Ice skates worn for any purpose should be very sharp for a number of reasons. A fine blade provides better control, safety, and speed. Before wearing new hockey skates, used skates, or skates which have not been on the ice for several weeks, sharpen them well.

Frequency of Sharpening Hockey Skates

Keep note of how many hours you play hockey. After every ten to twenty hours, they need to be sharpened. If your skating practice is regular but infrequent — say once weekly — you might need to have them sharpened every couple of months. If your skates are slipping sideways, you definitely need to have them sharpened. The material used to make your skates also influences how often they need attention.

Causes of Blunt Hockey Skates

The weight, height, and skill of a skater influence how quickly the skate blades become dull. A small, light skater needs very sharp skates because she will not gain the same traction as a heavy skater. A sharp edge will give her greater control when performing moves such as turning, striding, and stopping.

An outdoor rink is more likely to contain particles of dirt, pebbles, and other items which blunt a blade simply because the ice freezes and thaws repeatedly. Skaters will often find they have to sharpen their skates frequently if they skate outdoors. If you skate on cold, hard ice, sharpened skates will do well.

Make Use of Skate Guards

With skate guards over the blades, skates could last longer without having to be sharpened. If you leave these on while walking over snow and cement to get to a rink, you will protect the blades. It is also important to dry blades between sessions so as to stop them from rusting.

The best way to sharpen blades is to go to a skilled professional. He knows how to preserve the metal while achieving a fine edge. Doing this at home could lead to damage unless you really know what you are doing. The cost of sharpening will be determined by where you go, how skilled a person is, and his equipment. You could pay anything up to $10, but as little as $5.

Sharpening your hockey skates will help you play hockey better, but it is only one aspect of becoming a better player. That is where HockeyOT can help.  We have customized online training programs aimed at instilling skills and becoming a healthier, more efficient hockey player.