How much does it cost on average to sharpen skates?
The cost of sharpening depends on the type of skates: figure skates - 250 rubles, hockey skates (Z-sharpening) - 700 rubles, goalkeeper skates - 250 rubles.
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Requirements for proper sharpening
To sharpen skates correctly, it is necessary to use a tool made of steel that is harder than the one from which the blades themselves are made. Only in this case will you get results that meet all the requirements:
- uniform thickness of the planes (ribs) of the blades on both sides;
- no burrs or chips on the surface;
- compliance with the depth of the groove, which is considered optimal depending on the type - for figure skates it should be “shallow” (56 mm), for hockey skates - about 20 mm, for running skates - up to 45 mm;
- not particularly “aggressive” sharpening in the toe and heel area (otherwise the risk of injury increases when moving backwards).
The main requirement when sharpening a blade yourself is to restore the configuration as close as possible to the original one . Those involved in this professionally have recently been more following the European style. After such sharpening, the friction force on the ice is reduced, and skating is faster, more maneuverable and of higher quality.
Uniform blade thickness on both sides
No burrs or chips
Maintaining groove depth
How to care for skates?
It is important to dry your skates after use to prevent rust:
After each practice, it is very important that the skater wipes the steel off the skate blades. They cannot be immediately put into a sports bag; it is important to wait until they are completely dry. Complete and high-quality drying of the steel will prevent erosion and premature destruction of the steel.
It is also advisable to take your skates out of your sports bag when you return home after skating. Such ventilation will help the skates dry completely and, as a result, prevent the appearance of odor and rust.
Also, for athletes who constantly travel, it is recommended to use a special breathable bag for their skates, which will extend the life of the blades. The bag allows air to penetrate to the skates and prevents moisture from accumulating. You can buy this type of skate guard on Amazon and the product has very good reviews. You can also read our article on the best blade covers to extend the life of your skates for further information.
Blade maintenance/replacement
Sharpening:
It is important to sharpen skate blades, like a knife blade, because without this they will perform their functions very poorly and poorly. If you look closely at the blade of a skate, you will realize that it is completely different from the blade of a knife. The blade of the skate consists of two sharp blades with a slight bend in the middle. This is done to ensure good balance for the skater.
Equipment and tools for sharpening
In order for the master to put your skates in order, he will need special equipment. Machines are divided into two types - automatic or manual. Automatic models allow you to place the boot vertically, with the blades themselves located at the bottom. The master only needs to mark the skate, insert the skate into the holder and adjust the diamond discs. Then the machine will do everything itself. For manual mechanisms, the skate lies on its side, its blade is directed into the structure, and removal of irregularities is possible only with direct control of the entire process by the master. In addition, a specialist must check the quality of the work performed, and, if necessary, manually fine-tune the blade. An abrasive stone coated with diamond, a polishing stone and a finishing stone will help him with this.
The craftsman will also need a diamond pencil, oil and wax for sharpening, measuring instruments and other accessories for manual and automatic work.
Do new skates need to be sharpened?
When purchasing a product, there is a misconception regarding their sharpness. The metal plates of ice accessories are sharpened at the factory, but the need for processing after purchase does not disappear. Many models have untreated blades that need to be properly sharpened. Therefore, the answer to the question of whether new skates need to be sharpened or not is simple.
There is an exception to the basic rule. Reebok produces models with T-Blade blades. They have small blades made of hardened steel. The durability of this metal keeps the metal sharp longer than other brands.
Is it possible to sharpen skates yourself?
Absolutely yes. Many people sharpen skates at home, for example, using a file or a grinding wheel. But this way you can only “sharpen” the blade, remove the jagged edges and make a standard semicircular groove at a shallow depth. And even more so, you won’t be able to profile skates without special skills and a machine.
Therefore, if you really love skating, but have no experience in caring for blades, then we recommend turning to professionals. Moreover, sharpening skates is inexpensive, for example, in our service you will pay only 300 rubles for the services of a master.
What can affect the quality of ice skating?
If your skates are even slightly damaged (and have at least one of the deviations mentioned above), then you urgently need to solve this problem. In some cases, skates must be completely replaced. Your new skates may feel uncomfortable at first, but after a few sharpenings and custom adjustments to your feet, you'll feel like you've had these skates your entire life.
