FAQ: Why Do Ice Skates Have Sharp Blades?

Why do ice skates need to be sharpened?

While skating (figure or other), you need to have edges to help you turn and more. When you sharpen skates, you sharpen your edges, which dull the more you skate due to use. Also, dull skates can slide out from under you and you can get hurt more easily.

Are sharper ice skates better?

Given two pair of skates that have been freshly sharpened, the skates with the deeper hollow will be sharper. You can actually feel the difference as you run your fingers (carefully and perpendicularly) across the blades.

Are ice skates sharp when you buy them?

New hockey skates do not come sharpened. The bottoms of blades on new skates are flatter and rounded, so they need a hollow groove cut into them before they should be used. A trained sharpener with proper equipment will give the blades on new skates the edges needed to perform effectively on the ice.

Can I skate on Unsharpened skates?

Some people believe that a beginner skater should skate with dull blades. While on the other hand, others believe it is dangerous for the novice to do skating drills with an unsharpened blade. The suggestion is for you to have a skate that will grab the snow; unsharpened skate will not do that.

Can I skate with dull blades?

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. Keep them sharp — but not too sharp: A sharp blade grabs the ice better than a dull one. Sharpen your blades when they start to slide uncomfortably when you land.

What should I sharpen my skates at?

You can get your skates sharpened anywhere from 1/8th of an inch to one inch. 1/8th would be the sharpest, and one inch would be the least sharp. The majority of pros use something with a shallower hollow, but preference does widely vary.

How can I sharpen my skates without a machine?

Use your flat file and begin at the toe or heel and move it across the blade in a diagonal motion. The file should always remain perpendicular to the blade when sharpening. Run the flat file across a blade in one direction 15 to 20 times and then repeat in the opposite direction. Do the same for the other skate.

What happens if you don’t sharpen skates?

When Skates are Not Sharp The edges on the blade will ’round’ away from the hollow due to the weight your body places on them, and due to the friction that is generate with the ice. This ’rounded’ results int he skates not being able to bite into the ice as well as they could when they were first sharpened.

Are pre-sharpened skates good?

Some Ice Skates Come Sharpened Good ice skates that fit your feet should always be your goal when buying them, but sometimes they are no good out of the box, but not because they are dull. Most ice skates do come pre-sharpened from the factory.

Can you skate with brand new skates?

YES and YES. Brand new skates are never sharpened. DO NOT go on the ice with them. Brand new skates are also very stiff, and poorly form-fitted to your feet.

Do skates need to be sharpened after buying?

How Often Do I Need to Get My Skates Sharpened? Frequency of blade sharpening is up to player preference and how often you are on the ice. Some players might want them sharpened after every game, but other players might get them sharpened once every three months. A general rule of thumb is every 12 hours of use.

How can I sharpen my skates without a sharpener?

Use your flat file and begin at the toe or heel and move it across the blade in a diagonal motion. The file should always remain perpendicular to the blade when sharpening. Run the flat file across a blade in one direction 15 to 20 times and then repeat in the opposite direction. Do the same for the other skate.