Speed Skate Sharpening Jig? The 128 Correct Answer

Flat bottom skate sharpening V

The flat bottom V sharpening method is the latest craze in the hockey world. The Flat Bottom V was developed and first introduced in early February 2009 by Blackstone Sports in Kingsville, Ontario. The unique skate sharpening method promises better glide and more “bite” when turning, everything a hockey player could wish for. While many were skeptical (and many still are) when the new technique was introduced, it wasn’t long before the flat bottom V method caught on in the NHL

One of the first NHL teams to use the flat-bottom V-Skate honing method was the St. Louis Blues. Over 20 NHL teams are now using this method, quite a bold statement for a technique that only emerged earlier this year! Many players, both in the minor leagues and NHL, claim that the flat-bottomed V feels like you’re sliding on ice, allows you to slide longer, allows you to turn more easily, and that skaters don’t tire as quickly because it takes less energy to skate. These are strong recommendations considering the Flat Bottom V is just a minor adjustment in the way the metal is formed on a thin piece of metal on the bottom of your skate. Some say it’s just a placebo effect, others are followers of the new cut.

The flat-bottomed V changes the normal half-moon cut of a blade into a flat-bottomed one with “fangs” on each edge, supposedly allowing you to slide easier, farther and faster than the normal cut, and to turn better. Check out the following charts for regular skate sharpening and flat bottom skate sharpening

This diagram shows the normal cut versus the flat-bottomed V (in the diagram the V appeared to go all the way up, but see the diagram below these for the actual shape of the flat-bottomed V.

Flat Bottom V-Skate Sharpening Options

You can see from this chart that there are several options to choose from when finalizing your flat bottom V sharpening. According to Johnny Macs (a skate sharpening shop that uses FBV skate sharpening), most skaters should start with a 100/50 FBV and then adjust their polish accordingly, since the best polish will ultimately come down to player preferences (and who knows, you might prefer those normal method of skate sharpening)

Some people may wonder if the flat bottom wears out the blade faster? According to No Icing Sports (a custom radius shop), a Flat Bottom V on your skates will not change your rocker radius at all, and a Flat Bottom V will not remove any more steel than a regular sharpening.

We’re still waiting for official Flat Bottom V stats and test results from the skating labs to post here when they come out (good reason to subscribe in the box to the left!). Below I have a list of possible pros and cons of the flat bottom v

Flat Bottom V Pros and Cons

V-pros with a flat bottom

Better glide

Better turning (more bite)

Less fatigue

“There’s a big difference between pushing and sliding and being on the ice” Cory Stillman, Florida Panthers

“The concept for the V makes a lot of scientific sense,” Dr. Kelly Lockwood, President and Principal Investigator at The Skating Lab at Brock University

From many reviews and posts on forums, parents of underage hockey players note an improvement in skating

Flat Bottom V Cons

Reports from some smaller hockey forums state that if you lose an edge, you lose them all at once, which could mean missing the rest of the game until you can sharpen the skate

If it’s easier to lose an edge with this grind, it could lead to injury

If the edge peels off easily, this would need to be sharpened frequently to keep the edge

It seems like the pros far outweigh the cons, and the cons all rely on speculation that the edge falls off slightly (which hasn’t been proven yet).

So I’ll leave the debate to you, what’s your experience with the flat-bottomed V? Post your comments below

If you would like to visit the official website of the people who created the FBV skate sharpening method, or purchase an FBV machine for your arena or business, then visit Blackstone Sports

Two skates

Hinge of a clap skate

Normal skate and clap skate in comparison

An early clap skate from 1936

The clap skate (also called clapper skates, clapper skates, slap skates, slap skates, from Dutch) is a type of ice skate used in speed skating. Unlike traditional ice skates, where the blade is rigidly attached to the boot, clap skates have the blade attached to the front of the boot by a hinge. This allows the blade to stay on the ice longer as the ankle can now be extended towards the end of the stroke, as well as for a more natural movement, dissipating the energy of the leg more effectively and efficiently.

Clap skates were developed at the Faculty of Human Movement Sciences at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam under the direction of Gerrit Jan van Ingen Schenau, although the idea of ​​a clap skate is much older; Designs from around 1900 are known.

