, profile, radius, or different holders?

[ngray734 0]

So I am new here and couldnt find an exact answer, so here it goes.

I recently got a pair of graf 735's that I absolutely love because I've never had a skate fit so perfectly. My only problem is that I'm not comfortable with skating backwards and transitions, not to mention that the screws in the cobra holders keep coming loose no matter how much I tighten them.

I'm wondering if I should have tuuk custom + or lighspeed 2's put on to correct the issue. I grew up on Tuuks. I know I can instead have the blade profiled to be more nuetral and I can adjust the radius to a 9' rocker but I've seen that one bad sharpening can ruin those. Money isn't a problem at all if its going to help.

What should I do??

Any feedbackis greatly appreciated!

[Davetronz 109]

Personally, I'd keep the Cobra holders and get them set up for a neutral profile at 8' or 9'.

I'm not sure why the screws are coming loose. Are you referring to the Graf RMS anchor nuts and bolts that affix the holder to the boot, or the rear gold blade bolt/screw?

If your referring to the RMS bolts, they might be stripped (i.e. someone used too much torque when tightening) or they don't have any thread locker on them.

[ngray734 0]

I'm referring to the gold screw for the blade. I'm lucky if it stays tight for a full skate on my right foot. Left lasts for 2 skates usually. Its really annoying.

[Davetronz 109]

If it was over-tightened it might have cracked the threads, just moreso with your right skate. That would make it pretty hard to keep tight and it would loosen with play.

I put the boot in a vice wrapped with a towel and hand tighten that screw until I get a small amount of resistance, that's it, nothing more. I've seen guys just reef on those screws, and that's bound to break something.

[Chadd 916]

try some blue loc-tite. If that doesn't work, you may need to replace the hardware. I had to check mine before/after every game when I wore grafs, even with the blue loc-tite.

[cooperalls 4]

Usually there is a locking washer on the gold screw that tightens the runner. If it's stripped/crushed from overtightening, or simply worn out, the steel will loosen more easily. If you have access to a LHS, ask for replacement washers, and install two or three stacked up instead of just one. They lock against each other and hold the screw/runner more securely that way.

[jimmy 194]

The aggressive lean in a Graf is from cut of boot and high rear pillar of the cobra holder. The best way to reduce pitch is to change holders, although some put lifts in the front. Only issue with hlder change is that you will have a lifetime of rivets loosening, but it's your best choice. I would recommend the LS2 holder or even a CCM/RBK. Tuuk+ are hard to find, and you'll have a lifetime of hardware problems because those use the absolute worse hardware, rusts immediately and loosens, and the front nut is extremely difficult to get at. Also if you break one years in the future, you may not be able to find a replacement. If you went with LS2, or CCM, you'll be much happier. Having a neutral radius will do nothing to fix your problem. If you had a reverse radius, that might work for you and is your cheapest option. As for radius being ruined by one bad sharpening, that can be true, but a stock radius would be ruined just as easy as well, so either way if your radius is ruined, you still would want to get it fixed, either the stock or custom one.

[Davetronz 109]

Having a neutral radius will do nothing to fix your problem. If you had a reverse radius, that might work for you and is your cheapest option.

Would you suggest to go to a neutral pitch first, to see if that would correct some of the OP's problem, and then move to a more reverse/backward pitch if problems persist?

If the problem is only skating backwards and transitions, he might not require such a radical change to fit his skating style.

Thoughts?

I would hesitate to swap out holders and blades until I had exhausted options starting with pitch, profile, wedging/lifting etc.

If money isn't a problem, and time is, perhaps switching blades and holders would be the "easiest" solution for the OP - but it seems like removing one problem and possibly opening up a brand new problem.

Edit: Yes, I know that the Cobra holder has a high rear pillar that accentuates the aggressive forward lean - but there are still some ways to compensate for this.

[akravetz 29]

I posted this before but this seems somewhat on topic. Why does Graf steel rust so quickly. i had Bauer one20s, skated four to five times a week, wiped off the blades and for two years, no rust. My son, 6, has Easton S1, same thing, no rust. My two-month-old Grafs G5s are showing some rust near the bottom of the plastic, top of the steel and I haven't altered my habits. I ask this only because the OP had something wrong with his screws and whatnot. Could it just quality control or is there is an issue here. Should I go back to the LHS where I got it and ask for a new blade or am I SOL?

Andy in Peoria.

