punching out a graf toe cap

[43%burnt 0]

first off, hey, everyone that might remember me! it's been awhile since i've posted on this board. stepped away from hockey for awhile to go racing. trying to get back into hockey and need some advise.:

 

i purchased some graf 9035 skates a year or two ago before i stopped playing. they fit fantastic in the store. fit even better after baking them. when i started skating in them, they absolutely killed the end of my big toe. from what i've researched, most likely due to graf's pointy shaped toe cap. i tried baking them again; helped a little, but still killing my toe. so my question now is do i try heating up the plastic toe cap and punching out that area somehow? or try stretching the overall length of the boot to pull my toes back from the cap a little? how pliable is the graf toe cap and how far can it be massaged before terminal failure? and is it even possible to stretch a graf 9035 ultra with its fancy ass outer shell? thanks for the help. 

[Kgbeast 194]

15 minutes ago, 43%burnt said:

first off, hey, everyone that might remember me! it's been awhile since i've posted on this board. stepped away from hockey for awhile to go racing. trying to get back into hockey and need some advise.:

 

i purchased some graf 9035 skates a year or two ago before i stopped playing. they fit fantastic in the store. fit even better after baking them. when i started skating in them, they absolutely killed the end of my big toe. from what i've researched, most likely due to graf's pointy shaped toe cap. i tried baking them again; helped a little, but still killing my toe. so my question now is do i try heating up the plastic toe cap and punching out that area somehow? or try stretching the overall length of the boot to pull my toes back from the cap a little? how pliable is the graf toe cap and how far can it be massaged before terminal failure? and is it even possible to stretch a graf 9035 ultra with its fancy ass outer shell? thanks for the help. 

Looks like you should have went with half size longer... I have seeing some references on this board that punching out toecaps is possible, but for a very small amount. Toecaps (Graf or not) are not heat moldable and while they might get a little softer with heat, they will not become moldable. That said, even thing that are not moldable, can be reshaped a little bit with properly applied force (check on how they punch out figure skates)  

Edited March 6, 2017 by Kgbeast

[JR Boucicaut 3671]

Of course I remember you.  Come on now.  Welcome back!

Graf toecaps are the most pliable out of all of them out there.

I have a special boot punch (made by @customskateworks) that can achieve this.  It's mounted off the edge of the counter so the boot can go straight up.

If you're looking for a bit more room, you can also push the heel back, giving you more room up front.

21 minutes ago, 43%burnt said:

first off, hey, everyone that might remember me! it's been awhile since i've posted on this board. stepped away from hockey for awhile to go racing. trying to get back into hockey and need some advise.:

 

i purchased some graf 9035 skates a year or two ago before i stopped playing. they fit fantastic in the store. fit even better after baking them. when i started skating in them, they absolutely killed the end of my big toe. from what i've researched, most likely due to graf's pointy shaped toe cap. i tried baking them again; helped a little, but still killing my toe. so my question now is do i try heating up the plastic toe cap and punching out that area somehow? or try stretching the overall length of the boot to pull my toes back from the cap a little? how pliable is the graf toe cap and how far can it be massaged before terminal failure? and is it even possible to stretch a graf 9035 ultra with its fancy ass outer shell? thanks for the help. 

 

[TwoFour 8]

I had the toecaps of my Vapors punched out using the @customskateworks punch at one of my local Total Hockey stores.  It worked great, highly recommended.  The punch was able to get really deep into the cap.

[JR Boucicaut 3671]

Yep, it's an awesome boot punch.  

Bauer skates require quite a bit of heat, but it's definitely doable.

[43%burnt 0]

how much of a dent can be made into the toe cap? a couple mm's? trying to figure out what option is better. or perhaps a bit of both methods to be sure?

[TwoFour 8]

6 hours ago, 43%burnt said:

how much of a dent can be made into the toe cap? a couple mm's? trying to figure out what option is better. or perhaps a bit of both methods to be sure?

Yea I'd say my caps were punched a couple mm. Thats all I needed. Not sure how far they can go.

[JR Boucicaut 3671]

5 minutes ago, TwoFour said:

Yea I'd say my caps were punched a couple mm. Thats all I needed. Not sure how far they can go.

 I was bored yesterday.  The end result was after 10 minutes.

James, I'm pretty positive the TH in SLC doesn't have one of these.  Not all do.

Have you tried possibly pushing the heel back to give you a bit of room?

[43%burnt 0]

On 3/8/2017 at 7:32 AM, JR Boucicaut said:

James, I'm pretty positive the TH in SLC doesn't have one of these.  Not all do.

Have you tried possibly pushing the heel back to give you a bit of room?

i haven't tried pushing the heel back only because the rest of the boot fits fantastic. the heel is locked in like no boot i've had before. looking at that picture though makes me think its all i would need. probably more than enough. 

[customskateworks 39]

I can get about a half size out a Bauer toe cap. Sometimes its easier to use the medium sized cage with the small ball on the punch. That way there is less resistance. Another way to get more room in a skate is a footbed that has some arch support. It will pull your toes back slightly.