Hi :) Intro+Question re: 40s?50s? Hyde/Chicago sk8s w/2300444 wheels &toestop adapter

[NibblesMcGiblet]

Hi everyone! My name is Jennifer, or NibblesMcGiblet (my name in Pokemon GO). I'm a 46 year old wife and mom of 3 (ages 16, 24, 26) and I've been quad skating since I was about 6/about 1979.

That's when mom got me some of those clip-on metal skates from (I think?) the Sears catalog, or Kmart (all my things came from one or the other, seems like) that had a brown leather buckle and hard skinny wheels. I think they were probably sold as "retro" at that time, but either way I played with them in the kitchen and fell in love. (now that I see these, I think my toes were similar, and think maybe the buckle parts WERE red but not sure.. but my wheels were surely brick red or brown... maybe? https://www.etsy.com/listing/7578015...57801537&pro=1 lol)

Soon after was taken to the local Rollarena (closed mid-80s after a new disco-style rink was built in 82 that I still go to today... literally, will be going today with a kid or two lol).

I skated regularly (once or more per week, as school allowed) for years until sometime in my teens when my other interests (boys) took over. I decided this past summer at age 46 to get back into it, and decided to do it by learning to skate outdoors. I recalled it being harder when I was a kid, and not trying it more than once or twice.

I bought Riedell120 boots set up as an "outdoor skate set" from their website ( https://www.roller.riedellskates.com...-120-Celebrity ) - powerdyne thrust plate and radar energy wheels came on them (I'm ~130 so am hoping they'll do well for me for awhile since right now I don't ask that much of them) at the end of.. June? Maybe May? and spent a long long time breaking them in (skating an average of 12-14 hours per week maybe, all summer). I'm in upstate NY so I have been stuck indoors for a couple of months now, and started rink skating about a month ago.

Swapped out my 78A Energies for the 87A wide speed wheels that came on my Bont derby skates ( https://bont.com/collections/derby/p...adstar-package ) at first but they were wide enough to kind of trip me up a bit while learning crossovers (which I'm pretty confident at now) and still a little stickier than I like (I like to go FAST!). So just got some Rollerbones Team Logos in 98A. hehehe they're a bit of a learning experience, as I get some fun "socks on the kitchen floor" slide on the corners. Definitely have to use my muscles in my hips more now when using speed on corners, so I am still thinking about maybe trying a 91-93A.. but know that the more I buy the more I'll buy. Ha!

So. That's the background for now. But on to the post subject matter!

I bought a vintage skate case on eBay to carry my derby skates in, and it was being sold as coming with free vintage skates. I Figured they'd be throwaways and didn't think twice, but when they came I was pretty excited to find something to research! I love a mystery that i can try to solve!

(I put the info on the skates further down in the thread since this intro portion is already getting long.)

I searched for the the past few months off and on, trying to find out information about all the components of the skates, and often times about skating itself. And time and time again I kept landing on this forum and I kept seeing different people in threads from 07-08 giving such great advice! And I love this forum format so much more than social media formats for discussing stuff (I don't facebook etc - used to but deactivated in '17). And it was funny because I asked about these skates on reddit and people suggested I email Pete, so I thought "ok I JUST saw last night on that SkateLog Forum that Pete at Sk8fanatics was the guy to ask about these "stone wheels" back in 08 and he's still the guy? I'm emailing him, and asking to join that awesome forum!" So I did, and I did!

Anyway. Back to the skates. I am SO sorry for the length! I just feel like I"ve known you all for ages now, but have so much to catch you all up on, lol. So in fact, let me make the post with all the skate info a separate reply to this thread...

[NibblesMcGiblet]

So, here is the info on my skates from my personal notes (like I said, I've been researching awhile) and also I will link to some pics - btw my goal is NOT to sell them, but to clean them up and get new bushings, freshen up the wheels with help from Pete, and also the boots one way or another (stiff tongue needs help..?) and then use them once in a blue moon just for some careful fun. Thank you all SO SO Much for ANY help possible!



BOOTS: Hyde Athletic Co. - white leather, men's cut (?), 10 eyelets, no eyehooks, split tongue (?) with orange foam lining (aftermarket? WAY aftermarket??)

PLATE: CHICAGO ROLLER SKATE COMPANY / WARE BROTHERS / Pat Aug. 15, 1914 / MADE IN U.S.A.

