There’s nothing like that bite and rip of fresh edges on ice!
But when that grip starts to fade how can you tell that your blades are ready for sharpening?
Did you know there are 3 kinds of wear that can affect your skating?
In this post those are exactly the questions we’re going to address. Read through and you’ll be able to assess figure skate edges like a pro!
What Are You Looking For?
Edges in Good Condition
When your figure skates are freshly sharpened there are several qualities that make them feel good to skate on.
Smooth edges that are even and filed to a point— well, two points and a U-shaped hollow in between
The edges have grip or “bite” on both sides of the blade
No rust, residue, or gunk from guards in the hollow of the blade or the sides of the edges
Edges That Need Help
When your figure skate blades show the opposite of any of these characteristics, that’s when it’s time to schedule a sharpening appointment!
Edges have nicks and are no longer smooth
The grip has dulled down and will slip on the ice
The blade hollow has rust, or gunk from guards or the rink floor that will affect the glide
How Can You Tell?
First, visually!
Look and assess the blade condition to see any obvious signs of wear and maintenance necessity. Are there reflective marks or nicks on the edges? Can you see rust in the hollow or on the sides of the edges? Is the guard gunk building up in the hollow?
Any of these are indications that the blades don’t interact with the ice well.
Next, feel the edges!
Use the pad of your fingertip or your fingernail and GENTLY feel down the length of both edges. At a 45 degree angle to the edge, slide up and down the outside and inside edge a couple times. Don’t press! Are there any rough spots that you may not have seen? Any areas that catch your finger or fingernail? These areas are also where edges aren’t interacting with the ice well.
Lastly, feel the grip!
Using the pad of your fingertip or your thumb, GENTLY brush back and forth down the hollow of the skate across the edges. You will be moving down the length of the blade, brushing perpendicular to the blade. Pass down the length from toepick to heel, and then back up a couple of times.
Do the edges on both sides tug at the ridges of your fingerprint? Do you feel the slight scraping, or are the edges just letting your finger slide over the sides? Grip is important for footwork, jump takeoffs and landings, and stopping, but skater preference varies.
Regular Maintenance Is The Best Maintenance
Now that you know how to assess edges, how many nicks is too many? How dull is too dull?
The areas of the blade to focus on are the rocker and the midsection. These points are where most skating occurs. That’s not to say nicks on the heel aren’t problematic, but if your skater has chewed up heels and you can’t get them sharpened right away they’ll be okay.
The most important aspect is getting the blades taken care of before they get overly nicked up or overly dull.
Some skaters prefer their edges to have maximum bite all the time.
Others would rather they never got their skates sharpened and will happily skate on the dullest edges for weeks. If this is your skater please ask us about adjusting your hollow! Skating on nicks and dull edges because you’re anxious about the fresh bite of fresh edges isn’t good for your skills OR your blades. We can adjust how much bite you feel so you won’t dread that first session.
Most skaters can get 20-40 skating hours between sharpenings. We always recommend tracking your skating time and seeing what range of hours works best for you!
We also made this video of Claire checking some edges before getting them ready for skating! If you’re more of a visual learner, or if you want to see how to do the brushing over the edges part, please watch this.
As always, any questions about your edges, your sharpening schedule, or your hollow we are happy to answer! Please get in touch and your friendly neighborhood skate shop is at your service. You can also schedule sharpening appointments while you wait right on our calendar!
The Skater’s Edge is Buffalo and Western New York’s figure skating boutique and service center. We've been living the skating lifestyle since 1998 and now we fit skaters for ice skates, competitive figure skates, and take care of skate sharpening for all levels of skating. The skate shop carries Riedell, Jackson, and Edea skates, as well as skating apparel and accessories. With technicians trained by a master sharpener of over 30 years, trust The Skater’s Edge with your next figure skate fitting, figure skate sharpening, hockey skate sharpening or hockey skate repair, as well as shaping your hockey blade radius or profiling.