Skate sharpening..What cut do you use?

[ponder]

I've played around with anywhere from 1/2" to 3/4", recently I've gone back to 1/2". I'd like to try FBV, but the places where I generally get my skates sharpened don't offer it.

 

[Neon Phaneuf]

Switched from 1/2 to 5/8 a couple years ago. Lovin' it.

 

[iBlaze81]

100/50 Fbv

I recently changed to this, and i like it alot, especially if your game uses tight turning, and going side to side, etc. it just grips the ice alot better.

 

[customradius]

100/50 FBV The best of both worlds....glide and grip IMO

 

[purpleparrots30]

1/2 for both goalie and reg skates

 

[The Tikkanen]

I've played around with anywhere from 1/2" to 3/4", recently I've gone back to 1/2". I'd like to try FBV, but the places where I generally get my skates sharpened don't offer it.

That's the biggest problem I've come across so far. I play at 2 rinks in 2 different cities. One has it, one doesn't. If I need my skates sharpened and I'm at the other rink I either have to wait or go back to 7/16 if it absolutely has to be done.

 

[Avshockey85]

been using 3/8 cut for years. love it!

 

[jorbjorb]

can someone explain these different cuts? i usually just let the guy sharpen my skates however haha.

 

[nullterm]

can someone explain these different cuts? i usually just let the guy sharpen my skates however haha.

Smaller numbers (3/8") means deeper groove, so the edges of your skates dig in the ice deeper. Better for control and turning, but more tendency to bite if you aren't used to it.

Larger numbers (5/8" 3/4" 1") means shallower groove, less bite. Better for gliding, easier to do stuff like stops and 180degree transitions (forward<->backward).

 

[Rink Bum]

FBV 100/50

Don't know much about cuts, so I asked the guy sharpening and he told me that is the usual.

 

[spitfires07]

as a forward, can someone recommend how i should be sharpening my skates?

i'm in the category of just handing them to the guy and asking for them to be sharpened. (which i'm assuming is a 1/2" cut). it has worked okay for me up to this point but i was wondering that if i ask for them to be cut differently, will it make a noticeable difference in my speed/agility on the ice?

i'm about 5'11, 170 if that plays a factor into how sharp i should ask for them to be cut.

 

[jorbjorb]

Smaller numbers (3/8") means deeper groove, so the edges of your skates dig in the ice deeper. Better for control and turning, but more tendency to bite if you aren't used to it.

Larger numbers (5/8" 3/4" 1") means shallower groove, less bite. Better for gliding, easier to do stuff like stops and 180degree transitions (forward<->backward).

i'm a light person at 155lbs. I love the dig in the ice for sharp turns and increased agility. So I should go 3/8"?

 

[Pog Form]

as a forward, can someone recommend how i should be sharpening my skates?

i'm in the category of just handing them to the guy and asking for them to be sharpened. (which i'm assuming is a 1/2" cut). it has worked okay for me up to this point but i was wondering that if i ask for them to be cut differently, will it make a noticeable difference in my speed/agility on the ice?

i'm about 5'11, 170 if that plays a factor into how sharp i should ask for them to be cut.

Do you like going out on freshly sharpened blades? Or do you find yourself trying to dull the edges/needing a few games before the cut starts to feel comfortable? If they feel too sharp, go with a shallower hollow.

But if they feel great on a fresh cut, 1/2" (or whatever the guy is doing as standard) is probably fine for you.

 

[vivianmb]

3/4"-13/16"

 

[Sean87]

I haven't played ice for long so I was wondering does anyone have problems skating if you get your skates sharpened less than an hour before you go out to play? The first 2 times I had my skates sharpened I didn't skate the same day, but the first use of them was good. When I had them done right before I played I had a very hard time using them, but they were good the next time I used them.

