You can't skate for long in hockey on stupid skates. If you want to play hockey, you will have to take care not only of your physical fitness, but also of the condition of your equipment. To perform maneuvers and glide easily and steadily, sharpened skate blades are required. There is no need to talk about the importance of this procedure. Professionals and amateurs of the game must understand that the result of a meeting with an opponent depends on every little detail.
From time to time you have to ask yourself this question, but here problems with understanding and choice arise. Where to go? How to sharpen? How to choose the right sharpening? Can you sharpen it at home like kitchen knives?
You should only go to sharpening specialists if you decide to take hockey seriously. But this article will help you understand the varieties.
Profiling hockey skate blades
Professionally made sharpening allows the skates to have maximum gliding and contact with the ice.
Blade preparation occurs in two stages:
- Profiling. They change the geometry of the blade to suit the individual characteristics of the hockey player.
- Hockey skate sharpening (gutter sharpening).
Basic concepts:
- Blade profile (profile radius) - the contour of the blade from toe to heel.
- The central top point on the blade. She takes on all the load when riding.
- An area or spot that touches the ice.
The platform is the main working part of the skate. Responsible for stability and speed. The greater the weight and height of the hockey player, the larger the size of the spot in contact with the ice.
The profile radius affects the player’s maneuverability, but if you increase it, you can worsen the stability of the skate on the ice. An athlete of great weight and height should have a larger profile radius. This will help the skate to better contact the surface.
Each player on the ice has his own task. Therefore, the profile of a defender is not suitable for a striker. For a hockey player, it is important to find a balance between agility and stability on the ice.
The factory parameters of the circuit, as a rule, are insufficient for normal movement of a hockey player during the game.
The standard pad size does not exceed 10 mm, and the rib sharpening radius is 13-15 feet.
There are three methods to increase the contact patch with ice:
- profile “Site”;
- single (classic, radius);
- combined (double, triple).
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- Choosing hockey skates for a child
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- Choosing a hockey puck
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Blade shape
First of all, when sharpening, it is important to determine the appropriate blade shape. Select the sharpening option itself and calculate its parameters.
The point of contact of the ridge looks like 2 parallel sharp edges with a special recess between them.
The edges are called pads or ribs, and they provide traction and allow you to stand and maneuver without too much trouble. Depending on the sharpening, the edges can be straight or rounded inside. They should also be the same on both sides, otherwise you will be skewed in one direction or the other.
The recess is called a groove or groove and serves to reduce friction. The deeper the gutter, the more water accumulates in it when rolling (it is the water layer that reduces friction). But it's important to remember that increasing depth = decreasing rib thickness, which makes it harder to balance.
Today there are 3 most popular sharpening options:
Standard (regular gutter). Semicircular gutter with a radius from 6 to 40 and planting depth depending on the preferences of the skate owner. The most common method, which has been proving its practicality for many years. Suitable for hockey and figure skates.
Channel-Z (Z sharpening). A modern European approach to sharpening that is unique by turning two grooves:
- External. Similar to the standard version, semicircular.
- Interior. An additional square channel that is placed in the middle of the outer gutter.
It has better performance compared to the standard approach, but is technologically more complex. With such sharpening, workshop equipment noticeably suffers, which makes it a less common and more expensive option. Suitable for experienced fans of both figure and hockey skates.
FBV. An old Canadian version that did not take root in Russia and Europe. The gutter has a trapezoidal channel, this creates rigid adhesion to ice and excellent stability. True, the price for comfort on ice is fragility and fragility, because trapezoidal walls are thinner and quickly wear out when in contact with a hard surface. Used primarily by professional hockey players.
Classic profile
The radius longitudinal profile is measured by the radius in feet. For example: 14″ designation means the radius of the profile template is 14 feet. Used for profiling the blades of hockey skates: children's, beginner hockey players and amateurs. Sharpening is done on machines according to factory patterns with a sharpening radius from 7″ to 30″.
The most popular single profile patterns for children's skates:
- 11″ - for small players with good skating skills;
- 15″ - for young beginners;
- 17″ - for beginner young players with a lot of weight.
How to choose hockey equipment for a child, read our articles
Skates Stick Helmet Hockey bag Puck
Combined profiling method
The blade of a hockey skate can be divided into three working zones: toe, middle, heel. Each zone is responsible for performing its own maneuver (turn, turn, slide).
The essence of the method. Each part of the blade has its own spot of contact with the ice. After profiling, a blade with a complex configuration is obtained. Sharpening is carried out only on specialized machines using templates. This method is popular among professional players.
Detroit Templates
A dual sharpening style for ice hockey skates like the Detroit 1 (10-20ft) provides the player with the most stability on the ice. At the same time, speed and maneuverability are slightly reduced.
