If you feel a little bite to your nail as you drag it across the edge – the edge is sharp. If your fingernail ever feels like it slides across the edge smoothly (i.e. as if the edge were rounded and not sharp) – this is an indication that the edge might not be sharp enough to skate on with confidence.
How do you know if my skates are sharp?
A quick test for a sharp edge is to hold the skate upside down, place one thumbnail on the edge of the blade and gently pull down and away from the blade on three or four parts of the blade. A good, sharp blade will easily scrape a layer of your thumbnail, leaving the remnants on the blade.
How sharp Should my skates be?
Your hockey skates should be sharp enough to ensure the blades have bite and allow you to turn and stop with confidence. Sharp edges mean that the inside and outside edges of your skate blade are razor-thin, clean and without burrs or nicks.
What happens if skates aren’t sharp?
Without an edge, your skate blades will slide on the ice. This would make it difficult to skate or even stand on the ice at all. Some new skate blades also come with a thin layer of plastic coating that needs to be ground off during the sharpening.
Can skates be too sharp?
Extra sharp skates can slow a player down or make transitions difficult. Sharp skates result in a slower glide because the blades sink into the ice more. Skate blades are too sharp when the hollow (the curve between the inside and outside edges) is too deep.
Do beginners need sharp skates?
Skates need to be sharp even if the skater is young. Most often children’s skates require sharpening every 2 months depending on how much they skate. All skates should be sharpened to a grind radius of 5⁄8 inch (15 mm) or less.
How sharp are NHL players skates?
Hockey skate blades are sharp enough to cut someone when swung at high speeds but also dull enough that you could softly run your fingers across without even breaking the skin. In fact, it is common for skate sharpeners to use their finger to feel the edge of the blade to make sure the skates are properly sharpened.
What type of skates is best for beginners?
Inline skates are more commonly known as rollerblades, and have a single row of wheels down the middle of the skate. The arrangement of the wheels on quad skates gives them more stability, making them good for beginners who struggle with balance.
How long should you skate before sharpening?
Skates should typically be sharpened after 8-10 hours of use on an indoor rink. This timeframe shrinks when skating outdoors. If you find yourself struggling to skate smoothly or falling down doing a typical skill you’d be comfortable with it is a sign that you may need to get your blades checked.
What do dull skates feel like?
The dull edge feeling is described most often as a slipping feeling when you try to turn or hook a spin. If you go too long after dullness sets in you’re not getting the best performance for your practice time. Also, getting a set of fresh edges will feel weird and you’ll lose additional training time re-adjusting.
Can you sharpen skates at home?
Use a Hockey Skate Blade Sharpening Stone
If you can learn how to use a skate stone, you can properly sharpen your skates at home. Note that this isn’t so much a way of sharpening skates as it is a way to fine-tune things after you’ve made a couple passes on your blades using an appropriate machine.
Can you break in skates by just wearing them?
So as I previously mentioned, lacing up your skates and putting some hard guards on is a great way to get your skates a little more molded to your foot. Some skaters will swear by wearing damp socks under their skates (around the house) to break them in.
How many times can skates be sharpened?
There’s no real limit to how many times you can sharpen your skates. It’s very normal to sharpen them every 3-10 hours of skating. Elite players sharpen them after every 2nd or 3rd game. However the more you sharpen them, the quicker they’ll wear down over time—and blades typically last 5-8 years.
Can you skate with dull skates?
No one should ever skate on dull or unsharpened blades. Your skating edge will help you turn and maneuver, as well as keep your balance.
How do you break in freshly sharpened skates?
On ice, for the first hour or so, start with basic stroking and edges. Once those get a bit more secure, then add in your spins, after another few hours, you can start adding jumps. If needed, you can also leave the top notch undone to allow for more ankle bend.
Should toes touch end of skates?
Finding the Right Fit
There should be no slippage of your foot in the skate boots. The skate boot should fit snug, not loose not like your slippers you wear around your house, or your slip on shoes. Your toes should either barely touch the end of your boot or be almost touching.
Why do my skates chatter when I stop?
If a player’s skate chatters as the stop occurs, it means the player’s weight is too much on the heel of the skate! Weight will be applied equally on both skates with the feet shoulder width apart or slightly wider in the hockey stance position.
How often do NHL players sharpen skates?
A rule of thumb is for every 15 to 20 hours of ice time, but let’s go beyond the basics. The biggest factor is how often you skate, hence the rule of thumb based on ice time. It’s not unheard of for some players to sharpen their blades before every game, and others once or twice a year.
What cut should I get on my skates?
The 1/2″ radius would be our typical recommendation because it is the perfect blend of “glide” and “bite.” Some players opt for the 3/8″ cut, but you are definitely sacrificing some “glide,” which can in turn affect your overall speed on the ice.
Is 5/8 a good skate sharpening?
“What sharpening is standard?” ½ for player skates, 5/8 for goalie skates and figure skates.
How can I sharpen my skates by myself?
Tighten the blade brackets until the skates are securely in place and parallel to each other. Sit with the sharpening jig between your legs. Use a flat file to file the blade from toe to heel in a diagonal motion. Be sure the file is always perpendicular to the blade.