The clap skate was first used in the 1984/1985 ice skating season. However, the idea was not taken seriously until the late 1990s. In the 1996/1997 season, the Dutch women’s team began using the skates with great success. The rest of the skating world soon followed suit, ensuring a spate of world records were broken in subsequent seasons, including the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

history [edit]

The idea of ​​an articulated slide was described and patented in 1894 by Karl Hannes from Raitenhaslach, Burghausen.[1][2] It was reinvented by Gerrit Jan van Ingen Schenau, who started work on a folding speed skate in 1979[3], made his first prototype in 1980[2][3] and completed his doctoral thesis on the subject in 1981[3]. ] on the premise that a skater would benefit from extended movement with the skate on the ice, allowing the calf muscles to participate longer in the skate movement.[3] The design of the hinge was further refined in collaboration with Viking.[1] In 1985, Ron Ket became the first to skate the clap skates in an officially timed frame, a 500 meter sprint on the Jaap Eden baan, with a promising 40.65.[2] In February 1986, Henk Gemser, then coach of the Dutch national speed skating team, expressed his intention to start clap skate training, although no further trials of the new skate were made. During the 1986–1987 season, a small number of marathon skaters intended to use the clap skate in competition, but its use was banned by game officials due to the increased risk of physical harm to the skaters in the event of a fall. The then current top Dutch speed skating pros Ids Postma, Bart Veldkamp and Rintje Ritsma were unimpressed by the ice skate.[1]

In the 1994–1995 season, 11 skaters from the South Holland 14–18 age group began competing in the clap skate. These 11 showed an average improvement in their times of 6.25% compared to 2.5% for the other skaters using regular speed skates. Ten of them placed for the state championship.[4]

The 1996–1997 season saw use of the clap skate at its highest level, and in 1997 Tonny de Jong became the first all-around European champion to use the clap skate, with Gunda Niemann, the defending champion, in second place. Niemann noted that ice skates were illegal and should be banned.[4] In the years that followed, the clap skate began to dominate the landscape of long track speed skating. The design has been banned for use in short track speed skating.

Research completed in 2001 showed that the speed gain from using the clap skate is not due to using the calf muscle to stretch the ankle, as was thought when the clap skate was developed, but to the fact that the pivot point is shifted the tip of the skate to the hinge, facilitating the transfer of power to the ice.[5]

Boots with blades attached to the bottom to propel the wearer across a sheet of ice

A pair of ice skates

Ice skates are metal blades fixed under the feet and used to propel the wearer across a surface of ice while skating.

The first ice skates were made from the leg bones of horses, oxen or deer and attached to the feet with leather straps. These skates required a pole with a sharp metal tip that was used to propel the skater forward, unlike modern bladed skates.

Modern ice skates come in many different varieties, which are selected based on the type of requirements required for the skating activity. They are worn recreationally on ice rinks or frozen waters around the world and used as footwear in many sports including figure skating, bandy, ice hockey, ringette, rink bandy, rinkball, speed skating and tour skating.

history [edit]

Ice skating in Graz 1909

19th century German ice skates, boot supplied separately

According to a study by Federico Formenti, University of Oxford, and Alberto Minetti, University of Milan, the Finns were the first to develop skates from animal bones around 5,000 years ago.[2] This was important for the Finnish people to save energy when hunting in the Finnish Lake District in harsh winter conditions. It was also important for the Finns to invent ice skates since Finland has about 187,888 lakes. In the past, villages were separated by lakes, so to move between lakes, Finns had two options, first, circumnavigating the lake and second, finding a way through the slippery surface of the lakes.[5] The earliest known metal-bladed ice skate was found in Fennoscandia and dated to 200 AD. It featured a thin strip of copper that was folded and attached to the bottom of a leather shoe.

William Fitzstephen described the use of bone skates in London in the 12th century. The following appears to be an early modern English translation of the original Latin:

When the great fen or bog (which waters the walls of the city on the north side) is frozen, many young men play on the ice, some stride as far as they can, slipping quickly… some tying bones to their feet, and under pushing their heels and through a small plucked staff, they glide as swiftly as a bird flies in the air or an arrow from a crossbow.