For goalies, players who skate a lot with their backs forward, and heavy defensive players, the Detroit 2 (13-26 feet) is suitable.
Zuperior Templates
The triple type of sharpening is used to increase balance, speed, and maneuverability.
There are several Zuperior templates:
- S (6-12-26 ft) - skate blade size 24.6 cm; 25.4 cm; 26.3 cm;
- M (6-13-26 ft) - 27.2 cm; 28 cm; 28.8 cm;
- L (6-14-26 ft) -29.6 cm; 30.6 cm; 31.2 cm.
- V (6-17-26 feet) -29.6 cm; 30.6 cm; 31.2 cm - used for goalkeepers and heavy players.
All templates give athletes additional stability during the game, which does not affect speed.
Types of sharpening hockey skates
The convenience of play and the safety of the athlete depends on the correct sharpening of hockey skates. There are several standards that apply during the procedure.
The basic term is groove (gutter). You can often see names such as radius, notch, groove.
The sharpening radius (groove depth) is affected by:
- athlete's weight;
- hockey player's skating style;
- hockey player skill level.
The numbers in the table indicate the depth of the groove. In this case, the lower the value, the deeper the recess will be and the sharper the edges. More value means less depth of the groove, less sharpness of the edge.
Table of standard groove values for sharpening hockey skates of a forward
| Athlete's weight, kg | ||||||
| Athlete's level of training | 20-30 kg | 30-50 kg | 50-70 kg | 70-90 kg | 90-110 kg | 110 and above kg |
| Professional | 12-14 m1 | 13-16 mm | 14-17 mm | 15-20 mm | 17-25 mm | 20-30 mm |
| Amateur | 10-13 mm | 12-14 mm | 13-15 mm | 17-30 mm | 15-18 mm | 16-20 mm |
| Beginning | 9-12 mm | 10-12 mm | 11-12 mm | 12-13 mm | 13-15 mm | 14-16 mm |
Table of standard groove values for sharpening defender's hockey skates
| Athlete's weight, kg | ||||||
| Athlete's level of training | 20-30 kg | 30-50 kg | 50-70 kg | 70-90 kg | 90-110 kg | 110 and above kg |
| Professional | 11-13 mm | 12-14 mm | 13-15 mm | 14-17 mm | 15-20 mm | 18-25 mm |
| Amateur | 10-12 mm | 11-13 mm | 12-14 mm | 15-20 mm | 14-16 mm | 15-18 mm |
| Beginning | 9-12 mm | 10-12 mm | 11-12 mm | 12-13 mm | 13-15 mm | 14-16 mm |
You need to focus not only on the table, but also on the player’s personal preferences.
- For stable skating and with turns, you should choose a sharpening with a deep groove - from 9 to 14 mm.
- To increase the rolling speed, you will need to increase the groove size to 20 mm or more.
Main types of sharpening:
- Radius (standard sharpening).
- Channel-Z
- Flat Bottom V.
Sharpening figure skates
Here are some common mistakes made when sharpening by non-professionals:
- When sharpening in an artisanal way, the sides of the blades turn out to be unequal. As a result, when skating, a person loses his balance.
- Also, beginners who do not know how to sharpen figure skates incorrectly remove steel from various parts of the blades. For example, they remove a lot of steel in the toe area. The result is imbalance and lack of support for the blade on the ice.
Important! Also remember that the quality of the ride will deteriorate due to the incorrect radius of the groove. The unit of measurement for this value is inch. This value shows the recommended sharpening radius. The radius of the groove affects the correct sliding and comfort when exiting jumps. The radius of the gutter is selected individually for skaters.
Sharpening Channel-Z
A special feature of this type of sharpening is the presence of an additional notch in the middle of the standard groove. It is made in the form of a square.
Channel-Z has its own sequence of sizes. The depth can be 0.8-1.6 mm. The channel width is divided into 3 types - S, M, L.
Among the advantages noted:
- Increased maneuverability and riding speed.
- Reducing resistance.
- An additional recess collects ice crumbs that melt during the game. Melted water is an additional lubricant that ensures better gliding of the skate.
Among the minuses noted:
- High cost of the service.
- The process takes longer.
- Sharpening requires professional equipment (Sweden).
- Sharpening can only be done by a highly qualified specialist.
Sharpening "FBV"
For more than 25 years, a Canadian development, FBV, has been used to sharpen skates. In this case, the groove takes the shape of a trapezoid, which allows you to achieve a good efficiency when skating.
Flat Bottom “V” has a number of advantages:
- Rigid adhesion of the blade to the ice.
- Increased stability.
Among the disadvantages, athletes note the fragility of sharpening. Since the thin trapezoidal walls cannot withstand the load, roughness and chips appear.
