How often do you sharpen skates?

[Sticks of Fury]

I have played about 10 pick up games and such and I run the fingernail across the inner edge of the skates and I can see the fingernail slice off a sliver. I was told that if you can do this, the skates are still sharp but is there another standard to use to measure when you need to sharpen them. I usually just sharpen every 6-8th game.

Also what do you guys think about the skate sharpening kits(stone)?

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[Malefic74]

I sharpen mine twice a season. Yes you read that right. Then again I am a goalie, but the main reason is that the rinks we play at in our league are very heavily used and the ice in both is pretty soft. Having sharp skates on that ice for me is a hazard I can do without. Towads the end of the season we usually get to play in better rinks as the minor hockey finishes earlier than we do, which is when I susally sharpen them up for the playoff run.

As for the stones. Theydon't really do much except remove the burrs on the edges of your blades. If the skates feel a little dull you might be able to squeeze one more game out of them using a stone, but that's about it. I picked that up when I worked as a skate sharpener in a sports store years ago.

 

[mvp76]

Once a season.But I only play outdoors which doesn't last long.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

All depends upon the ice quality.

Growing up I plaed on rink that were usually pretty hard and fast, and I'd get my skates done evry 4-6 times I was on the ice.

While playing for Penn St. Univ. the ice was much softer, and only got my skates done about once a month or so.

 

[Greenback]

I sharpen every 4-5 ice times and get them sharp. I seem to be the exception as I am a goalie who likes - no - needs sharp skates.



The best way to test skates for sharpness is to skate on them

 

[Sebastien Centomo]

I always sharpened mine whenever I felt them losing an edge, no specific time frame, just whenever given the different conditions of the rinks that I played on. Sometimes I'd play on extremely soft ice, then the next day I might go play on the outdoor rink. And I never had to pay either; my dad has a skate sharpener in the basement, one of the Guelph Platers old ones. I can say I've had my skates done on the same machine as the great Rob Zamuner.

 

[Toonces]

Usually, I'll just "know" when they need to get sharpened. Here in NJ, we have alot of rinks with crappy ice, so I usually only sharpen my skates every month or so of heavy skating (3-4 times a week is heavy for me). I just begin to notice that I don't cut as sharp as I'd like to, and that's my tipoff that I need to get them done soon.

I know guys who sharpen them every time they go on the ice, but they are the exceptions to the rule around here.

As for sharpening kits, I never tried one, so I couldn't tell you, but I would advise everybody to get one of those edge stones for removing nicks on the sides of their blades. One of those will get you through a game where your edge gets screwed up a bit by stepping on the pipe, or some metal on the bench and don't have time to get your skates sharpened.

 

[Canadian Chris]

I sharpen mine about once a week....that being said I'm probably on the ice, or atleast on ice 4 or 5 times a week still...and I really like to have the feel of freshly sharpened skates

 

[Slats432]

I am light on my skates and I like to dig in. To get the best game, I sharpen every 2nd game.

 

[Accord]

I have played about 10 pick up games and such and I run the fingernail across the inner edge of the skates and I can see the fingernail slice off a sliver. I was told that if you can do this, the skates are still sharp but is there another standard to use to measure when you need to sharpen them. I usually just sharpen every 6-8th game.

Also what do you guys think about the skate sharpening kits(stone)?

I get mine sharpened on average about once a week which is about 1-2 games plus practices and pickup hockey. I could never imagine going 8 games without fresh edges...

 

[RedK]

About every 16 hours of ice time, though I use an edge enhancer a couple of times after the first ten hours.

 

[Frank Drebin]

I sharpen mine twice a season. Yes you read that right. Then again I am a goalie, but the main reason is that the rinks we play at in our league are very heavily used and the ice in both is pretty soft. Having sharp skates on that ice for me is a hazard I can do without. Towads the end of the season we usually get to play in better rinks as the minor hockey finishes earlier than we do, which is when I susally sharpen them up for the playoff run.

As for the stones. Theydon't really do much except remove the burrs on the edges of your blades. If the skates feel a little dull you might be able to squeeze one more game out of them using a stone, but that's about it. I picked that up when I worked as a skate sharpener in a sports store years ago.

I used to get my skates (goalie) sharpened only a couple of times a year when I played senior. I think that was due to the fact that most of our games were on natural ice which seemed to be softer most of the time. Then I'd play on artificial and I'd slide all over the place.