Types of skates[ edit ]

There are five main types of ice skates: the figure skate, the ice hockey skate, the bandy skate, the racing skate, and the touring skate.

figure skating[ edit ]

Figure skates are used in the sport of figure skating. Unlike hockey skates, they have toe picks on the front of the blade, which are usually made of stainless steel or aluminum with a steel blade. The toe pick has a variety of uses but is most commonly used for specific jumps in figure skating, such as B. the Lutz jump and toe loop or starting a backspin. Figure skating boots are typically made from multiple layers of leather and the leather is very stiff to support the ankle. In addition, the figure skate’s blade is curved, allowing for minute adjustments in balance and weight distribution.

The base of the figure skating blade is slightly concave or “hollow ground”. The indentation that runs the length of the blade creates two edges that make contact with the ice. The front part of the blade, the toe rake, is sawtooth-shaped and is used for jumping and turning on the toes.[7]

ice skates [edit]

Ice hockey skates

Ice hockey skates are used for playing ice hockey and ringette games, but are occasionally only used for recreational ice skating. Each individual skate consists of a boot, shoelaces, a blade and a blade holder. The boot is generally made of molded plastic, leather (often synthetic), ballistic nylon, or a thermoformed composite material.[8] Each skate blade has two edges. Skates used in competitive ice hockey and ringette rarely use molded plastic for the upper boot because it results in limited mobility.

Ice hockey goalie skates [ edit ]

Ice hockey goalie skate

The skates used by goalies are cut lower at the ankle[9] than a regular hockey skate, and the shoe sits closer to the ice for a lower center of gravity. The boot itself is encased in a hardened plastic called “cowling” that protects the toe, ankle and heel from the impact of the shot puck. The blade is usually longer and has less rocker (curvature of the blade) to make it easier for the goaltender to move from side to side in the crease. Goalie skates do not have tendon protection. Unlike regular hockey skates, goalie skates are usually protected by a synthetic material that covers the toe portion of the skate. This is to prevent damage from the puck. The goalie skate’s blade isn’t as useful when turning as it is on regular hockey skates, as the blade rocks less, making turns a bit uncomfortable. The material from which the goalie skate’s shoe was made was historically a harder synthetic material than regular hockey shoes.

Hockey skate is sharpened

Hockey skate sharpening plays a key role in a player’s skating ability, and players will sharpen their skates hundreds of times over the course of their career. Similar to figure skates, the blade is ground hollow in cross-section, creating two edges that touch and cut into the ice, allowing for improved maneuverability. The blades are sharpened with round-edged grinding wheels that create the two edges. The wheels carve out a hollow semi-circle along the length of the underside of the blade, forming the sharp edge on each side. The sharpness of the skate blade is measured by the thickness of the grinding wheel used with rounded edges, the smaller the radius, the sharper the edge. The level of sharpness a player chooses is entirely a matter of preference, not player size or skill level. While a half-inch (13mm) hollow radius is the most common and standard sharpening for most players, the standard goaltender hollow radius is three-quarters of an inch (19mm).

Bandy skates[ edit ]

Bandy skates are used for playing the sports of bandy, rink bandy (bandy variant) and rinkball. The boot is generally made of leather (often synthetic) and often excludes tendon protectors. The boot style for bandy skates is lower than the hockey version and often doesn’t cover the ankles. The bandy skate was designed with the intention of avoiding injuring an opponent due to its long and relatively sharp angled blades. The blade is generally an inch longer than hockey skates, allowing for higher speeds on the big bandy field (also called “bandy rink”). The Russian bandy skates have an even longer blade and a very low-cut shoe.

Bandy blades are sharpened differently than those on ice hockey skates, with the lower portion of the bandy blade that contacts the ice surface being flatter and generally lacking in indentation. Ice hockey sticks are sharpened to create two side edges that come into contact with the ice. As a result and in comparison, sharp cornering and “tight turns”, which are maneuvers that can be achieved using the design of a hockey skate, are not achievable on bandy skates. While the design of the modern ice hockey skate allows for sharper and faster maneuverability, modern bandy skates allow for more distance to be covered at higher speeds.

