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....
A cross cut is a skate sharpening method that has been used by hockey players in general and more specifically, goalies. Since the goalie has to do as much side-to-side skating as he does forward skating -- and perhaps more so -- the cross cut was...
Sharpening your ice hockey skates is the easiest way to keep them effective and one of the most crucial parts of their upkeep. Sharpening also helps to lengthen the life of your skates, ultimately saving you hundreds of dollars, but it's not easy....
Whether you're an ice hockey player or a recreational skater, you will need sharp blades to skate smoothly. Plenty of skating rinks or ice hockey teams will sharpen your skates using tested sharpening methods. As a general rule, sharpen your...
Skate sharpening machines are used to sharpen the edges of figure, hockey and speed-skate blades. Sharp blades allow skaters to grip the ice more securely and are critical to successful skating whether you are a beginner or competitive skater. To...
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...
Hockey players love having their skates perfectly responsive, when they know that they can reach peak speeds quickly, turn on a dime and stop in an instant. Some professional players who want the sharpest skates possible will have them sharpened...
Properly sharpened ice skates are necessary to ensure smooth movement over the surface of the ice. While some people may believe that skates are sharpened to a point, the blade is actually flat and a half-circle groove is cut into it. After...
Hockey skates have a blade made of steel that has two edges along face of the blade. This is produced by grinding a hollow along the length of the face of the blade, producing two edges on either side. This hollow grind can be set to various...
Ice skate blades have an edge that is slightly hollowed out rather than sharpened to a point like a knife. The radius that is recessed into the blade metal allows the skater to grip the ice with the skate as the two pointed outer edges of the...
Hockey players must pay attention to the quality of their skates and their ability to move with ease on the ice. This means they must have their skates sharpened and maintained regularly. Defensemen have particular needs related to the turning...
Contrary to popular belief, ice skates do not have a sharp, pointed blade. The blade is actually several millimeters wide, though actual width varies by model. To create a sharp skate, the center of the blade must be run through a sharpening...
The radius of hollow in skating is the angular shape between the two edges of the skate blade. Freestyle skaters use a radius of hollow that allows them to start, accelerate, stop and perform jumps and leaps. Each individual freestyle skater has...
The position of goalie in hockey requires a significant amount of skating. Goalies have to make quick movements across the crease so they can stop the puck, recover and then stop the puck again. Goalies also have to leave the crease to retrieve...
Ice skating and ice hockey are fun sports, but they can be limited by the season and availability of ice rinks. Super Glide, a synthetic ice rink company, states that synthetic ice is a relatively new concept, with new technological advancements...
Skaters often put off getting their skates sharpened for a variety of reasons. These include the fact that a poor sharpening can ruin the blades; the blade will feel different after sharpening, even with a good sharpening; sharpening reduces the...
Without properly sharpened skate blades, hockey players will struggle to stand up let alone score goals. Each player has his own preference on blade sharpness, with the player's size, skill level and position among the considerations. Knowing how...
The single most important piece of equipment is a hockey player's skates. A player must be comfortable in his skates as every movement has to come naturally. If a player is thinking about issues with his skates instead of playing instinctively, he...
Created in 1960, synthetic ice makes for a warm and dry training environment. Made of a plastic material, synthetic ice provides high endurance and strength training for hockey players. Synthetic ice provides a unique training experience that...
Hockey equipment is designed to protect the athletes, keep them warm and improve performance. It is important when purchasing equipment to make sure it fits your body and is properly sized. Equipment that is too large or too small may lead to...
If you've just signed up for ice-skating lessons or just want your own pair of skates to enjoy gliding around the rink with friends and family, a used pair of skates might be the way to go. Because used skates vary widely in their quality, it...
With a bit of planning, you can turn the last night of the year into the night of your dreams. As the third-largest city in America and the biggest in the State of Illinois, Chicago has it all: ice skating, fireworks from 2,000 feet above ground,...
Despite its massive, still-growing urban sprawl, Atlanta, Georgia continues to be a pretty, tree-lined Southern city scattered with elegant homes. In December, the greater part of the city is lit with twinkle lights so visitors acn enjoy a holiday...
Ice skates have been around for nearly 4,000 years, according to a December 2007 article on BBC.co.uk. Ancient skates used horse bones to make contact with the ice, but modern skates use a thin blade of metal. This thin blade of metal needs...
Ice skating requires a special type of skate that features a metal blade fixed to the underside of the shoe. This blade is very sharp to cut a line through the ice below and fix itself firmly to the ground. These blades are commonly used by hockey...
The crowd comes to its feet when a player gets his stick on an errant puck and begins streaking up the ice on a breakaway. The key element for the player when intercepting a puck is anticipation. To get ahead of the defense and stay ahead, he...
Hockey is a fast, physical sport. Fittingly, hockey skates are designed to withstand the rigors of the game. Hockey players are always starting and stopping, and they skate straight ahead, backward and side to side. Hockey stakes are rugged and...
Friction is defined as the resistance force between two solid surfaces that are rubbing against one another. In skating sports, such as ice hockey, figure skating and speed skating, different levels of friction are created by skaters to speed up...
One of the most important aspects of becoming a good ice hockey player is becoming a skilled skater. Ice hockey is a fast-paced game where players are required to accelerate quickly, change directions smoothly and stop on a dime. Having properly...
