Sharpening your skates at regular intervals is important to maintain control on the ice. Without a sharp edge, your stopping, turning and acceleration are greatly hindered. Skate sharpening is a specialized skill that takes some practice but can be learned by anyone. The machine used to sharpen ice skates actually creates a small inverted hollow shape in the bottom of the skate blade. The radius of this hollow is based on the skater's preference; the deeper the hollow, the more your skate will dig into the ice.
Step 1
Insert one of the skates into the skate holder of the sharpening machine. Place the heel of the skate on the left. Rest the skate blade against the anvil plate. Adjust the skate until it's centered.
Step 2
Tighten the cam lever and adjustment screws to lock the skate in place. Line up the skate blade with the high point of the grinding wheel. Make adjustments until you've got the skate blade lined up correctly.
Step 3
Turn the skate around, while leaving it secured to the skate holder, to expose the skate blade. Mark the bottom of the skate blade with a black marker to use as a reference point while sharpening. That way you'll know if you've missed part of the skate blade during the sharpening process.
Step 4
Cross-grind the skate blade to remove the old hollow by sliding the skate, starting with the heel, from right to left. You're now left with a smooth, flat finish.
Step 5
Touch the heel and toe of the blade briefly against the finishing wheel to be sure the grinding wheel is centered on the blade. Make adjustments if necessary by moving the skate up or down in the skate holder.
Step 6
Slide the skate blade along the finishing wheel slowly, allowing the wheel to move the skate from heel to toe. Three to four passes is usually enough. Use light pressure and listen for a consistent sound when sliding it along the finishing wheel.
Step 7
Finish the skate blade with a blade-finishing product if desired. Slide a burr-removal tool along each side of the blade to remove any burrs caused during the sharpening process.
Tips and Warnings
- Remove burrs with a handheld blade sharpening/burr-removal tool between professional skate sharpenings as an inexpensive way to prolong each sharpening.
- Operate the skate sharpener with caution; remain aware that sparks will shoot out from the grinding wheel.
Things You'll Need
- Skate sharpening machine
- Black marker
- Blade finishing compound
- Burr-removal stone/tool
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