Now I try to get my skates sharpened once every four or five times that I'm on the ice...I like to have them sharp always, and don't want to go out on the ice with the chance of them being dull.

BTW, my skate sharpener has been putting around a #5 sharpness on them - razor sharp for me, but don't stay sharp too long.

 

[bleedgreen]

im weird, i dont really like super sharp skates. i like it best maybe the second or third time after i sharpen them. ill go 2 months sometimes without sharpening. i am 6'4" 215 - im sure that makes a difference, but even as a kid i always let mine go longer than everyone else. i play rec now, so i doesnt really matter. when i was in high school playing or practicing 2 hours a day at least 5 days a week - i still would push it to 2 to 3 weeks, until i was falling on sharp turns. i would hate that first day after sharpening though.

 

[donelikedinner]

when i played competitively, before every game. but how sharp you like your skates is truly a personal thing. if you're comfortable, you generally play better.

 

[ceber]

A lot depends on who does the sharpening, too. You want to find a guy that does it right based on your weight, style, etc.

 

[2112]

A lot depends on who does the sharpening, too. You want to find a guy that does it right based on your weight, style, etc.

I get real crappy sharpening jobs sometimes, so if that's the case then I'd sharpen right after that game.

Otherwise I sharpen maybe every four or five games, I like to keep the sharpness going as long as possible until you know you need another sharpening.

 

[jacklours]

I sharpened mine twice (one of them is because I broke my blade) so far this year (probably won't until next year, which means about 15 more games aside refing), played 20 games in a league and about 16 in another one. I average 2 games a week. I also ref on average 3games a week (this ain't as demanding on skates as playing is however). Anywasy I HATE sherpened skate, I like when I can put some weight on my skates and keep on sliding sideways for about 10-15 feet. I sharpen them regular (I think the concave equivalent is then rub them on a wooden bench about 5 times each and they ain't so bad though it still is somewhat too sharpen. It's not because i'm a light skater either, i'm 6'1 190 so.... I just hate sharpened skates

 

[Habsfan 32]

When I played goal I would get them sharpen every two games or two games. And now I play forward and I get them sharpened every two weeks depending on how much I play.

 

[Puckclektr]

I went one year in AAA with only sharpening my skates maybe 5 times. I used the stone before every game. That was sufficient for me.

 

[canadahockeygirl*]

I haven't sharpened my goalie skates since 1998. When I was in HS, our rink used to do it for free for us, so I'd do it twice a season or so. Since I'm pretty much only ever on my inside edges, when I need to push off from an ourside edge, I can.

As for my normal skates, I sharpen them every week, which is about every 3-4 times on ice.

 

[Ti-girl]

I sharpen mine after every 2nd practice and after every game.

I depend heavily on my edges. We play on extreamly hard ice and we have a short bench so we get a lot of ice time. I love freshly sharpened skates that you can get great edges on.

 

[eatwake]

I've been told that you're supposed to sharpen them once for every 10 hours of ice time.

that being said, it really depends on the individual. usually, you can just feel the difference when your skates aren't sharp enough.

 

[waffledave]

The other day I used skates that hadn't been sharpened in 10 years and were all rusty. It actually wasn't that bad.

 

[jiggs 10]

It really depends on "feel". Most players like fairly sharp skates, so you do them more often. A few players don't bother to do them very often, and still skate pretty well, so you'll just have to try for yourself. A lot depends on the style of skating you use, and the ice conditions. If you are a straight-ahead power skater, you don't need to sharpen them as often, as they don't get very dull gliding along in a straight line. If you are a darter (like me, or think Doug Gilmour), you need them a little sharper so you have good edges for hard turns. But if you skate on slow ice (warm arenas, snowy ice) you can get away with fewer sharpenings. And if you skate outdoors, get them sharpened BEFORE you play indoors, as outdoor ice utterly RUINS your edges!

I usually get mine done every 4th or 5th time I skate, which would be about 8 hours of ice time. I know I can go longer, but usually sharpen before my Rec League games every week, and then skate in rentals 3 other times for 2 hours at a time.

 

[Buffaloed]

Rene Robert only used to have his sharpened once a year when he played in the NHL, and the ice was a lot better then. He was one of the smoothest skaters that played.