Custom skates for a medical problem / Progress of Frankenstein ;)

[towson80 2]

First off, I have been on this forum for 16 years now and it is such a wonderful place for information and expertise so I am hoping for some feedback on my issue. Years ago, I got a forum member to heavily mod my skates to deal with my disease called nodular amyloidosis (very, very rare) which has riddled my legs with bruises that never heal. Those old skates finally kicked the bucket months before the pandemic and my backup pair of Tacks from 2004 or so will need a lot of mod work to even allow me to put them on. Unfortunately, my illness has progressed to where I can't play hockey anymore however I skate with my children but not for very long. I also coach nowadays though I prefer to run practice from the bench because of my issues.

What are the chances that companies like Bauer/CCM/True would be willing to work with me to find a custom pair of skates where I could get back on the ice without having so much pain and problems? Money isn't an issue, it is being able to find someone from one of these companies who, essentially, will take pity on a nobody in the hockey world like me to help me get back on the ice pain free. I asked a few LHS's around me years ago and there wasn't much help.

Any suggestions/recommendations/help, even if it is just saying I'm s**t out of luck, would be greatly appreciated! 😉

Edited July 7, 2021 by towson80

[Buzz_LightBeer 969]

I only did a little reading so please tell me if I’ve missed something with that condition; but if I had to make an educated guess, a stiff newer composite boot might be the last thing you want to go to in that condition, wouldn’t the rigid boot make it worse?

 

and speaking generally, I’ve found newer stiffer boots are tough for coaching because any activity in those boots where you’re primarily standing and not moving is painful in any situation. 
 

have you had any boot in the pst that was tolerable for your condition? 
 

the first skate that comes to mind for me would be to look for older Graf 707, with doubled up thin skate socks. It would allow your foot some cushion and reduce rubbing and chafing of tour feet. 
 

(I suggest that, because up until about 10 years ago Graf would accommodate most any customizations for players. 

[towson80 2]

Buzz, thanks for the reply. I didn't want to get too detailed about it in my first message but these lesions/bruises I have on my lower legs and almost onto my foot are extremely painful esp around the tendon guard (which I cut off on my old skates and crudely lined with foam/leather where I cut) as well as certain parts of the upper boot where I had to add extra padding. Unfortunately, as the years have gone on, I have gotten more of these lesions and they never heal and never will for the rest of my life. The bruises can easily split and bleed for days as the skin is so thin that it cannot be sewn nor can steri-strips be used cause the sticky part of those rips off more of the delicate skin.  If I can't find someone at Bauer/CCM/True then I will have to Frankenstein these Tacks that I have much like I did with the Bauers.

I appreciate the reply Buzz, hopefully I will be able to find a solution :)

[caveman27 208]

Hmm, not sure if custom-molded skates will help. What did they do to help with the fit? Punch out spots?

If you order custom goalie skates, the tendon guard will already not be there, and the latest goalie skates don't have a cowl, but you would have to get the blades reprofiled to something for forwards.

[towson80 2]

The old Bauers were punched out in certain areas yes as my leg condition had worsened since the original heat molding and remolding didn't do a heck of a lot. Further I had to cut out certain parts on the inside with an exacto knife and glue in my own padding. It was truly a Frankenstein skate 😉

I looked into bandy skates as well because like the newest goalie skates they did not have the tendon guard. Is it possible to order goalie skates as just the boot at which point I have put on whatever holder, Tuuk or XS ?? Thanks for the reply caveman27!

 

[boo10 323]

Honestly, if you're just looking for something to let you get on the ice, and you don't need protection from pucks, etc. You might be better off with something like this.

https://jacksonskate.ca/products/softec-sport-men-v0

 

[towson80 2]

boo10: Believe it or not, I have tried something similar however when coaching an errant puck could do some damage as I'm coaching high school age kids.

[Vet88 674]

1 hour ago, towson80 said:

 Further I had to cut out certain parts on the inside with an exacto knife and glue in my own padding. It was truly a Frankenstein skate 😉

I suggest this but with another adaptation. I had a haglunds bump that needed surgery because I couldn't take any pressure on it, to get back on the ice I drilled / cut a hole in the rear quarter of an old pair of grafs and then had a guy who worked with carbon fibre build a protective layer over the top of the cut out section. No pressure on my bump and a protective layer over it to stop errant pucks whilst coaching. Going this way removes the skate manufacturers from the equation other than selecting what boot you are going to use. Find someone who works with carbon fibre and possibly someone who does shoe repairs and then between them you can put a boot together. Yes, it will be a frankenstein but it will be your frankenstein that you know will work and you can mod as required in the future as need be.

[skatedoktor 4]

2 hours ago, towson80 said:

boo10: Believe it or not, I have tried something similar however when coaching an errant puck could do some damage as I'm coaching high school age kids.

use shot blockers or external foam with adhesive backing with those jackson skates, those will be the ticket.  if you want to spruce them up, put some tuuks or ccm xs holders on them

[towson80 2]

These are some great ideas!! Thank you so much vet88 and skatedoktor ... I never thought about adding shot blockers to those softec skates, plus it will make them less noticeable to teenage boys who definitely would give a little chirp to their coach 🙂 I am in the Toronto area so it shouldn't be too hard to find someone who can work with carbon fibre. I chose the older skates because their leather build offers a lot more in trying to Frankenstein something compared to the new boots that are out there.

These wonderful suggestions aside, I take it that major manufacturers only cater to their stars and the days of helping the little guy are long gone?