Racing skates[ edit ]

Modern “Comfort” speed skates

Racing clap skates

Speed ​​skates for short distances

Racing skates, also known as speed skates, have long runners and are used for speed skating. A clap skate (or clapper skate) is a type of skate in which the shoe is connected to the blade by a hinge. Short track racing skates have a longer overall height to the blade to allow for deep edge turns without the boot touching the ice. For better turning ability, racing skates can have a radius of 8 meters (26 feet) for short distances to 22 meters (72 feet) for long distances. Racing skates have a completely flat bottom.[12] There is no trough, just a square bottom with two edges. This improves glide time by not cutting into the ice.

Touring skates [ edit ]

Modern Dutch tour skates

Fixed Heel Binding and “Duckbill Boots”

Multiskate binding for hiking boots Touring skate with binding for hiking boots

Touring skate for ski boots and free heel binding on ice

Touring skates (or Nordic skates) are long blades that attach to hiking or cross-country ski boots via bindings and are used for long-distance touring on natural ice. The blades are about 50 cm (20 in) long and have a radius of curvature (or seesaw) of about 25 m (82 ft). The blades are 1 to 1.5 mm (0.04 to 0.06 in) wide and flat in cross-section. The length and large radius of the blades make touring skates more stable on rough natural ice than skates with shorter blades with more rocker. Since touring skating often involves running between lakes or around sections (kluning) that are not suitable for skating, the removable runners are an advantage. Therefore, these skates are often referred to as kluunschaats in the Netherlands.[13]

On most modern skate models, the blades are connected to the underside of an aluminum footplate. A binding for a specific type of shoe is mounted on top of the footplate. Traditionally, the bindings held both the toe and heel of the boot in place (fixed heel). Some bindings require special boots like telemark ski boots with a “duckbill” shaped toe, others, like the multiskate, have padded adjustable straps that attach to most hiking boots.

Since the early 1990s, models have been developed to attach free-heel cross-country ski bindings to skates, thereby attaching matching ski boots to the skates.[14] The free heel models have the same effect as the clap skate shape of speed skates. There are several manufacturers of these skates in Sweden, the Netherlands and Finland.

Nordic skates featuring skaters in a marathon race

Although primarily used for non-competitive touring, Nordic skates are sometimes used in marathon speed skating races on natural ice, such as: B. Vikingarännet (The Viking Run), a long-distance tour skating event in Sweden

Historical wooden touring skates [ edit ]

Before the 1870’s, most touring skates had a wooden footplate attached to the boot with leather straps.[15] Examples were the Gillbergs skate from Sweden[16] and the Stheemann “wooden Norwegian” from the Netherlands[17]. Even earlier, in the years 1870 to 1900, there were very similar models in North America, such as the Donaghue from the USA[18] In 1875 the Friese Doorloper was introduced in the Netherlands, a design in which the blade extended several inches behind the heel . It was popular with both tour skaters (both casual and competitive) and sprint skaters (Kortebaanschaatsen) and remained popular until a few years after World War II.

Recreational skates[ edit ]

Inexpensive skates for recreational skaters usually resemble either figure skating or hockey skates, but recreational skates that resemble in-line skates with a molded plastic shoe are also available. These recreational skates are commonly rented from ice rinks by beginners who do not own their own skates. In the non-American English-speaking world, they are sometimes referred to as “death wellies” by skaters who own their own gear because of their appearance and a reputation for giving blisters to the wearer. Individuals who own their own skates can further reduce the risk of blisters by applying a friction control patch to areas inside the skate that may rub or chafe.

double runner[edit]

Also known as twin blade skates, cheese cutters, bob skates, or bobby skates, these skates are worn by young children who are learning. The double leaves increase stability and help the child to keep their balance.

See also[edit]

Generally, ice hockey players and figure skaters use “hollow bottom” skates and sharpen them with a machine. This means that each blade is connected to the ice at two points, with a center line ground down or “gouged out”. In contrast, speed skaters use hollow, non-“flat-bottomed” skates that require hand-sharpening. Hollow-ground runners give the skater more grip and maneuverability, while flat-ground runners reduce drag to allow for greater speed. Although the equipment needed to sharpen both types of skates can be expensive initially, learning the skill to do it yourself will ultimately save time and money.

