To keep figure skates working well, you need to sharpen the blades. The constant motion against the ice wears down the sharpness of the figure skate blades and can lead to slipping, loss of control and slowed speeds across the icy surface. Individual skaters all have preferences when it comes to ice skate sharpness, but all skates must receive regular maintenance. While a professional skate sharpener will have the tools and the skill to sharpen skates with the highest precision, you can also maintain your skates' sharpness on your own if you have the right information and equipment.
Steps to Sharpen Figure Skates
Step 1
Cover your toe pick. The tools used for sharpening figure skates may wear down the serrated edges of the pick.
Step 2
Determine your skate's blade width, rocker and radius of hollow from the manufacturer's specifications. The width of a figure skate blade is usually between 0.1 and 0.15 inches (2.54 to 3.82 millimeters). The rocker is the curvature of the blade length and has a radius that is usually between 7 and 9 feet. The radius of hollow is the width of the gap between the inside and outside of the blade. Figure skate radii of hollow are generally between 0.5 and 1.0 inches (12.7 to 25.4 millimeters) in width.
Step 3
"Dress" the wheel of a rotating skate grinder by aligning the diamond-tipped sharpening tool with the figure skate's radius of hollow. The tool's circular cross-section and radius must equal your skate's radius of hollow width.
Step 4
Clamp the figure skate blade onto the grinding wheel. Make sure the bottom surface of the skate blade is perpendicular to the wheel's motion..
Step 5
Move the skate blade over the surface of the rotating wheel. This action will re-sharpen the skate by cleaning the radius of hollow
Tips and Warnings
- If you do not know your figure skates' parameters, consult a sharpening professional who has the tools to measure width, rocker and radius of hollow. You should plan to re-sharpen your skates every 20 to 30 hours of skating or after two months. If you experience slipping or a loss of control, sharpen the skates early. Your toe pick needs to be maintained separately from the rest of the blade. When you take your skates to a professional for sharpening, have that person remove small amounts of material so that your pick position does not alter in relation to the rest of the skate.
- Without periodic professional sharpening, you will not be able to keep skates in peak condition. They have the equipment to match the skates' ideal parameters much more closely than you can. Do not allow the lowest serration of the toe pick to get worn down. Your figure skates will not function properly without it.
Things You'll Need
- Figure skates
- Toe pick cover
- Skate grinder
- Diamond-tipped sharpening tool
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