Pete from sk8fanatics.com says it's a 10 degree plate and dates the entire skate setup to 1940s-1960s.

WHEELS: "Chicago" No. 78 SPL Pat. No. 2300444 - loose bearing wheels for 7mm axels

Wheel patent filed Aug. 1940 and approved Nov. 1942 suggests it is a composite (patent number 2300444) but Pete at sk8fanatics says they're "stone wheels" (the wheels are NOT "pat pend" so they are from Nov 42 or later).
https://patents.google.com/patent/US.../en?oq=2300444

TOESTOP ADAPTER: Rice Bros Mfg / Co. Bluffs IA / PAT PEND

I found the patent for these (patent number 2566747) - Leo H. Rice applied for the patent in Feb 1948, and it was approved in Sept 1951 so these toe stops were made between those two dates.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US...&oq=Leo+H+Rice

(note - Leo H Rice and Ira J Rice were still patenting roller skate stuff in 61-3 but were now located in Nebraska)

(PS Doc I only knew to search patents for "skate adapters" when all else failed, due to your old thread here about them! I had found it on google, seen a pic of one similar to mine, realized mine was special (I never heard of a toe stop adapter to me so that's special in my book!), and then figured out the rest. Thank you so much for that!)

PICS (I will take and upload better ones ASAP) -


https://imgur.com/a/y7G01MM <---- full size versions are here, smaller versions here:









https://imgur.com/a/Wq5xtw1 <--- here's some additional ones that I just took. A few are repeats from above basically, because I was trying to get some that I could fit on the forum. But got it fixed well enough for now with a work-around. The small versions are below, but full size at that link









And finally:

(big version - https://i.imgur.com/ToYcG7q.jpg)

(big version - size (men's) and model number (maybe??)- https://i.imgur.com/8Vg4ri0.jpg ) "8" "527572"


**A cool note, I think - one of the wheels, when removed, was found to have the same raised lettering on the inside /skate side of the wheel as yo usee here on the outside of the wheel (all of them have it on the outside, but the inside raised lettering had been rubbed off of all but one). I would've never thought there was lettering on both sides if I hadn't seen that! Thought it was really neat!

[fierocious1]

several pairs of these or some very close to it. But not anywhere close to the good shape you got them. They look very nice.

[NibblesMcGiblet]

Thank you for the reply. The boots aren't soft at all and I'm not sure how best to care for them. I don't suppose you have any advice do you?

Do you have any idea what year they might be from? I'd love to narrow it down a bit. I'm thinking 40s-50s?

How did you come to have several pair? Sorry for so many questions -- I have nobody to talk skates with, or history of skates. I'm so curious!

[fierocious1]

Originally Posted by NibblesMcGiblet

Thank you for the reply. The boots aren't soft at all and I'm not sure how best to care for them. I don't suppose you have any advice do you?

Do you have any idea what year they might be from? I'd love to narrow it down a bit. I'm thinking 40s-50s?

How did you come to have several pair? Sorry for so many questions -- I have nobody to talk skates with, or history of skates. I'm so curious!

I was given a bunch of old skates from a closed rink. The skates were a mixed bunch of really old with more recent skates.
If you wet a rag with mink oil and wipe the boots with it it, it should make them much softer. After they soften you can polish them up. The wheels are roller bearing and all they need is a drop of 3 in 1 oil on each side of the wheels in the bearings. Info on the age of the skates can be found from Doc Skate section of the forum. The cushions in your skates are probably rock hard. He can also point you to cushions that fit better, are new and made of better materials than the older rubber cushions. Skates are probably from the 60s.

[NibblesMcGiblet]

Originally Posted by fierocious1

I was given a bunch of old skates from a closed rink. The skates were a mixed bunch of really old with more recent skates.
If you wet a rag with mink oil and wipe the boots with it it, it should make them much softer. After they soften you can polish them up. The wheels are roller bearing and all they need is a drop of 3 in 1 oil on each side of the wheels in the bearings. Info on the age of the skates can be found from Doc Skate section of the forum. The cushions in your skates are probably rock hard. He can also point you to cushions that fit better, are new and made of better materials than the older rubber cushions. Skates are probably from the 60s.

