Question on skate hollow

[predfan24]

So here is the situation, About a month ago I got a pair of skates from the Predators equipment sale. The first time I used them I could tell they felt different. Once I got used to it it felt great. I had to sharpen them today because my left skate was beyond dull. I knew when I sharpened them it was gonna change and alas when I played my game tonight it felt much different. It's hard to explain but before I sharpened them I felt liek I was gripping the ice better and was moving better laterally. Also when I stop it made a different noise. It's hard to explain the noise but I would say it sounded more like the sound you hear when a person wearing T-blades stops. Anybody have any ideas what hollow I was using?

Click to read more...

 

[OilerNut*]

Maybe you can send an email to the team equipment manager and ask what player had the skate and what hollow he uses?

 

[Gino 14]

Find out what radius hollow they were last cut at and then go to a smaller radius hollow. You should have talked to the guy who ground your skates and had him look, I'm sure if he was any good, he'd have seen the difference and could have come close.

 

[predfan24]

Find out what radius hollow they were last cut at and then go to a smaller radius hollow. You should have talked to the guy who ground your skates and had him look, I'm sure if he was any good, he'd have seen the difference and could have come close.

Yeah, I think that was the problem. The place where I got them sharpened I was actually surprised that they sharpened skates. I wouldnt call them a trusted source for sharpening skates. Unfortunately the LHS at my local rink was closed yesterday and I HAD to get them sharpened cause my left skate's outside edge was completely gone. Anyways I appreciate the help

 

[Headcoach]

Find out what radius hollow they were last cut at and then go to a smaller radius hollow. You should have talked to the guy who ground your skates and had him look, I'm sure if he was any good, he'd have seen the difference and could have come close.

I agree! If you have a 1/4 hollow on a blade and you get the skate and the customer asks for a 1/2 or 3/4 hollow, once you place the stone on the skates, you will see the high end of the outer edges get nicked off on both edges of the blade.

This is an indicator that the skate has a deeper hollow then the one that I am about to put on.

At that time, it's allows important to ask the buyer if he or she wants it changed.

At our rink, we place a 1/4 to 3/8 hollow on all skates. The odds are really good, is that you had a 1/4 hollow on the pro skate, before you got it changed

Head coach

 

[AHF]

At our rink, we place a 1/4 to 3/8 hollow on all skates.

Damn. 1/4 is friggin sharp!

Our standard is 3/8 which I still find too sharp. I skate on 1/2 myself.

To the OP, go back to the store and ask them what their standard hollow is, and work from there. Tell 'em they were too sharp last time, and they should be able to work with you.

 

[vivianmb]

to the OP what hollow do you like?
get the skates ground flat and then start from there.
....and 1/4 inch is ridiculous. especially on most nhl ice. if you keep your skates sharp you could stay at around 5/8-3/4 inch and not lose any power.

 

[predfan24]

Thanks for all the input guys. I'm gonna take them to my local LHS next week and see if I can work with them. From what it sounds like I want to go either 5/8 or 1/4. Honestly I have no idea what I was skating on. It took me awhile to get used to it but once I did I loved it and honestly could tell a HUGE difference last night when I was skating. I was always the guy who just took his skates to get sharpened the "regular" way. I didnt realize it could make such a big difference. Thanks again guys

 

[We'reGonnaWin*]

I agree! If you have a 1/4 hollow on a blade and you get the skate and the customer asks for a 1/2 or 3/4 hollow, once you place the stone on the skates, you will see the high end of the outer edges get nicked off on both edges of the blade.

This is an indicator that the skate has a deeper hollow then the one that I am about to put on.

At that time, it's allows important to ask the buyer if he or she wants it changed.

At our rink, we place a 1/4 to 3/8 hollow on all skates. The odds are really good, is that you had a 1/4 hollow on the pro skate, before you got it changed

Head coach

Maybe for goalie skates? Why would the pros need so much edge when they're such great skaters? Messier used a full 1" hollow himself.

 

[AHF]

Thanks for all the input guys. I'm gonna take them to my local LHS next week and see if I can work with them. From what it sounds like I want to go either 5/8 or 1/4. Honestly I have no idea what I was skating on. It took me awhile to get used to it but once I did I loved it and honestly could tell a HUGE difference last night when I was skating. I was always the guy who just took his skates to get sharpened the "regular" way. I didnt realize it could make such a big difference. Thanks again guys

Oh, so you liked it? I was under the impression that you didn't like it. My bad.

There's a massive difference between 1/4 and 5/8 though. If you liked how it 'bit' the ice, you don't want 5/8.

Here's a guideline:

1/4 - Very Deep Cut - Really digs/bites in the ice
5/16 -
3/8 -
7/16 -
1/2 -
9/16 -
5/8 -
11/16 -
3/4 -
7/8 -
1 - Very shallow/flat cut - Glides on the ice, as opposed to digging

Generally speaking, smaller players like a deep cut, and heavier/taller players like a shallower cut. Like I said though, that's just generally...there is exceptions; Paul Coffey, who isn't a big guy, skated on a 1'' hollow.

 

[We'reGonnaWin*]

I'm of the opinion that you should move to a shallower and shallower hollow so that you really force yourself to "learn" your edges. Skating on anything deeper than 5/8 feels like railroad tracks to me.

 

[Headcoach]

Maybe for goalie skates? Why would the pros need so much edge when they're such great skaters? Messier used a full 1" hollow himself.