You’ve fought on the ice, and now it’s time to sharpen those blades. You walk into the pro shop with your skates and the tech asks you, “What blade radius do you want?” Um, well, what skate blade depth should I go for? What does “radius depth” even mean? What is the difference between shallow trough and deep trough? Does it matter if I’m a goalkeeper or a striker? Does my weight matter? If such questions cross your mind, then read on! You definitely don’t want to do this wrong.

What the radius of a blade means geometrically

The radius of a skate blade corresponds to the hollow shape that is ground into the ground when it is sharpened. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, this trough is circular in shape, meaning it has a radius. If you draw the complete circle formed by the indentation in your skate blade, the radius of that circle would be half its width (radius = diameter x ½). This indentation is created by pressing the skate blade against a grinding wheel using a diamond dressing attachment. The grinding wheel shapes (or straightens) the edge of the blade to the appropriate radius.

What the radius of a blade practically means

The radius of a skate blade is typically between 1/4″ and 1¼″. You won’t see anything under 1/4″ for two reasons: Anything lower is too sharp for any skater, regardless of skill level or discipline, and it can damage the grinding wheel used by the sharpener.

Shallow hollow

A shallow hollow results from a large radius on your skate blade, making it feel less pronounced. In addition, a shallow trough means the blade’s surface has less contact with the ice. Shallow hollow edges penetrate less into the ice than deep hollow edges. As a result, the blades glide more on the ice and you will notice significantly more glide. This reduced friction also means you skate faster and use a lot less force to maintain your speed, resulting in fresher legs as the game goes on.

The trade-off between less surface area and ice penetration is less grip (or bite), which means reduced maneuverability and quick stops.

Shallow dimples are good for beginner skaters as they learn new skills, and the blade radius can be reduced as they become more proficient at skating. Shallow hollows are also recommended for skaters who need to make routine stops and changes of direction (e.g. hockey players) or drift moves like one-timers.

Deep hole

A small radius creates a so-called deep trough. A deep hollow means more grip on the ice (more bite, so to speak). Because the runners grip the ice better, you can accelerate faster and turn much tighter than with a flat trough. This depth results in much more pronounced edges along your blades with a “sharper” feel. You can also expect more contact area with the ice as the blade penetrates more into the ice.

As for your skating, you can expect more drag and less glide because there is more friction to overcome and therefore you have to work harder. The blades also grip better on the ice, giving you better acceleration and giving you more cornering control, but reducing your overall maneuverability and ability to stop. If you’ve ever gone “over the top” of your skates, or your skates rattled when you stopped, your hollows are probably too deep.

Someone on the lighter side can probably handle a deeper, smaller radius trough without major problems. If you’re on the heavier side, your skates can grip the ice so well that stopping becomes quite treacherous. Most often, smaller radii are recommended for professional figure skaters or ice dancers who need to be able to make tight turns and land with strong grip after a jump.

Blade radius vs. blade profile

It is important not to confuse blade radius and blade profile (also called blade wing or contour). You can see blade radius by looking at the blade from the front or back of the skate. You can see the blade profile by looking at the skate from the side. The blade profile affects how much of the length of the blade is in contact with the ice. A larger profile means more blade is in contact with the ice, which means more stability and less maneuverability. A smaller profile means the opposite: more agility, but you’re more likely to tire.

A note on blade edges

Regardless of whether you sharpened your skates to a small or large radius (i.e. deep trough or shallow trough), the edges will still be sharp. The problem with sharpening your blades isn’t whether or not they have an edge (even speed skating blades still have an edge), but rather how much edge they have. When people complain that their skates aren’t sharp enough, what they usually mean is that the skates don’t have enough edges to fit their particular style of skate.

A skilled sharpener will even take the time of year into account when dictating hollow depth. In the warmer months, rinks tend to have softer ice and therefore the blades naturally penetrate deeper. It’s not uncommon to decrease a radius depth (i.e. if you normally use 5/8″ to go down to 3/4″) to get similar performance to the firmer ice surfaces you’ll find in colder months.

