Monday, September 23, 2013

Stop, Toe Stop!

Well, hello there!  It seems like it's been ages since we've talked, and I must apologize.  I've been meaning to reach out and check up on you and don't have a good excuse as to why it has taken me so long to do so...oh wait, summer in Alaska is a great reason!  In case you have never lived in a region  close to the Arctic or Antarctic circles, daylight can be non-existent during the winter months.  During the near-24 hours of daylight in the summer months many of us try to get outside to enjoy it as much as possible.  Therefore, I hope you don't hold the two months I took off from updating my G Spot against me.

Short and Standard Stem Gumballs
For my first post-summer article, I wanted to talk about an issue that plagues many skaters: toe stops coming loose or popping off.


Over the years, I have heard the woes of skaters over and over again when it comes to toe stops coming off, often at the worst imaginable time.  There are a couple ways to prevent this from happening.


First, make sure you have at least 4 threads of the toe stop screwed into the plate.  If you are having trouble doing this and also having it come down far enough, you may need different toe stops.  I recommend Gumballs, Bionic Super Stoppers, or Crazy Big Blocs.  These all have nice long stems and thick stops that don't pop off.  I've also heard great things about the Crazy Bounce toe stops, but they are still in my queue of products to test out so I'll have to get back to you on those.  (Soon, my pretties!)

The next item to review is how your toe stop connects to your plate.  Is it a nut that goes around the toe stop or a screw that goes into the side of the plate?  For most of you having issues with your toe stops, it's probably going to be the nut.

Wrong Way!  Toe guard is between nut and plate.
To prevent the toe stop nut from loosening up, make sure you have the nut directly against the plate.  Many skaters that have come to me with the issue of their toe stop popping off have their skates set up like the pic to the right.  The leather toe guard is between the nut and the plate, which can cause the nut to loosen over time and eventually either the toe stop will turn to a strange angle or it will work itself completely loose.  Having a toe stop pop off in the middle of a bout, especially if you are jamming, is one of the worst feelings!  Here is a step by step guide on how to lessen the chances of that happening.


Toe stop stem being inserted through toe stop hole in toe guard.




Unlace your skate and take your toe stop off your plate and the nut off the toe stop.  Next, put your toe stop stem through the toe guard.




Screwing on toe stop nut after toe stop stem has gone through toe guard holes.




Screw the nut onto the toe stop stem.






Toe Stop Nut Under Toe Guard




Screw the toe stop into the plate, adjust to the correct height. 
Tighten down the toe stop with a wrench and lace those puppies up!








Those steps have helped many of my fellow skaters, but sometimes that isn't enough.  Whether you have the nut or screw, if your toe stop loosens or falls out, check all the threads (inner and outer) to ensure they are still serviceable.  If some of the threads are broken or you see metal shavings, you may need to replace that toe stop, screw, nut, or toe stop insert.  Unfortunately, some plates don't have replaceable toe stop inserts, so if you damage the threads on them you will need to replace the whole plate.

If your toe stop connects to your plate with a screw from the side and ratcheting down the screw just doesn't hold your stop anymore, you may have gunk in the space that normally gets smaller as you turn the screw, causing the plate to grip the stop.  I've found that the best way to clean out this crack is to unscrew the toe stop screw completely, then take something thin and hard such as a straightened-out paperclip to clean that sucker out.  If that doesn't do it, inspect your screw to see if it shows any signs of stripped threads, meaning you will either need to get a replacement screw or have to use a toe stop nut to keep your toe stop in place.

The last little bit of advice I can give you is to please, never use Red Locktite (permanent) on your toe stop threads.  If you have followed all of the above suggestions and your toe stop just won't stay put, Blue Locktite (temporary) can help you out and won't make it a pain in the rear to replace your stops.
Cosmo Wheels from Juice's Martini Series

I have quite a few treats for my G Spot fans in the coming months including reviews of wheels including Juice Martini, Radar Presto, and a bunch of the new wheels coming from Atom as well as other Roller Derby gear and, of course, I will be giving away prizes to reward my loyal readers.  To start this season out, I'm putting together a nice gift bag worth around $100 from 2N1 Skate Shoppe and all you have to do to be in the running to win is recommend an item 2N1 Skate Shoppe currently sells for me to test out and review in the comments of this article. 