Well, for a goalie skate, you would want to use about a 1" hollow. This type of cut allows goalies to make that side step shuffle much easier.

As pro skates, the original poster said that he was able to manuver better with the edge that was on after he bought it from the Predators equipment sale.

Hum sarcasm maybe it might have had more than a 3/8 considering most rinks put on a 3/8 to 5/8 range. It might have been a 3/8. But we will never know now...will we.

Head coach

 

[MikeD]

Remember that the skate isnt any "sharper" in relationship to the hollow. It has more bite into the ice. The larger the measure of the hollow the less bite it has into the ice. Because f hte steeper angle and greater space found in the smaller ROH grind, it will sink deeper into the ice. As HeadCoach mentions, the larger radius makes the shuffle easier but it provides less bite for explosive lateral moves or drives into a butterfly slide. Your average goalie will be using a 1/2" ROH.

Some goalies are also adding a radius to the profile of their blades rather than flat. The average is between a 28 and 20 foot radius. Other goalies will use two different Hollows on one blade. The heel and toe of the blade will have a much smaller ROH to provide added bite for toe stops and heel push from a down position. Some places call this a TRI-GRIND. Seen more in the swiss and finnish elite league goalies.

As a general rule, when adjusting your ROH, start at a MAX value and work down into a progressively smaller ROH in 1/8" increments until you DONT like it. Going from small to larger ROH grinds away much more blade! Move back up to the last you liked. Your weight, ice temps and such all impact the grind performance. Do not assume that a loss of control on a new grind means its just the hollow. You have to inspect your grind. Even edges, placement of the center of your rocker and ROH have significant impact when there is a change. Some of the change you notice from this grind may be more than just an ROH change.

Speed increases with an increased ROH. Bite for cutting, stopping would come from a reduced ROH. Your choice will depend on what role you play for your team and what your strengths are.

 

[mnhockey28]

ya i would guess that you had a 1/4 hollow too

 

[We'reGonnaWin*]

Anyone that weighs triple digits in lbs should be wary of breaking their ankles skating on 1/4" hollows.

 

[Heat McManus]

Anyone that weighs triple digits in lbs should be wary of breaking their ankles skating on 1/4" hollows.

I had a mom come in with a pair of skates for her son and ask for 1/8". I asked her to call her son to be absolutely sure that's what he wanted. He did. The skates were size 8 or 9. I asked where he played and she mentioned one of the New England prep schools.

It can be done, but I wouldn't recommend somebody going straight to 1/4" hollow. If you like a deeper bite and you're used to 3/8", I'd work my way deeper and deeper rather than jumping to 1/4"

 

[AHF]

I had a mom come in with a pair of skates for her son and ask for 1/8".

Yikes.

The sharpest I've sharpened a skate is 1/4, so you'd get an awfully weird look from me if you were to ask for 1/8.

 

[Heat McManus]

Yikes.

The sharpest I've sharpened a skate is 1/4, so you'd get an awfully weird look from me if you were to ask for 1/8.

Yeah, it took me a while to do those bad boys.

 

[We'reGonnaWin*]

I had a mom come in with a pair of skates for her son and ask for 1/8". I asked her to call her son to be absolutely sure that's what he wanted. He did. The skates were size 8 or 9. I asked where he played and she mentioned one of the New England prep schools.

It can be done, but I wouldn't recommend somebody going straight to 1/4" hollow. If you like a deeper bite and you're used to 3/8", I'd work my way deeper and deeper rather than jumping to 1/4"

Midget with clown feet?

 

[Heat McManus]

Midget with clown feet?

that would have been fricking amazing.

 

[MikeD]

I had a mom come in with a pair of skates for her son and ask for 1/8".QUOTE]

Cant be done on a goalie blade. None that I know of are that thin....lol You couldnt hit both edges at the same time.

 

[Heat McManus]

I had a mom come in with a pair of skates for her son and ask for 1/8".QUOTE]

Cant be done on a goalie blade. None that I know of are that thin....lol You couldnt hit both edges at the same time.

It was a player skate. I've done 5/16 on a goalie skate. THat's the deepest so far I've done.

 

[Sm0otHocKeySPeeD]

Messier used a full 1" hollow himself.

I had the honor of sharpening Mess' skates (1") as well as Glenn Anderson (1" and a 1/4) and Mogilny (can't remember cuz he was an *******)

I thought I'd try it, you know?......to be pro Lmao. Being 5' 11" and 150lbs, I couldn't keep my skates into the ice on sharp turns. Had to go back to my 5/8

To the OP...how did it turn out?? I'm curious to see what they said

-Brian

 

[Heat McManus]

I had the honor of sharpening Mess' skates (1") as well as Glenn Anderson (1" and a 1/4) and Mogilny (can't remember cuz he was an *******)

I thought I'd try it, you know?......to be pro Lmao. Being 5' 11" and 150lbs, I couldn't keep my skates into the ice on sharp turns. Had to go back to my 5/8

To the OP...how did it turn out?? I'm curious to see what they said

-Brian

Coffey skated on a 2" ROH at on point (as per one of his equipment managers)

 

[karnige]

I usually sharpen at a 1/2 unless people want sharper because then they can go from there. 1/4? I have never ever ever done it that sharp before damn.

Most goalie skates I sharpen at 5/8's