What can happen if one blade is slightly sharper than the other (minimal difference in blade height)?
- Differences in blade length can throw off your balance.
- This body position will increase the load on the knees and hips.
- Many athletes who play professional hockey most often use Bauer skates. These skates allow for quick blade changes. This is why many athletes keep an extra pair of blades with them during very serious competition. After all, if the athlete had not protected himself in this way, then after damaging his skate, he would have had to sit on the bench for the rest of the game. And in the case of spare blades, they simply insert new ones in place of the old ones in a couple of seconds, and the athlete can safely continue the game. This quick blade change is accomplished using Light Speed Edge holders. This is a special skate holder.
But athletes who don't have access to TUUK Light Speed Edge holders can still replace their skate blade. But for this he will need 2 screwdrivers and a little more time. Unfortunately, only CCM and Bauer skates can perform a quick replacement. In all other cases, you will have to take your skates to a repair and sharpening center, which is often located in the skating rink building.
- Leg speed, mobility, overall body control and speed are usually greatly affected.
- Jumping requires full body control. After all, for them it is necessary to achieve a certain speed, which cannot be achieved provided that the length of the blades is different.
- Skaters working in pairs perform a large number of lifts and throws during ice dancing. In this sport, synchronized skating is simply necessary, which is simply impossible to do with the problem mentioned above.
- The unique elements used in ice dancing can cause body pain to even the most professional skaters if their blades are not the same length. So these tricks cannot be performed properly without perfect preparation including skates.
When should you sharpen your skate blades?
Most hockey players sharpen their skates on a strict schedule. They also do this before every game so their edge is always on point. But if you don't skate that much, then you can look at other factors to determine whether you should sharpen your blades now or not.
These factors include:
- You find it difficult to turn and brake
- Blades do not cut into ice well when needed
- You can also feel the blade for serrations by gently running your finger along it.
- Look at the blade from the front. If you see a groove (groove) and both ribs are not the same height, sharpening is required.
Another trick you can use is to run the tip of your nail along the edge of the blade. If the nail is cut a little, the blade is in perfect condition. But if this does not happen, then it’s time to sharpen them.
What types of skate blades are there?
Let's start with protection! There are two types of skate blade guards: hard and soft.
Hard blade covers
They are intended for young athletes who are just starting their journey on the ice. They allow athletes to run in skates on hard surfaces, for example, while running from a car to a skating rink on asphalt. Even in such conditions, with tight protection, the blades of your skates will not be damaged. The only drawback of such cases is that the blades are very susceptible to rust, while in soft cases there is no such problem.
Soft blade covers
Soft cases are a necessary part of any athlete's arsenal. The inside of the case easily absorbs any moisture accumulated on the blade and, as a result, prevents corrosion of the iron. Soft covers for blades significantly extend the service life of the skates themselves. But the big disadvantage of such covers is that after putting them on, the athlete must immediately take off his skates. After all, moving around in skates with soft covers on the blades will immediately ruin this very cover. But soft blade guards with a slotted bottom, like the Elite Pro-Skate Guard, allow the skater to ride on harder surfaces.
Checking and fine-tuning
To check the quality of sharpening, you need:
- Carefully inspect the resulting cutting edge. The edges must be symmetrical, without nicks, chips, or “height differences.”
- Use a strip of thin plastic or a cocktail straw to run along each side of the edge without changing the pressure. After this, there should be no noticeable scratches or dents left on the plastic.
- Place your skates on the floor. With high-quality sharpening, they stand straight, without tilting to the sides.
- Go to the skating rink and evaluate the quality of the rental. The blades should not slip when pushing off.
If there are any shortcomings, fine-tuning is carried out. The remaining burrs from the blade are removed with a sharpening stone, a file, or sandpaper with fine abrasive particles. Then the surface is polished with a rag.
If possible, it is better to ask for an “expert opinion.” It can be given not only by skate sharpening professionals, but also by knife sharpeners. The inspection will take a maximum of a couple of minutes. Payment for it is nominal or not required at all.
So why do we need to sharpen blades?
Proper sharpening of hockey skates significantly affects the quality of your performance on the ice. With well-sharpened blades, you will be able to make all turns, brake easily and perform other elements with ease.
