A Guide to Sharpening Ice Hockey Skates

There are a lot of things you can do to maintain a competitive edge as a hockey player. You can practice your stickwork, get in a daily workout and make sure you eat right. In all the work that goes into gaining an edge on the ice, however, you shouldn’t ignore the literal edges of your skates. The sharpness of your blades is an essential element of your game and letting them go dull can have just as much of an impact on how well you perform as skipping practice or going for that third donut.

Skate blades need to be sharp to cut into the ice. This is what makes it possible for you to make quick turns, come to a full stop on a dime and get the burst of speed you need to catch up to the puck. Playing with dull blades means you lose crucial control, meaning you’ll probably be left eating ice shavings while your opponents get the breakaway. Knowing how to sharpen hockey skates is extremely important for being your best at gametime. If you want to ensure your game is literally on the cutting edge, you need to know what tips, tricks and tools result in the sharpest blades for your skates.

How Often You Should
Sharpen Your Skates

Ice is softer than steel, so you shouldn’t have to sharpen your skate blades very often, right? If that’s your attitude, just keep in mind that the Grand Canyon was carved out by a trickle of water. That’s an extreme example, of course, but it’s a lesson worth learning. Every time you hit the ice, the edges of your blades are worn down little by little. That adds up over a full season, meaning your skates will not be the same as when you first laced them up — even after a handful of games.

In general, the rule of thumb most players follow is to sharpen their blades after every 15 to 20 hours of ice time. Naturally, your mileage may vary. For instance, if you’re a light and nimble forward, you might not need to sharpen so often. On the other hand, big and bulky defensemen may need to sharpen more often because of the extra wear on their blades. Playing outside — where ice is generally colder, harder and contains debris — also puts more wear on your blades than playing on a carefully manicured indoor rink.

If you’re not sure what dull blades look or feel like, here are some of the warning signs to watch for:

• Blades that “chatter” on the ice
• Difficulty making quick turns
• Feeling like you’re being pulled to one side when skating
• Nicks or burrs you can feel when running a finger lightly along the blade

Professional Sharpening Equipment

Unlike a kitchen knife or other type of blade, sharpening skate blades doesn’t create a single edge. Looking at a cross-section of a hockey skate blade would reveal a shape more like an arch, with two points making contact with the ice and a hollow area in the middle. This means the equipment used to sharpen them is specialized. The sharpening wheel is selected to provide the desired hollow. The blade is moved along the wheel, which grinds away the dull metal to leave behind sharp edges. Professional skate sharpening equipment typically should only be used by people with experience, due to the skill required.

At Home vs. Professional Sharpening

Maybe dropping your skates off to be sharpened on a regular basis is kind of a hassle. Maybe you’re a micromanager who prefers to do things on your own. Maybe you’ve watched too much “Forged in Fire.” Whatever the reason, you may be wondering how to sharpen your hockey skates at home. There’s good news and bad news there. The good news is that it is possible, but the bad news is it’s not going to be easy.

To sharpen hockey skates at home, you’ll need a jig to hold the skate in place as well as a flat file for sharpening the edges and a needle file to shape the hollow. You’ll also need some lubricant to make sure the files glide as smoothly as possible over the blade. It takes a lot of practice and some trial-and-error to get the process down, but in time you may find you can get the perfect edge to your skates without professional help. For a lot of players, however, a professionally sharpened edge is worth having an extra item on their to-do lists.

If you do decide you want to take the plunge on at-home sharpening, however, you should be careful to avoid some of the most common mistakes:

• Leaving Edges Uneven — Having one edge longer than the other can lead to you feeling wobbly or slippery on the ice.
• Choosing Incorrect Hollows — Deeper hollows mean more bite, which is good for acceleration and getting grip when positioning in front of the net. A shallower hollow, on the other hand, allows for more speed when gliding and the ability to drift when getting ready for a one-timer. Think about your preferred style of play before making a decision.
• Improper Storage — Putting skates away carelessly after sharpening can lead to rust and dull edges. Make sure your blades are dry and protected when storing them.

The margin of victory on the ice can be as thin as the edge of a skate blade, so it’s critical that you know how to sharpen skates to keep yours in good condition. In addition to knowing the different ways to sharpen hockey skates, ProStockHockey.com is the best place to start. We have an extensive selection of pro stock hockey skates and goalie skates engineered to the highest specs in the industry. We’re also your complete source for fresh hockey skate laces to make sure you have the perfect fit all the time. If you have any questions or concerns about sharpening skates, or would like more guidance on suitable products, contact our team today!