Het virtuele Schaatsenmuseum | Duitse hockeyschaatsen

German ice hockey skates

Fig.1: Hockey skates, 4th quarter 19th century These skates have a double functioning screw-clamp mechanism under the platforms. The mechanism is operated by turning a thumb screw at the rear end of the skates. By turning this screw the heel is fixe first lengthwise and then the forefoot is fixed athwart. Manufacturer: Eduard Engels, Remscheid, Germany Mark: Technical data: total length: 31 cm; platform: length x width x height: 26 x 8-10 x 4.2 cm; blade: height x width: 15 x 6 mm; weight: 540 g
	*Fig.2: Hockey skates, 4th quarter 19th century* The blades of these skates function as levers. By stepping on the platform heel and forefoot are clamped simultaneously. The correct positions of the clamping mechanism can be set in advance at home. Manufacturer: unknown Mark: none Technical data: total length: 30 cm; platform: length x width x height: 27 x 8-11 x 4.1 cm; blade: height x width: 15 x 6 mm, with gutter; weight: 585 g
	*Fig.3: Hockey skates, c. 1950*** At last the levers were banned and replaced by screws. Thus the clamping force could be increased but at a price: bringing too much pressure on the boot soles could ruin them. Also a special key was to be carried and should not be lost. Manufacturer: Polar-Werke, Remscheid, Germany Model: Diplomat Mark: Technical data: total length: 30 cm; platform: length x width x height: 27 x 8-11 x 4.1 cm; blade: height x width: 15 x 6 mm, with gutter; weight: 585 g

The German
metalworking industry
made already large
quantities of ice skates
in the middle of the 19th century.
Differently from what
was the case in the Netherlands the Germans made both
'wooden' and metal
ice skates.
This may be explained
by the circumstance that in Germany the blacksmiths much earlier scaled up to forgeries and metalworking factories.
Which, of course,
must be seen in connection with the agricultural background and the much smaller scale of the Dutch economy.
Anyway, the availability of specialized machinery stimulated the developments.

The first models of
all metal German ice skates (shown above)
still made use of straps
to fix them to the boots.
The straps for the forefoot were led through 'tunnels' under the platforms
(shown underneath).

For the heel strap
a slot was punched
in the blades.
The heel strap was tied
over the instep.

The photo also shows
that the heel is additionally fixed lengthwise
by means of a screw mechanism.
In the first quarter of
the 20th century this mechanism was replaced
by clamps
as shown at the left.

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