Get the most out of your skate sharpening

If you want more bite, you get a shallow bowl with a larger radius; For less bite, choose a deep hollow and a smaller radius. For youngsters through high school who play hockey, a 1/2″ radius is most common. Goalies often opt for a larger radius, on the order of 1″ to 1¼”, while forwards prefer a smaller radius. If you are very light, a 3/8 inch radius is probably what you need. Light to average weight skaters typically have a 1/2″ to 5/8″ radius, while heavier skaters typically opt for around 3/4″ to avoid chattering when trying to stop.

Shiny USA

Once your skates are fine tuned and ready, join Shinny. Shinny USA offers players of all skill levels and experience the opportunity to participate in non-competitive recreational hockey. We offer year-round hockey programs at multiple locations in Pennsylvania and Delaware, as well as mini-tournaments. If you love hockey and want to play in a low pressure atmosphere then contact Shinny USA today!

At the Olympics, you often see the players skating wearing goggles and tight clothing. Have you ever wondered why athletes do this? The NBC Olympics report states that it is necessary for players who skate on ice to wear glasses. It’s special. Do you know why players do this?

Almost four years ago I was explaining cuts, troughs and rockers to a bunch of people and felt the need to write a blog explaining everything so I didn’t have to keep rehashing the information – it comes up on Twitter every few months. When @NHLhistorygirl tweeted this today…

“I’m a good glider.” – #MNWild Ryan Suter on how to deal with so much ice age. — Jen (@NHLhistorygirl) January 9, 2014

…I replied (implying that he needs to use a flat cut) and thought it might be good to take another look at skate grinding and how it’s changing. So, start with my explanation of the default sharpening options, and I’ll meet you below to explain the rest.

***

My summer job during my college career was at a hockey shop grinding skates for three years. We were one of those skate sharpening shops – the best gear, pride in our work, the whole package. So I know the stuff pretty well.

Here’s what you need to know:

Standard grinding wheels

Basically, your skate is “hollow” by how deep the groove is between the edges of your blade.

If you give your skates to someone to sharpen and don’t ask them which trough you get them made in, chances are she’ll sharpen them with “half an inch” (referring to the wheel they use to sharpen your blades). And hey, don’t feel bad if you don’t know what you hone yours on – Jarome Iginla walked in one summer and said “I don’t know, my trainer just makes them”.

The sharper your edges (resulting from the deeper grooves) the deeper you sink into the ice. So you can get more thrust and accelerate faster, but when coasting you will also decelerate faster due to the increased friction/drag of your blades in the ice.

And the heavier you are, the deeper you sink, of course. So being heavy with sharp skates is a bad idea.

You can have your skates sharpened anywhere from 1/8 inch to 1 inch. 1/8 would be the sharpest and 1 inch would be the least sharp. The majority of pros use something with a shallower bowl, but preferences vary widely.

I used a 5/8 hollow but as I got older and heavier I switched to the less sharp 3/4. Basically, I like staying on the ice and maintaining speed as I wasn’t really a stop and start penalty kill guy, more of a coast and float breakaway chasing guy. At my weight (185 then, 200 now) I can still get plenty of boost out of that trough. Also, we had trainers that allowed us to sharpen our skates as many times as we wanted, so there wasn’t the “make ’em too sharp and let ’em dull” logic that many recreational players use.

Most of you probably get your skates sharpened too much.

Standard non-portable sharpener. Pro teams have smaller versions for travel.

You want fewer depressions if you’re skating on soft ice, if you’re a heavier person, or if you want to better maintain your speed while coasting. I think you get less tired this way, but it may take a second longer to hit top speed.

You want more depression when you’re playing on hard ice, when you’re a lighter person, or when you want to accelerate faster. I think you need to consciously move more, but you’re exploiting your potential speed.

Standard sharpener

So next time you get your skates buzzing I recommend 5/8. Most guys I’ve played with have used this hollow as it’s a nice compromise – a 1/2 inch is damn sharp. And if the place you’re taking them doesn’t know what you’re talking about either, you’ll need to take them somewhere else (preferably somewhere that they use a spirit level to make sure your edges are even. It makes a big difference, and the lazy places don’t do it).