Sharp skate blades will make your life on the ice much easier than poorly sharpened blades. However, it is very easy to sharpen blades incorrectly, especially if you do not do it with enough concentration. And it’s quite easy to ruin everything, especially if you’ve never done it before. But before you immediately jump into practice, read about how to do it correctly and watch educational videos.
What can damage skate blades?
Lack of metal microparticles (fragments):
As a rule, most often this is due to the fact that a person stepped on concrete or metal while wearing skates.
Cracks:
Moreover, during a hockey game, the blade can crack quite easily. This can happen even during warm-up, for example, if the athlete does not push the puck away with his skate very well or if the stick hits the weakest points of the blade. But even with a cracked blade, the athlete can still continue playing with ease. In this case, the risk of falling does not increase.
Stitching:
This can be caused by not caring for your skates and their blades for a long time. Usually the steel is ground off on old skates or poor quality skates. Skates need to be sharpened after 6-8 hours of ice skating. Professional athletes sharpen their skates every week or at least once a month. But it all depends on you and your preferences. Only sharpening the blades will allow you to delay the grinding of the blades.
Corrosion:
This is caused by residual water on the blades of the skates and the fact that the athlete does not properly dry (wipe) the blades before putting them in the case. You should leave them to dry after each ice ride and try to prevent condensation. This can happen due to the fact that the blade is cold after icing and is placed in a case. You need to wipe the blade until dry with microfiber, and then put the blade in a soft case, which also slightly collects condensation from the blades.
Deflections:
The main reason for sagging is poor blade sharpening technique. This can happen when the clamp is pressed too tightly against the skate. All this can very seriously affect the quality of ice skating.
Basic mistakes
Regardless of what types of skate sharpening are used, mistakes are possible for beginners. The most typical is to assume that blades need to be processed in the same way as knives. If you leave only one cutting edge, your balancing suffers greatly; it is impossible to maintain balance and stability on such skates, because there is practically no grip on the ice.
If there are two cutting edges, they cannot be reduced to almost zero. The principle “the sharper the better” only works for kitchen knives. In addition to balancing issues, these blades are very easy to cut or injure someone else.
Doing the opposite, leaving the blade flat, is also wrong. Such sharpening is done extremely rarely, only for those who professionally engage in extreme skating. Mastering a special technique is required, otherwise serious injuries are almost inevitable.
Other typical mistakes when sharpening skates yourself:
- asymmetry of the outer and inner sides of the blade;
- concentration on individual areas (beginners often remove too much steel from the toe and heel);
- incorrect groove profile or radius, different rib heights.
For the first time, professional skate sharpening is recommended. A specialist with the necessary equipment can be found at a skating rink or ice arena. Often this service is provided immediately when purchasing shoes. After this, it is quite possible to maintain the given configuration on your own without making mistakes.
It is necessary to sharpen skates, whether they are figure skates, cross-country skates or hockey skates, regularly. Safety, convenience, riding comfort, as well as sports performance depend on the condition of the blades. There is nothing particularly difficult about sharpening them; you can do it yourself if you purchase the necessary tools. Of course, this takes practice. The quality of your own work should be checked and errors corrected if necessary.
How often to sharpen
This question is quite interesting and depends on what purpose you use your skates for. If we talk about professional athletes, then this parameter is also slightly different for them. If athletes train 4 times a week, then it is necessary to sharpen the blade at least 2 times in 7 days. If you use skates for your own personal purposes, then there will be slightly different parameters.
In order to understand that skates need to be sharpened, you need to know how to determine the unsuitability of the blades. First of all, skates with unsuitable blades are moving apart on the ice. Secondly, this can be seen visually; chips and rust will appear on the blades. Therefore, in this parameter it is necessary to rely only on the wear of the skates, as well as on the sensations of the skater himself.
Do I need to sharpen new equipment?
Most often, manufacturers make skate blades that need modification. This is done so that a person can customize them for himself. However, there are also models that are intended for certain categories of athletes, and come with already sharpened blades.
What sharpened skates look like
Sometimes it is very difficult to visually understand whether the skates are actually sharpened and whether they are sharpened correctly. There are several definitions for this. To do this, try running your finger gently along the blade. If you feel any chips or nicks, your skates need to be sharpened. You can also gently run your fingernails along the blade; if scratches remain, it has been sharpened. And of course, one of the most important ways is to determine visually.
