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Skate Sharpening

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Skate Sharpening

 How do you know when it’s time to sharpen the skates?

Any time you buy a new skate--have it sharpened immediately.  The factory puts a basic edge on the blade, but it is not meant to be used on the ice. It is kept dull so that it does not cut anyone.   It's also a good idea to have the rental skates sharpened.  
 
Skates become dull from skating on hard ice surfaces, walking on unclean surfaces, or stepping on cement. Players should never walk on anything but the protected rubber matting at the rink and the ice. Normally, skates should be sharpened about every 4-6 hours of use or if nicks can be seen on the edges of the blade.

 

Sharpening Terms...

 

Hollow: refers to the curve on the bottom of the blade that creates your four edges that results from skate sharpening. It determines how much edge you have and how pronounced your edges are. The hollow radius refers to the exact size of the grind. The radius size varies depending on the skill and size of a player, as well as the temperature of the ice he or she skates on. A shallow radius means that you have less edge, but typically more control and speed.

Glide Surface:The 20-60 mm of the blade that is actually in contact with the ice most of the time. It should be centered properly according to a skater’s center of gravity and skating style.

Profiling: The process that determines the length of the glide surface. Because only a small area of the blade is treated, a skater can get a longer life out of their blade than he might with traditional rockering.

Rocker: an outdated practice that shapes of the blade from front to back.  The length of a “rocker” means that the blade will fit the arc of a circle that large. Profiling is a much more precise and sophisticated way of determining blade shape.

 

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