Dirty ice, dirty mats, screws in the door sills and boards, contact with bolts in the benches and other skate blades, rust, walking on concrete, etc. Outdoor ice can be very dirty or the dirt frozen into the surface makes the ice a strong abrasive. Blades which have been poorly sharpened often leave a weak or rolled edge that quickly breaks down leaving the skates dull. To protect your blades in your bag and while carrying them use SKATE GUARDS. They protect the blades, equipment and the skater when reaching into the hockey bag. NOTE: plastic skate guards are good, but the blade slot becomes impregnated with dirt and should be washed often.
How to tell if skates are dull?
You cannot see the edge of a sharpened blade so if there is a silver line along where edge should be it is damage. Skater falling or mentioning difficulty doing a skill/task.
How often to sharpen?
We suggest every 4-8 hours for hockey skates and 8-10 hours for figure skates especially if skater is struggling and/or falling doing a skill they could previously do earlier in the sharpening. In the interest of skater on ice safety, well maintained skates and blades will help to produce performance. When a skater is falling because of poor edges, they are not having fun.
Sharpening your hockey skates is an important part of playing a strong game. The blades on your hockey skates get dull over time. The more you use them, the more they get dull, making it harder to turn, generate speed, and stop on the ice.
If you see a reflection in the blade's edge under a bright light, you need to sharpen your skates. A light touch of the fingernail down the length of the blade can detect any nicks or defects and check its sharpness.
The most obvious is players may begin to fall more frequently than usual or their skates begin sliding on the ice instead of the edges biting into it. These signs are very apparent at the older age groups but can be tougher to spot for younger players. Parents can also hold the skate up and examine the blade.
No one should ever skate on dull or unsharpened blades. Your skating edge will help you turn and maneuver, as well as keep your balance. The second is that people with weak ankles cannot skate.
Generally skates should be sharpened every 20-40 skating hours. This depends on a few different factors such as how many times a week a skater is on the ice, which elements the skater is working on, and the build of the skater.
You'll know when to change the runners primarily by feel. Your skating will feel soft and wobbly and you won't turn as crisply, stop as quickly, or accelerate as cleanly as you're used to. Don't worry, it's not you—it's your skates. Or, more accurately, it's your skates telling you the runners need to be replaced.
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