[th6252 25]

I posted this before but this seems somewhat on topic. Why does Graf steel rust so quickly. i had Bauer one20s, skated four to five times a week, wiped off the blades and for two years, no rust. My son, 6, has Easton S1, same thing, no rust. My two-month-old Grafs G5s are showing some rust near the bottom of the plastic, top of the steel and I haven't altered my habits. I ask this only because the OP had something wrong with his screws and whatnot. Could it just quality control or is there is an issue here. Should I go back to the LHS where I got it and ask for a new blade or am I SOL?

Andy in Peoria.

It seems pretty typical for cobra steel to rust easily. If you use soakers, do you leave them on for any extended period of time after skating. If so, it'll help to take them off and let the blades fully dry off.

The only other way is to by step steel replacement for them.

[akravetz 29]

The holders, I think, are not Cobras but N5000s, I think? I confess I don't know such things as well as y'all. They don't look like the Cobras I see on other skates with the big rounded arches.

[Chadd 916]

The holders, I think, are not Cobras but N5000s, I think? I confess I don't know such things as well as y'all. They don't look like the Cobras I see on other skates with the big rounded arches.

There are two versions of the cobra, the 3000 and the 5000. The 5000 is supposed to absorb less moisture and retain its stiffness longer

[jimmy 194]

Would you suggest to go to a neutral pitch first, to see if that would correct some of the OP's problem, and then move to a more reverse/backward pitch if problems persist?

If the problem is only skating backwards and transitions, he might not require such a radical change to fit his skating style.

Thoughts?

Cobra steel is not pitched from factory so going with neutral would likely do nothing. I'd start with lifts under the front first and see if that works, cheap to do, even yourself, and can be reversed at no cost as well if results are not what you want.

[akravetz 29]

Chadd, they are N-lite 5000, so that is probably what you are talking about, but again, why are they rusting already. Is this something that I should take up with the LHS or is just something I have to deal with. It's not a huge deal, honestly. I am just shocked to see rust so quickly. None of the screws or the bolts are rusting. Just small portions of the blade itself.

[th6252 25]

Chadd, they are N-lite 5000, so that is probably what you are talking about, but again, why are they rusting already. Is this something that I should take up with the LHS or is just something I have to deal with. It's not a huge deal, honestly. I am just shocked to see rust so quickly. None of the screws or the bolts are rusting. Just small portions of the blade itself.

the last generation and current generation Graf "G" series skates come with cobra ultra 5000/nt-lite holders/steel(which is cobra's higher tier holder compared to the nt3000). you're getting confused with T-blades the have the big round arches.

[Davetronz 109]

Cobra steel is not pitched from factory so going with neutral would likely do nothing. I'd start with lifts under the front first and see if that works, cheap to do, even yourself, and can be reversed at no cost as well if results are not what you want.

Ahh I wasn't aware that the blade itself wasn't pitched. I thought it was a combination of the higher rear holder tower and pitched steel to create the effect.

Thanks for clarifying.

[stevelknievel 51]

had the same problems getting comfortable with my grafs, ended up getting LS2's put on them and its been worth every penny

[ngray734 0]

I've been leaning towards the LS2's to kill both problems with one fix...do the rivets really come loose that easily or often when you get them done at a respectable LHS??

[stevelknievel 51]

I'm a pretty big guy and I've been on em for a total of 4 hours or so and haven't had a problem. The only thing that kind of annoys me is the ls2s weren't the exact same length and now they kinda overhang in the front a bit.

Sent from my tardis using Tapatalk

[jimmy 194]

I've been leaning towards the LS2's to kill both problems with one fix...do the rivets really come loose that easily or often when you get them done at a respectable LHS??

The soft inner sole of most graf skates is really meant for RMS anchors. When rivets are used, their "claws" are crimped into the soft material, so what happens is that they tend to move around and shift the holder, then loosen. In old days, graf would install RMS anchors and drill for the Tuuks, but they no longer do that, so you have to use rivets. They work, but will loosen. You can spend a few dollars each year to update the rivets.

[shooter27 116]

My LHS was able to put LS2s on using the RMS screws without doing too much damage to the pre-drilled holes.

[stevelknievel 51]

The soft inner sole of most graf skates is really meant for RMS anchors. When rivets are used, their "claws" are crimped into the soft material, so what happens is that they tend to move around and shift the holder, then loosen. In old days, graf would install RMS anchors and drill for the Tuuks, but they no longer do that, so you have to use rivets. They work, but will loosen. You can spend a few dollars each year to update the rivets.

would getting the copper rivets resolve the issue or is going back to the screws the best thing to do? ive been pondering this since the shop who did mine used rivets, can the rivets be removed and RMS screws put back in?

[ngray734 0]

Are LS2's built better and more durable than Custom +'s?