Sharpening your skates means grinding the steel blade to get a better grip on the ice. The sharpening determines how easily you can accelerate, brake, and turn. A freshly sharpened skate simply gives you better grip, allowing you to skate faster and feel more confident in turns. The sharpening is adapted to the player’s weight, age, and preferences – an adult doesn't need as deep a hollow as a child, as their higher body weight provides natural pressure on the ice.

How Do You Sharpen Skates? Skates are sharpened using a machine that secures the skate and gives the blade the correct shape. Sharpening should therefore always be done by a knowledgeable person, often at a sporting goods store or by your team's equipment manager. Incorrect sharpening can negatively affect both grip and balance, so it’s not something you should do yourself without the right equipment and experience.

What Is Blade Profile and Profiling? Profiling is about how the blade is shaped lengthwise. A skate blade is never completely straight; it's ground according to a template that determines the length of the on-ice contact surface. For beginners and children, a standard profile (single radius) is usually sufficient, as it provides good balance. More experienced players can choose custom profiles or combination radii that affect how the skate performs in different skating stances and positions on the ice.

What Are Profiling and Radius of Hollow? Profiling and radius of hollow are the fundamental grind that gives the blade its shape based on a template with a specific radius. This ensures that the skating surface – the part of the steel that touches the ice – is even in both a forward-leaning and backward-leaning stance. For elite or experienced players, templates with multiple radii (combination radii) are often used to provide different characteristics depending on how you shift your weight on the skates.

For children, a simple single radius profile is best to provide as much balance as possible during skating lessons or youth hockey.

What Radius of Hollow Should I Choose When Sharpening My Skates? The "hollow" refers to how deeply the steel is ground in a cross-section. A deeper hollow provides sharper edges with better grip, while a flatter hollow provides better glide but slightly less bite. Consider age, weight, and what you prefer:

• Lighter players or children often need a deeper hollow to get a good grip.
• Heavier players get the same grip with a flatter hollow due to the increased pressure on the ice.

A good all-around choice is to combine the right blade profile with a balanced hollow for both good grip and good glide.

How Often Should I Sharpen My Skates? In youth hockey, skates are often sharpened once a week, preferably before a game. In addition to sharpening, you should always use skate guards off the ice so you don't damage the steel. So, it depends on how often you play and how important grip is to you.

Does Sharpening Affect Children and Youth Differently? Yes, for children and youth who are learning to skate, the right profile and hollow are important for balance. A standard single radius profile provides a wide contact area and stability, which helps them develop their technique. Prematurely advanced profiles or a too-flat hollow can make it harder to find balance.

What Impact Does Sharpening Have on Amateur Players? For adult recreational players, it’s mostly about feel. The right sharpening makes you feel more secure on the ice, gives you better braking, and makes turns easier. If you sharpen too infrequently, the blades will become dull, and you will lose grip. If you sharpen too deep, you might get too much grip and less speed. Experiment and talk to your sharpener; they can often guide you to the right combination of hollow and profile.

What Impact Does Sharpening Have on Elite or Professional Players? For pros and elite players, sharpening is a matter of precision. They choose their blade profile and hollow based on their position, playing style, and the condition of the ice. Many forwards want maximum grip for sharp turns, while defensemen sometimes prioritize glide to get back on defense. Small adjustments to the hollow or profile can make a big difference in turns and acceleration.