In roller skating, the circles are standardized. Everyone skates circles 6 meters in diameter for the big figures and 2.4 meters in diameter for loops. This means there is no need for a scribe: the circles are painted on the roller rink floor! This also works well because unlike ice skates, roller skates don't leave… Continue reading How to draw circles for roller figures
Category: Equipment
Skates for roller figures
This post is about equipment for figures on roller skates. It focuses on skates for circle figures (the big ones), not loops (the small ones)—many roller skaters have separate skates for figures and loops. Roller skates have five components that you can select. I'll organize this post from the top down. Skate sets Skaters Oasis… Continue reading Skates for roller figures
What is a scribe, and where do I get one?
A scribe is a giant compass that draws circles on the ice. You can use one to draw your circles before skating your figures or to check your work after you've done them. They're no longer common in stores, but they are still available. Scott Irvine makes and sells custom scribes. Figure 8 Boutique has… Continue reading What is a scribe, and where do I get one?
Blades for figures: Where to get them
Special blades designed specifically for figures are no longer made, but some stores still have old ones in stock. If your local skate shop has been around a while, it may be worth asking if they still have any. Here are some places that you can try. The models to look for include MK Silver… Continue reading Blades for figures: Where to get them
Blades for figures: Notes and specifications
Patch blades (blades that are designed specifically for figures) are not the same as freestyle blades. They lack the bottom toe pick and that they are sharpened to a much flatter radius of hollow. Both of these are modifications that can be made to existing blades: you can make a pair of old freestyle blades… Continue reading Blades for figures: Notes and specifications
Boots for figures on ice
Any old boots should work. The trick is that they need to be soft enough to let your ankle bend from side to side. New, stiff freestyle boots don't allow this. Back in the day, people used to use their old, broken-down freestyle boots for figures. Now, there are four main options: Use a pair… Continue reading Boots for figures on ice
Equipment for figures
You don't have to have special skates for figures, but they can help you skate them better. It used to be that every ice skater had two pairs of skates, one for figures and the other for freestyle, and a scribe or a scribe to share. Some skaters (namely, Dick Button) had a third pair… Continue reading Equipment for figures