Anyone else using Graf skates?

I've skated Bauers all my life, but decided I wanted to try out some Graf's, G5 Ultra's to be exact. I got a great deal on them from my buddy at HockeyMonkey, and have used them during two games, and one adult clinic so far. I'm used to the forward lean they provide, and the normal hot-spots when breaking in new skates are almost done with. :)

Here is my issue. The blade on the left skate has become loose after two of the three times I've used them, you know that "click-click" sound when you are walking along the bench or back to the locker room...meh! I've tightened that screw on the back/heel of the blade holder twice now, being careful not to over tighten. I checked on the right one, and it the screw had also loosened up. Is this normal for the screw to loosen up after nearly each usage? Should I use some Blue Loctite on them? Any tips or pointers would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Oh, here is a pic of the skate.

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...e/ae86b9eb.jpg

I used to use the CCM 852 Tacks, but they got stolen and the Grafs I have now are the closest thing to them now. I really like them, but when you have one pair of skates for 6+ years it is like going on a date with a new girl after seeing one girl for a long time...just adjusting to them. They are good skates though, and I am sad to hear they want to move away from leather/synthetic and more towards the plastic crap that Bauer, CCM, Easton etc are using.

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Originally Posted by beedee

I've skated Bauers all my life, but decided I wanted to try out some Graf's, G5 Ultra's to be exact. I got a great deal on them from my buddy at HockeyMonkey, and have used them during two games, and one adult clinic so far. I'm used to the forward lean they provide, and the normal hot-spots when breaking in new skates are almost done with. :)

Here is my issue. The blade on the left skate has become loose after two of the three times I've used them, you know that "click-click" sound when you are walking along the bench or back to the locker room...meh! I've tightened that screw on the back/heel of the blade holder twice now, being careful not to over tighten. I checked on the right one, and it the screw had also loosened up. Is this normal for the screw to loosen up after nearly each usage? Should I use some Blue Loctite on them? Any tips or pointers would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Oh, here is a pic of the skate.

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...e/ae86b9eb.jpg

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i've had two pairs of 705's and haven't had any issues. i did have the older cobra holders though. my good friend has used about 3 pairs of 703's and for the last two years he's constantly had problems with his holders. i moved on and went back to bauers. but he is a graf foot and will not use anything but them. he tried to put on a shim on one pair and the rivets got loose on him too. i know that this is a custom job, but it wasn't that same rivet that would get loose on him. he's had this problem on the other two different pairs of 703's too. this isn't an issue with the blade like you, but i definitely think there is some quality issue. if you check out modsquadhockey, you'll see that there are a lot of complaints with quality at graf canada. good luck. i loved the comfort of my old graf's. i hope things work out for you.

thanks yip.

im going to call my friend tomorrow at hockeymonkey and see what he might be able to do for me. it seems like this will be an ongoing issue most likely. i did do some research on modsquad and also read those similar complaints about them. my old bauer 100's never had an issue, and they were 1/3 of the price of these. as you know, the holders on these are held on with screws instead of rivets, and i noticed that a couple of them were loose as well. pretty crappy QC before they left the factory it seems.

my friend has had his holders replaced i believe three times at jakes in el segundo. each time he hooked him up for free and said it was a warranty issue. so apparently this looks like it's a known issue. i would see what HM can do. they've always done me well, but i'm not sure if they will or can warranty it for you. if they're pretty new, i would have some hope.

thanks man. the skates are less than a month old. i'll update this thread when i talk to my buddy. he is a manager there, so he does have some pull.

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Originally Posted by beedee

thanks man. the skates are less than a month old. i'll update this thread when i talk to my buddy. he is a manager there, so he does have some pull.

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You need to act on it quick though. I had an issue with a blade breaking on my Bauers last year and I sat on it for about a month (I was playing a bunch of roller and not much ice). When I decided to play an LGK game I called up the Bauer rep and they said that I was just a little bit shy of it being covered by the warranty.

The moral of this story is, don't be a doosh like I was and call HM today and find out what is, and what isn't covered.

On a side note, how much better are the Grafs VS Bauers?

When I talk with people who wear Grafs they swear by them. I just can't get over the sticker shock.

I made my switch to Graf skates when I was about 14 and I have used Grafs ever since. I will never switch to any other skate since it's the most comfortable skate I have ever worn. I do remember when I first got Grafs it took me about a month or two to break them in.

good looking out daxx. so far im digging them (minus the blade issue). i found a thread on modsquad where people were having the same issue, and a couple guys were saying that it takes a handful of skates even for the plastic and steel of the holders to "bond" or break in with each other, then he didnt haven any further issues. i talked to my buddy last night and he said to give it a few more skates and if there is still an issue, he will take care of me.

as 28kings28 said, the break in period is a little longer, i've only used them three times and still have a slight discomfort, i may try swapping out the wax laces for the wider/softer cloth laces. i've read that people felt like they were more comfortable than the wax laces, having a wider pressure point than the wax laces, thus not creating that "lace bite" that people experience. i do think i am experiencing it a little bit. on the other hand, the break in period often introduces different types of pain at first, so it is tough to pin point exactly what it is until they are broken in, haha.

hockeymonkey had a really good price on them, basically making room for the 2012's, so the sticker shock wasn't nearly as bad as the normal retail price of them.

here is that link i was referring to...
Replacing Graf Cobra Blades - ModSquadHockey

Quote:

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Originally Posted by daxx

You need to act on it quick though. I had an issue with a blade breaking on my Bauers last year and I sat on it for about a month (I was playing a bunch of roller and not much ice). When I decided to play an LGK game I called up the Bauer rep and they said that I was just a little bit shy of it being covered by the warranty.

The moral of this story is, don't be a doosh like I was and call HM today and find out what is, and what isn't covered.

On a side note, how much better are the Grafs VS Bauers?

When I talk with people who wear Grafs they swear by them. I just can't get over the sticker shock.

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I wouldn't say they are much better, but more of "it depends on the preference" answer. I know a lot of people hate hearing that, but it's the truth. The pros of Grafs in my opinion: very comfortable and they have different models for different type of feet. you may be a xx3, xx5, x35, or whatever type of foot. but for the most part, the skate and materials are the same between the models. they're just built for different feet. The cons: they cost a pretty penny and their technology is a little behind. The new Ultra series brought them to the competition for the most part. Their old 7xx series were just that. Old tech but proven skates. But they're still a little heavier and not as high tech vs. the other brands. But again it totally depends on the skater. There are pros that use them as well as beer leaguers. It definitely won't hold you back as far as performance.

As for your warranty issue, I actually had a different situation for my skates. I bought my one90's from hockeymonkey and the tendon guards broke. It was a known issue and a design flaw in my opinion. I was about a month out of warranty. They told me to send it in and they gave me a new pair of skates. I was actually just looking for a repair and was willing to pay for it. But they replaced it for no charge. This was when they were Nike Bauer, but I was surprised. But every situation is different. I would always suggest returning it ASAP to make sure it's covered by warranty. I just happened to be lucky.