Thank you very much! Maybe you're the person who made the thread titled something like "165 pairs of skates" or something? That came up in many google searches for Hyde boots! Yes, one cushion is crumbling and so the truck is askew. When I removed the wheels, I lost one bearing (there were originally 8 bearings on each side of each wheel, so 16 per wheel. Out of all of those, lost only 1.. but of COURSE I lost one. argh!) so will need to get replacements. I will post for Doc in his forum in a bit.

[fierocious1]

Originally Posted by NibblesMcGiblet

Thank you very much! Maybe you're the person who made the thread titled something like "165 pairs of skates" or something? That came up in many google searches for Hyde boots! Yes, one cushion is crumbling and so the truck is askew. When I removed the wheels, I lost one bearing (there were originally 8 bearings on each side of each wheel, so 16 per wheel. Out of all of those, lost only 1.. but of COURSE I lost one. argh!) so will need to get replacements. I will post for Doc in his forum in a bit.

I have more skates than that. But have been giving them away to kids for a several of years. I have extra bearings and parts for older skates. At one time was looking to start up a rink, but a guy in the area beat me to it. He did ok for a couple of years, but the rink was too small to keep going. A good size for little ones but not big enough to stretch out some speed. So I kind of dodged a bullet on that one. Anyway there are still parts for those skates out there. And a variety of old wheels too. Just not as many wheels as there are for sealed bearing wheels. They are much easier to work with.

[jotson]

Welcome NibblesMcGiblet. I agree that this forum format is better than the facebook style. In its hayday, SLF was a great community, but over the years, several members passed away or simply moved over to Facebook and others.
Not nearly the skating discussion forum it once was.

I'm in Western NY, and started around the same time ~ 79 or so, but I was twice your age.

Your Hyde skates are a neat nostalgia project, but I'm all about the shiny new stuff. Lots of improvements over the years in the skating industry.

What part of Upstate still has a decent rink? Lost several in Buffalo and Rochester areas.

Cheers!

[fierocious1]

Originally Posted by jotson

Welcome NibblesMcGiblet. I agree that this forum format is better than the facebook style. In its hayday, SLF was a great community, but over the years, several members passed away or simply moved over to Facebook and others.
Not nearly the skating discussion forum it once was.

I'm in Western NY, and started around the same time ~ 79 or so, but I was twice your age.

Your Hyde skates are a neat nostalgia project, but I'm all about the shiny new stuff. Lots of improvements over the years in the skating industry.

What part of Upstate still has a decent rink? Lost several in Buffalo and Rochester areas.

Cheers!

I believe there are a lot more people lurking in the background. It will be a while longer before postings go up much. Skaters gotta learn that the info gets lost quick on fb.

[NibblesMcGiblet]

Originally Posted by jotson

Welcome NibblesMcGiblet. I agree that this forum format is better than the facebook style. In its hayday, SLF was a great community, but over the years, several members passed away or simply moved over to Facebook and others.
Not nearly the skating discussion forum it once was.

I'm in Western NY, and started around the same time ~ 79 or so, but I was twice your age.

Your Hyde skates are a neat nostalgia project, but I'm all about the shiny new stuff. Lots of improvements over the years in the skating industry.

What part of Upstate still has a decent rink? Lost several in Buffalo and Rochester areas.

Cheers!

Hi, and thanks for the warm welcome! That is so sad about the forum's decline, but hopefully we can get it back to being the best place to discuss skating. Particularly sad about the passing of some of the veteran members. I was hoping not to find that out, but knew it was likely.

I'm in the Binghamton area, and Skate Estate in Vestal is still how it's always been for the most part, disco balls and blacklights and all. They did build an enclosed laser tag area in the center of the rink but so be it. Whatever it takes for them to be able to bring in birthday party bookings, I guess, since I suspect that's a big part of their income/ability to stay open. They do still also have the waterslides and minigolf outside as well, which I'm sure helps in the summer.

I don't care for the modern music they play, but every Tuesday night is adult night and then they play all 70s stuff which I like just fine, despite being an 80's kid myself. Then every Wednesday an Thursday night are $1 night, so I'm always there all 3 nights with my son. There's a handful of regulars there every time (a few of which I've spoken to, and they say they drive an hour or more each direction in order to be there, yet there they are several nights per week! Two are instructors from the Oneonta rink, they show up once in awhile and the gentleman offered to teach me to shuffle skate a couple of weeks ago - hope he comes back!). Sometimes there are only about a dozen people there, but sometimes there's probably 40-50. Those nights my son complains about it being "so crowded" and I laugh and tell him that he has no idea what a crowded rink is until they stop admitting people due to the number - HA! I recall not being able to skate past or around ANYONE back in the mid 80s, it was wall to wall people all moving as a single unit. There was no choice, because there was no room!

