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Figure skates are a type of ice skate used by figure skaters. The skates are comprised of a boot and a blade that is attached with screws to the sole of the boot. Inexpensive sets for recreational skaters are available, but most figure skaters purchase boots and blades separately and have the blades mounted by a professional skate technician.
Boots
Figure skating boots are traditionally made by hand from many layers of leather. The design of figure skating boots changed significantly during the 20th century. Old photographs of skaters such as Sonja Henie from the 1920's and 1930's show them wearing thin, supple boots reaching to mid-calf. Modern skating boots, on the other hand, are extremely rigid to support the foot and ankle in jumps, and are cut much lower -- just over ankle height -- to allow the foot to flex. Because the stiffness of the boots makes good fit essential, many skaters either order custom boots or have their boots "bumped out" over pressure points by a skate technician.
In recent years, boots made of synthetic materials with heat-moldable linings have become popular with many skaters because they combine strength with lighter weight than leather boots, and are easier to "break in". The latest development in boot technology is a boot that is hinged at the ankle to provide lateral support while allowing more flexibility.
The typical colors for boots are black for men and white or tan for women, although other colors are available.
Blades
Figure skates differ most visibly from hockey skates in having a set of large, jagged teeth called toe picks (also known as toe rakes) on the front of the blade. The toe picks are used primarily in jumping and should not be used for stroking or spins. Toe pick designs have become quite elaborate and sometimes include teeth on the sides of the blade.
The skate blades are typically made of tempered steel, coated with a high-quality chrome. Lightweight alloy blades are becoming more popular with high-level skaters. Blades are about 3/16 inch (4 mm) thick and may have a slightly tapered cross-section.
When viewed from the side, the blade of a figure skate is not flat, but curved slightly, forming an arc of a circle with a radius of 180-220 cm. Figure skating equipment, accessed July 7, 2006. Recently, parabolic figure skating blades -- that is, blades whose profile is shaped like a parabola rather than an arc of a circle -- have been designed to increase skaters' stability.
The blade is also hollow ground; a groove on the bottom of the blade creates two distinct edges, inside and outside. In figure skating it is always desirable to skate on only one edge of the blade, never on both at the same time (which is referred to as a flat). The apparently effortless power and glide across the ice exhibited by elite figure skaters fundamentally derives from efficient use of the edges to generate speed.
Ice dancers' blades are about an inch shorter in the rear than those used by skaters in other disciplines, to accommodate the intricate footwork and close partnering in dance.
History
Ice skates have a history dating back thousands of years. Specific figure skates were created in response to the rise of figure skating's popularity in the 19th century, coinciding with the beginnings of formalized competitions such as the World Figure Skating Championships.
See also
References
External links
"Figure skate"