Skate Sharpening Info

The skate is probably the most important part of a hockey player's equipment. Not only is the model & fit important, but the skate sharpen is even more critical.

On a regular basis, we will ask players what type of sharpen they would like on their skates, and many do not know there are different ways to sharpen. Some even say they have never been asked this question before.

Over the last 1 1/2 years of our business, we have put out many articles and information regarding skate sharpening. You can view our past newsletters online by following this link http://www.alienhockey.com/NewsEvents.htm

Also, there was a show done on Discovery regarding the science of skate sharpening. It talks about profile, radius of hollow & levelness. Watch this video by following this link.
http://www.alienhockey.com/video.htm

Lastly, we created a "Guide to Determining Your Hollow". Although this is not an exact science, it helps you understand the factors that go into a skate hollow.
http://www.alienhockey.com/HollowGuide.pdf

Our most frequent answer for just about every question we are asked is "Its a personal preference." There is no right or wrong in equipment brand, skate model or skate hollow. Look at this article to see how even the pros are different in their preferences.
http://www.blademaster.ca/Skate_Sharpening_Tips.pdf
You have guys like Mark Messier skating on a 1" hollow and still are able to hold an edge.

Take time to educate yourself with all the information available and more importantly, try a variety of hollows. You won't know what you like unless you can compare different types.

I asked Chris Conner of the Iowa Stars what size hollow he uses at the Stars Development Camp. He is one of the smallest players in the AHL, yet probably the fastest in the entire league. He uses a 3/4 hollow. Too often we hear players wanting that "deep" bite or edge. This bite or edge can come from grinding a deeper hollow, but can also come from a shallow hollow and rolling the ankle more and really digging in your edge. Keep in mind that although a deep hollow will automatically "bite" more, it also causes more friction and requires more work to get going which can cause you to get tired faster.

Many factors to consider when sharpening your skates. Stop by and ask us if you would like some more guidance as to what to try.