Edited June 10, 2021 by towson80

[Monty22 832]

Buzz and Skatedoktor stole my thunder . The Softec skates and shot blockers may be the most comfortable out of the box for you. Something like a Graf 707 is a size too big for you, with the liner peeled from the top and with additional thin foam installed may make for a decent option. I'm sure one of the companies that relines skates would tackle the job if you explained your situation.    

[towson80 2]

Monty: My 2004 Pro Tacks are in mint condition, almost new. Thats why I picked them up casue I knew one day my Bauer Frankenstein would fall apart and I figured the clarino liner would be easy to mod on my own.

[krisdrum 233]

Graf is doing custom again.  Not sure how far away from retail they'll go, but might be worth investigating.  They still offer "leather" (I think synthetic) in their Classic line, so you should be able to get a softer boot.

[caveman27 208]

14 hours ago, towson80 said:

The old Bauers were punched out in certain areas yes as my leg condition had worsened since the original heat molding and remolding didn't do a heck of a lot. Further I had to cut out certain parts on the inside with an exacto knife and glue in my own padding. It was truly a Frankenstein skate 😉

I looked into bandy skates as well because like the newest goalie skates they did not have the tendon guard. Is it possible to order goalie skates as just the boot at which point I have put on whatever holder, Tuuk or XS ?? Thanks for the reply caveman27!

 

If you get customized Bauer goalie skates, the blade holder comes with it even if you don't want it. There's this youtuber who I follow who ordered a custom pair and he got the holders replaced by a shop with the old-fashioned cowling blade holder.

[caveman27 208]

14 hours ago, towson80 said:

boo10: Believe it or not, I have tried something similar however when coaching an errant puck could do some damage as I'm coaching high school age kids.

Looking at those Softec skates, my ego would definitely get damaged. 

[towson80 2]

krisdrum: Thank you for letting know about Graf and their Classic line... since it doesn't seem like I can get any company to work with me, leather skates are way easier to mod to suit my issues.

caveman27: I appreciate the info about the Bauer goalie skates. I think I will look into bandy skates and hope I can find some older leather models if my Pro Tacks mod doesn't work out. And about the ego thing... I pulled down my track suit pants a little further than normal when I had the skates similar to the Softec on :)

[hockeydad3 51]

True skates could be an option for you if your problem zones are in the upper areas of the boot because they are extremely heat-mouldable. And the tendon guard can be removed with one screw. 

[hockeydad3 51]

Or you can convert a hardshell inline Skate with a thick removable Liner into a ice skate. Like this: https://www.proskatersplace.com/shop/winter-sports/inline-ice-blades/freestyle-ice-blades/

Or a inline skate from Powerslide with this blade: https://www.skatepro.de/50-34380.htm?stockcode=120016/M&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIst2S_-SP8QIVg9V3Ch00AQT7EAUYAyABEgL4q_D_BwE

Then you can modify the Liner for your needs, and exchange it easily. 

[yk15 9]

I suggest you go Graf custom. They are the most likely to listen to a customer specific need when it comes to custom from what Ive heard. I am waiting for my pair to arrive next month so will be able to tell more from my personal experience. 

[towson80 2]

I will be looking into Graf for sure. Thank you for all the suggestions. Thankfully Toronto has been able to open up and once I am less busy at work I will explore the Graf option.

[towson80 2]

On 6/11/2021 at 6:05 AM, hockeydad3 said:

True skates could be an option for you if your problem zones are in the upper areas of the boot because they are extremely heat-mouldable. And the tendon guard can be removed with one screw. 

Yes I noticed that about the True skates and the tendon guard... any idea of True is open to meeting with lowly, horrible players/coaches like myself to work with them and find a proper skate?

[Vet88 674]

1 hour ago, towson80 said:

Yes I noticed that about the True skates and the tendon guard... any idea of True is open to meeting with lowly, horrible players/coaches like myself to work with them and find a proper skate?

You are in Toronto? Reach out to @oldtrainerguy28 or call (http://www.proskatecorner.ca) he will be one of the best pre and post order True fitters you could go and see and overall may offer some different approaches to help you with your issues.

[towson80 2]

Thank you Vet88, I will reach out to him and see if we can meet up sometime this summer to figure out what I can do with these almost brand new Pro Tacks... I forgot to post a photo of the skates I am going to have to mod to suit me. Hopefully they won't look too Frankenstein by the time I'm done with them! :)

And I am not going to put on the black Lightspeed Edge holders, it was the only photo I could find at the moment and didn't want to go downstairs to grab the skates :) I love the black holder look (I had them on my Bauer skates in the 90s) but I don't think they'd work with these 2004-05 Pro Tacks :)

 

[towson80 2]

...

 

Edited July 7, 2021 by towson80

[towson80 2]

Alright, phase 1 of the Frankenstein has started... I got the holders taken off as the few times I was able to skate on these just before and during the pandemic here in Toronto, I didn't feel right with the Prolite 3 holders. I'm getting some *white* Tuuks (even though I have those black ones I couldn't do it lol) put on and though I considered the, much praised, new CCM SB holder I went with what I was use too. And besides, the new SB lines up with the Tuuk holes so in the future I can always change. My next thing is looking at the getting the tongue replaced if I can... despite the excellent condition of the exterior of the skate the tongue on these Pro Tacks is somewhat uncomfortable due to whoever owned these prior to me.

Does CCM still offer the old 652 tongue? I found this photo of old UND/Omaha coach Dean Blais wearing a pair of CCM skates... I think these are the 652 tongue. Is it possible to buy these or are they only offered on new custom skates? Doesn't matter to me if its black on white felt or all black. Any help would be greatly appreciated! I will be posting an updated photo once the Tuuks are on these Pro Tacks 🙂

Edited July 7, 2021 by towson80