Sayre, PA also has Keystone Roller Rink that is open a few hours every Friday night and Saturday, but I've not been there yet. There is also Bonin Roller Dome in Rome, PA which also has very few/short hours a couple days a week (haven't been there in a decade), Interskate 88 in Oneonta (which I understand is probably the most populated rink within a few hours of me), and there's also one in Elmira that I'm going to check out in the next couple of weeks at some point, called Joycrest Skating Rink.

[NibblesMcGiblet]

Originally Posted by fierocious1

I believe there are a lot more people lurking in the background. It will be a while longer before postings go up much. Skaters gotta learn that the info gets lost quick on fb.

Right now reddit's sub-forum for quad skating, http://old.reddit.com/r/rollerskating/ has become quite popular but it's like shouting into a void. Everyone asks questions or shares stories but nobody has anything to say in return, yet tons of people "upvote" the threads to indicate that they are there and watching. I've come to be one of the most vocal people there, trying to answer questions and point people to good brands and reputable sites for info. I could very easily route people over here, but don't want to carelessly send a bunch of people here who will all post in the manner that kids do these days. Not sure how else to say it. It's easy to mess up a good community by inviting everyone to come and have a party while the parents are out of town, so to speak. I don't want to do that to SLF necessarily.

But I do think this is where the information is best.

As an example, I posted a thread on reddit to ask people what I should do about having a blister forming under my thick callus, and asked if any of them had ideas for helping me to not form this, or regarding WHY it formed. I told them that I felt it was my crossovers that I was learning, and perhaps the fact that I had worn cotton socks that day instead of my regular ones. (which I had already read on here might be the problem)

Well, gee, over on reddit I was told that I must immediately go see my doctor because that is a deep wound that requires medical attention, and that I was doing something irresponsible by even telling people that I might consider just waiting to see what happened as opposed to going to a doctor right away.

I found this absolutely ridiculous, and told them that I'd already been reading here on SLF about it, and that I was going to do no such thing for a BLISTER of all things! And asked them to just forget about giving advice on the blister, and perhaps just help me figure out what to do to avoid getting the blisters there in the future. (I had read here about using a walmart bag to provide slip without friction, for example, and thought maybe they'd have good ideas as well over there.)

Well, nope. All they did was say "go to a podiatrist".

So why have a discussion forum if nobody will discuss anything??

So I just left the blister alone, let it dry out and become part of the callus that was already there, and now it's just a thicker harder callus. Why take up a doctor's busy day for that and expose myself to all the germs in his office from sick kids?

psh. come on. doctor for a blister, what will they think of next.

[jotson]

You can find lots of reading here on blisters with several mindsets, some like the ezeefits, dual layer socks, or no socks at all. First thing to check is the boot fit.

I've lived in Buffalo my whole life, and think of Syracuse or Watertown when I think of Upstate. I guess none of us outside the City want to be associated with it

[NibblesMcGiblet]

Originally Posted by jotson

You can find lots of reading here on blisters with several mindsets, some like the ezeefits, dual layer socks, or no socks at all. First thing to check is the boot fit.

I've lived in Buffalo my whole life, and think of Syracuse or Watertown when I think of Upstate. I guess none of us outside the City want to be associated with it

I know, it's so weird how NY is referred to. I live on the PA border, which is most definitely the southern part of NY, so I would call it downstate but then people in the city are like "WHERE IN THE CITY DO YOU LIVE" haha. Of course Ithaca is central NY, but Binghamton is upstate NY, but Ithaca is further north/"upstate" than Binghamton... ?? Likewise, Binghamton is the hub of NY's "Southern Tier" yet it's UPstate??

So strange to me how it all works. But it is what it is *shrug*.

Now for even more controversial discussions, let me tell you how I feel about "hot pie" never meaning apple or cherry, the further downstate you go! (Not a fan of a pizza being called a pie. I've tried calling a hamburger a cake before, just to see how people like being fooled like that, but they never seem to understand my point just kidding)