Copper rivets on skates

[biff44 0]

Was just looking at my new CCM skates, and a question popped into my head. Why are the back two rivets always made of copper? It this some sort of unwritten hockey religous thing, or is there some valid technical reason that they could not be steel?

[jimmy 194]

I was taught that they were there for strength. There are only 4 rivets on the heel vs 8-10 in the front. No reason why you can't have steel in the heel, they just will loosen often. I'm always fixing skates that some other shop put steel on the back two.

[Ogie Oglethorpe 14]

Yep, he's right - there for strength (much stronger than your normal rivets).

However, I think the reason they don't use copper all around is that it is more expensive (for one), and I think because the way they are put in pretty much requires a straight shot to the head of the copper (i.e., you wouldn't be able to put it in on the toe without a large degree of difficulty).

[Gongshow11 1]

my teammate has every rivet as copper on both skates, so its not so difficult

[Chadd 916]

my teammate has every rivet as copper on both skates, so its not so difficult

The toes are a pain in the ass but it can be done.

[Ogie Oglethorpe 14]

my teammate has every rivet as copper on both skates, so its not so difficult

Just because it can be done doesn't mean it's easy...... ;)

[Brandonov22 0]

I always put a copper in the outside toe when I fix skates, it's kinda like my signature on the skates. Then again I'm wierd.

[thunderbirds_are_go 0]

I've never had any troubles putting copper rivets in the toes of skates - with our rivet press if the holes are too close to the edge of the boot copper rivets are actually easier than regular rivets. Also, it's not uncommon on high end skates to have more than just the back two rivets in copper - Pro Tacks have the front two in copper also, some have a copper in the rear most rivet on the front tower, Koho had a third copper at the back. On your cheaper skates it's common to see no copper rivets at all.

As to why they're used, that's been answered above.

[Chadd 916]

I used to always put coppers on the back of the front tower and sometimes do it on the toe as well.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

THey do make toe coppers. They are much shorter, but you should be able to put a 1 1/4 one in if you decide to go that route.

[korolyuk14 0]

i bought some g3's on this site from #94 they had lightspeeds with copper all the way around. very nice

[jimmy 194]

Only problem I see with copper all around is that copper tends to shift in the holes and the holder can move on the skate. The steel "claws: grip a bit better. SO it's best to use a few on each side. I had a customer with grafs and tuuk lowers and the shop that did the mods used copper all around but reused the graf holes which are bigger. His holders shifted big time.