While you are searching through 2N1's website, why not take a look at the new Wheel Library where you can check out a set for only $20, then when you return them you get a $20 gift certificate which you can use toward purchasing a set of wheels!  The Wheel Library has quickly become a huge hit and has helped skaters save time and money in the long run, so if you are in the market for some new wheels check out the selection, more are being added all the time.

Until we skate again,
Shocker

16 comments:

  1. Honestly? I'd really like to know what happens if you try to scrimmage or bout with these on(http://www.2n1skateshoppe.com/RollerBrights-LED-Roller-Skate-Light-Kit_p_544.html). If the refs allow it.
    If you're looking for a serious answer, though, i'm really curious about the verdict about either of the Crazy plates you have in stock.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Holy crap, not sure if I would risk scrimmaging with those still on my plates...unless we did one in the dark (which would be crazy!)!

      I've been meaning to write a review on the Venus plate, so now that you've mentioned it I'll have to get on it. Thank you!

      Shocker

      Delete
  2. I would love to hear your review on bearings...derby use vs. value, what's the best, what you recommend, and what to stay away from.
    Love your blogs!
    -Luna tick

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I really need to get more reviews on bearings, you are right! Not sure if you read this post, but it may answer some of your questions on bearings. Maybe not exact brands, but if you need help with that before I can write more reviews just shoot me a message :)

      http://shockerkhan.blogspot.com/2012/12/between-your-boots-and-wheelsplates.html

      Delete
  3. I want to know if there is much of a difference between the nuts that hold your wheels on. Between the metal ones and plastic. It's it just a weight thing?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can get different colors too! ;)

      Thanks for the idea!

      Shocker

      Delete
  4. Good read! I use the Bionic super stoppers, so far so good! I want you to review heavier skaters and type of skate that is better, not just plate but boot and all. Or is the plate the only thing hpu would worry about! For instance I currently have carreras I keep reading they are good if your 150-160 lbs IR less....yeah, I'm far from that! I will be buying new skates soon but worry about my skate warping, breaking, in the middle of practice or scrimmages? Thanks 2N1 love this shop, excellent service! Keeps me coming back!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Love the idea of articles geared toward specific weight ranges, cause it can make a big difference! (excuse the pun, ha!)

      Not sure if you read this post yet, but it may answer some of your questions until I can get those posts written...

      http://shockerkhan.blogspot.com/2012/12/between-your-boots-and-wheelsplates.html

      Delete
  5. I would love to hear about skate laces, there are so many kinds and I only want to buy 1 pair. What is the best brand and why, what holds without slipping, who has the best verity of color and designs. Thanks Shocker. Jennifer Dunnavant/ Bruce Pinner, Sitka sound slayers

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great idea! I'll get on it :) In the meantime, if you need some suggestions just message me and I'll help you out.

      Shocker

      Delete
  6. You would have laughed when another fresh meat admitted to having problems changing toe stops, and while we puzzled how she managed to get one replaced, the other was nearly impossible to get the other off so she could upgrade it. Then our coach came by and said "Those are 265s right? You need an alan wrench to change the stops." Oops!!

    Do you think you can explain the differences between various elements of wheels? Sure, I get that the width can affect agility and stability, but what's the deal with hubs, eh? Why are some wheels grippier than others, even though they're the same durometer? Help! (I love the Fugitive 89as that I got from 2n1 with my Rebels, but I'm looking to switch to an 86a and I have no idea where to start!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Barbie, thank you for your comments :) Did you happen to read my "What's up with wheels?" post? That might answer some of your questions...

      http://shockerkhan.blogspot.com/2012/11/whats-up-with-wheels.html

      Delete
  7. I personally love my cheddar bearings and would love to see reviews on both the atom lowboy wheels and the new juice series

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Was nice chatting with you on Sunday and getting the low down on some better gear.

      So for wheels I would love to see a review of the various hybrids side by side. With how slick our practice space is I am anxious to find a wheel that works.

      Delete
  8. Roller Derby Board Game! Test it out, is it awesome?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Also, is it just for fun or would you be able to learn some rules and tips from playing?

      Delete

Thank you for taking the time to post your comment. If you asked a question, I will do my best to post an answer within a couple days. If you need an answer quicker than that, feel free to e-mail me at ShockerKhan2N1@gmail.com.

Until we skate again!
Shocker