 

[Pog Form]

This is a bit of a bump... sorry. I've been using a 5/8 cut for quite a while now but with the ice tending to be as little softer during the summer, it's starting to feel like I'm getting a bit too much bite. I'm going to get my skates done today with a shallower hollow but I'm not sure if I should ask for 11/16 or just go right to 3/4. I'm worried 3/4 might be a little too shallow, but I don't know if asking for an 11/16 would annoy the person doing my skates.

If anybody here works in a LHS or has their own machine, is it a hassle to set up an 11/16 cut compared to something more standard (1/2, 5/8, 3/4)?

 

[Guffaw]

5/8" 175lbs.

Would you guys mind listing your weights too since it's directly related?

 

[Recast]

i'm a light person at 155lbs. I love the dig in the ice for sharp turns and increased agility. So I should go 3/8"?

IMO, yes. I love the way 3/8's feels like it grabs the ice.

Edit: I'm 5'9 and about 190.

 

[Pog Form]

This is a bit of a bump... sorry. I've been using a 5/8 cut for quite a while now but with the ice tending to be as little softer during the summer, it's starting to feel like I'm getting a bit too much bite. I'm going to get my skates done today with a shallower hollow but I'm not sure if I should ask for 11/16 or just go right to 3/4. I'm worried 3/4 might be a little too shallow, but I don't know if asking for an 11/16 would annoy the person doing my skates.

If anybody here works in a LHS or has their own machine, is it a hassle to set up an 11/16 cut compared to something more standard (1/2, 5/8, 3/4)?

I ended up asking for an 11/16 and it was no problem. It felt great on the ice too. ZERO adjustment period. I felt 100% confident on the edges from the first stride.

 

[Jarick]

5'8 185 (right now, should be about 165)
FBV 100/50
Neutral pitch, 9' radius

With standard sharpenings, I used 11/16" and had to get them re-cut every few skates. With FBV, it's a lot more consistent and I usually get at least 8-10 skates out of a sharpening. Don't like super sharp edges I guess.

 

[Gallagbi]

7/8" is my usual cut, I've gone as high as 1.5" just to see how it felt. When I was sharpening my own skates on a regular basis I'd usually go for 1", but that was 3-4 years ago.

 

[Clarkington III]

5/8" and get them sharpened once every while. I am still on the first cut I got on a pair of skates I bought in March skating 2-3 times a week. Though I'm about 190 and playing on ice in SoCal.

 

[Hockeyfan68]

I use 3/4 to 1 inch depending on what ice I am on meaning hard fast ice I use the 3/4 inch and soft slow ice I use 1 inch. I don't like the blade to feel like it is catching and being edgey on soft ice.

I'm also a big guy at 6ft 4in and 245lbs and any cuts too shallow I dig in way too much. The shallower hollow allows more speed. It depnds on your style really in my opinion. I'm not a quick cut stop and start type fancy player. I'm a defensive forward or play defense.

I see lots of players intentionally dull a new sharpening and if you are doing that then you have the wrong hollow. You shouldn't have to do that if your skate is set up correctly for your height and weight. Some guys like that .... Savard for the bruins said in an interview that he uses an old copper penny when they were actually copper and he slides the penny down the length on the blade twice to take the fresh cut off but not dull them. The flat side of the penny touching both edges at the same time if you know what I mean. I tried it for a couple of years because I used to dull my blades on purpose until I ran into my friend who sharpened skates for a Quebec Major Junior Team when they were there for home games. He set me up and we tried several different sharpenings until we found the one for me which took some time but it worked, no more dulling on purpose and optimized my speed on the ice.

Most skate shops cater to teens and kids so they use a really deep hollow so newbies to hockey take note and make sure you get what is right for you. That takes experimentation and a few sharpenings to find it as well as a proshop that won't look at you stangely when you ask for a custom cut.

 

[SkateThroughIt]

1/2" or 7/16" seem to be the most default sharpenings depending on where you go. I used this chart http://icehockeyxchange.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/HollowGrindChart.pdf to determine mine a while back. Seems dead on for me 180lbs 6'1 and i use 1/2"

 

[tomp]

90/75 Fbv