Sharpening Ice Skates

The blades of your ice skates become worn and dull with use, so it is recommended to have them sharpened periodically.

Ice Hockey Skates

Modern ice hockey skates feature radius grinding, ensuring that the contact area with the ice remains consistent at various angles when skating on the center half of the blade. This design maintains 1.25-1.75" of the blade in contact with the ice at all times.

The sharper your blades are, the better grip you will have, allowing for shorter stops and turns. However, sharper blades require more skill to control during stops or turns. A semi-sharp blade allows for some sliding when braking or turning, making the stop less abrupt and easier to control.

Figure Skates

The blade of a figure skate is longer, straighter, and made of higher-grade steel compared to ice hockey blades, so they don't need sharpening as often. However, the sharpness and precision of the hollow grinding are crucial for speed and maneuverability.

Grinding

Most skate arenas that offer skate rentals, as well as skate shops, can sharpen your skates for $4-8. Given the cost and risk of damaging the blade, it's usually not worth doing it yourself. However, we offer a grinding service at SkatePro.