How often to sharpen figure skates or hockey skates? Of course, it depends on amount of usage, weight of skaters, quality of knife, but also on style of ride too etc. Yet we will try to give you the basic information for sharpening of skates at least for recreational skaters without experience.
First it is needed to mention, that when you buy the skates, you must to get them to sharpen before the first use, ice skates are not sharpened from the production minimaly from the safety reasons at the transportation and mainly at trying them.
On the new knife it is needed to sharpen so called groove, the cutting of the bottom edge of knife in the shape of letter U, thanks to which will originate two sharp edges, which are cutting into the ice.
The groove can be also made after your requirement. More demanding active skaters solve also the depth of groove. More higher number, then the depth of groove is smaller (groove is more shallow). This groove prefer agile skaters, who are fast and often change the direction of ride.
On the contrary, deeper groove generally speaking is suitable for power skaters, who need to lean on ice more. Deep groove is often used by power or more heavy skaters.
The shape of groove is then of course much individual, everyone needs something else.
To each skater we recommend before they enter the ice to check the edges. If you see the damage of the edge, it is needed to adjust the knife. At the small damage it is ok to use abrasive stone. At the larger damage of knifes it is needed to re-sharpen the knifes on sander for that purpose.
Recreational skater
In general, if you use ice skates few times in the winter, it is ok to sharpen the skates one or two times a year. Of course, it depends on circumstances (weight, quality of material of knife etc.)
Amateur player
- Amateur skater, who is on ice 1-2 times a week should sharpen the knifes every 2-3 weeks. Again of course it is orientational recommendation, other requirements will have 100 kg weighting power skater and othe agile junior.
Halfprofessional
- More experienced player, who is training actively and regularly 3-5 times a week, should sharpen the skates cca once a 1-2 weeks.
And when to sharpen the ice skates?
- If the skates are new, let them sharpen before the first use.
- If you have torn edge, the groove or scratch on the edge of skate, it is needed to sharpen the skates with abrasive stone or sander.
- When the rust starts to appear on your knife, we recommend to sharpen the skates.
- When you step on solid surface (concrete, stones etc.). In this case often occurs damage or partial torn of edge and of course it is needed imediately to sharpen the skates.