How to tell if your skates are dull
Sharpening of hockey skates is required immediately after purchase and during use. There are several signs that ammunition has become dull:
- When starting to move, the skate slips.
- There is a feeling of stalling when turning.
- When you run the tip of your nail along the blade, there is no mark left on the nail plate.
Look at the outline from the front. Both edges must be of equal height and a groove must be visible. When turning at right angles, the blade profile has the shape of the letter P. If other parameters are observed during inspection, sharpening is necessary.
What properly sharpened skates look like
What do sharpened skates look like, and can you tell if they have been sharpened? Here's an easy way to check: Run your fingers along the blade - the edges should be sharp. Next, run the tip of your nail along both sides of the blades: scratches remaining on the nails are a sign that the skates have been sharpened correctly. Here's another way - if you look in profile, you can see that the surface of the blades on conventional models resembles a small groove with sharp edges. There should be uniform levels along the entire length of such ribs. Chipping on the edge is a sign of low-quality steel, so avoid purchasing such skates. To perform another test, put on your skates, stand on the ice and perform a side shift - your feet should not slide while doing this. Also perform a skating move - while making sure that your legs do not move apart.
Important! Don’t rush to sharpen your skates right away—it’s often enough to simply remove burrs using a diamond wheel.
Sharpening hockey skates at home
Blade sharpness is important for hockey skates. Because the speed and maneuverability of the player depends on the correct sharpening. When sharpening ammunition at home, you need to follow a number of rules that will help you avoid common mistakes.
Main mistakes and their consequences
| Error | Consequences of an error |
| The inner and outer sides of the blades are not symmetrical. | Leads to loss of balance. |
| A lot of steel has been removed from the toe and heel. | The skate is unbalanced and the balance is lost. |
| Blade overheating. | The durability of the metal decreases. |
| Blade profile and groove radius are damaged | Negatively affects the quality of skating. |
How to sharpen hockey skates
To properly sharpen skates, you can use the following equipment:
- Needle files or files are necessary for direct sharpening.
- An abrasive whetstone or a plastic slingshot - removes burrs after the first stage of processing.
You can sharpen the blade with a regular whetstone or on a sharpening machine. When using any of the listed items, it is important to follow the sharpening technology. The slightest deviation from the standards will lead to damage to sports equipment. It is best to trust a professional hockey skate sharpener.
The most common mistakes when sharpening skates
If you don’t want to rely on someone, you can sharpen the equipment yourself. It is not recommended to process the blade yourself if you have not had practice before. When sharpening, the following mistakes are often made:
- Different cutting edge heights. This problem causes imbalance in the skating rink. Only a specialist with the necessary measuring instruments can discern the difference.
- Large groove depth. With such an error, the player crashes harder into the ice surface and has to put a lot of effort into gaining speed. With high-quality groove processing, you can immediately get on the ice and skate, rather than unrolling your sports equipment for another week.
- The steel was removed incorrectly in different areas of the boot. If there is more steel removed on the toe or heel, then an imbalance will be felt and skating becomes dangerous. This mistake sometimes causes the blade to overheat, increasing the risk of warping and falling.
Useful tips
The frequency of sharpening skates depends on how actively the player skates. With regular training 4-5 times a week, sharpening should be done every 3 days. Professional athletes easily feel the need to sharpen their skating quality. Young hockey players should focus on the following nuances:
- Socks move apart on the ice.
- Burrs and roughness are visible on the edge.
- If you run a blade across the skin, it will leave scratches.
- Visually inspect the site.
On the bottom of the blade the layer of metal is 1-2 mm. When sharpening, the machine removes no more than 0.1 mm. After 20 sharpenings, the equipment becomes unsuitable for riding.
Another question that worries beginners is whether it is worth sharpening new ammunition. Ready-to-skate skates are only available from Reebok (T-blade model).
How difficult is it to sharpen skates?
We do not recommend sharpening your skates yourself unless you have experience and the proper tools. The main difficulty in sharpening is related to the design of the skate blade. Contrary to misconceptions, a skate blade is not made to look like a knife; instead, a number of parameters are combined to create an individual sharpening pattern. That is why, if you come to an experienced skater with new skates, he will ask a lot of strange questions like: “Where do you skate?”, “How much do you weigh?”, “How do you skate?”, “How many years have you been on the ice?” etc.
Instructions for operating skate sharpening machines
- Sharpmaster Profil is a machine for sharpening and profiling skates.
- Sharpmaster Golden Mean is a skate sharpening machine.
- SSM-2 - a machine for sharpening skates.
- Sparx ES100 + PS100 - a machine for sharpening skates.
- Prosharp is a machine for sharpening and profiling skates.
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