In general, things like T-Blades are too gimmicky for me. I’ll stick with what everyone uses at the highest level (more on that below) until something better comes along. Unless it’s too weird, like Vern Fiddler and a bunch of other guys testing that heated blade holder thing. i’m out thanks

As far as “rockering” goes, that’s a matter of preference. People say that forwards need to be more alert and D-Men need to be more on their heels, but if it doesn’t totally bother you, you’re probably reconsidering. I took mine out of the box, had it sharpened and wore it. Don’t freak out.

Let me know if you tinker with them and like them less spicy. I bet you do.

********

Most of what has changed since I wrote this post is the introduction of FBV – the “Flat-Bottom V” version of skate sharpening that has more recently become part of the mainstream hockey lexicon. Personally, I didn’t know the depth of its popularity or value, so I contacted the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves (NCAA D1) Equipment Manager — my boy P.D., who to follow on Twitter if you’re into guys who like both rap as well as hockey – to find out all the details.

The consensus: Elite skaters don’t notice much of a difference (if at all), so you probably won’t either. This isn’t just for the “NCAA elite” either, this is also true of the NHL, where few players in the league (a few per team?) use the “new” style of sharpening. Zero players at UAA use it, one or two at Fairbanks, and the majority of kids coming out of the junior years (the easily influenced ones) don’t ask for it.

“Flat-Bottom V” isn’t illogical – instead of the rounded trough, they go for a flat bottom with more pronounced edges, with the selling point being “flatter blade on ice for gliding, more edge for turning”. ”

And I know the sales pitch is great. Because of this, you can go back to the 80’s to find different types of “edges” that make sense and will revolutionize skating to the point of dying when you hear things like “elite skaters don’t notice a difference (if at all)” .” A good sales pitch can go a long way (you can ask for more!), and that’s probably why people on Twitter are telling me this is the wave of the future, while an NCAA outfitter is the reaction among non-payers says is “meh”. Placebos are a damn good drug. (I’ve also reached out to the Isles gear man who was supposed to get back to me this afternoon so I’ll share the Isles usage numbers then.)

The brands that sell FBV are Blackstone and Blademaster and both do it better than the other if you ask them.

The consensus of P.D. and the trainers he’s spoken to say that the stone is difficult to dress properly, it’s difficult to level up, and when it’s off it’s a mess.

So the majority of players still use the old-school cut. Now go and get a shallower hollow, yeah?

Every hockey player knows that you need to sharpen your skates, but that doesn’t mean we really have a clue. How often should we have them sharpened? How sharp are we supposed to get them (what do all those fractions mean?)? Should I use trimming tools like a sweet stick? Whether you are a hockey beginner just learning to play or a pro, hopefully this article can teach you something new.

How sharp do you get your skates?

If you’ve ever felt or looked closely at the bottom of your hockey skates, you’ll find that it’s not so much a knife or blade, but two sharp edges with a hollowed-out centre. This trough can be deeper or shallower depending on your preference, and logically this is called the trough of your skates (you may have heard a hockey shop ask you what your trough should be).

These indentations are measured in fractions of an inch, from 1″ to 3/8″ or 1/4″. In order to sharpen your skates, you must guide them over a rotating stone with a rounded outer surface. This surface can be modified to have a highly curved surface resembling a segment of a small circle, or it can be flatter and resemble part of a larger one. Changing the shape of the wheel surface changes the size of the indentation it imparts to your skates. A larger radius means a flatter grinding wheel and therefore a skate with less hollow cut away from its center. The normal range for this is ⅜” to ¾”, although higher or lower indentations are occasionally seen. Typically, skate shops will default to hollowing out 1/2”, 5/8” or 7/16” unless specifically instructed to do so. In the images here you can see what these troughs look like when viewed up close.

We do this because each dimple affects how the skate feels and how it interacts with the ice. Deeper depressions put more pressure on the blade edges and dig more into the ice. Shallow indentations do the opposite. They distribute pressure more evenly across the blade, giving them a better grip on the ice.

How Hollows Affect Your Game

Smaller hollow radius (e.g. ⅜”) Sharper skates Better suited for lighter players who dig in less at the beginning More energy lost in the ice Additional effort when skating Lower top speed More responsive turns and stops Faster, more explosive acceleration

Larger hollow radius (e.g. ⅝”) Duller skates Better suited for heavier players who have no trouble gripping the ice Less energy loss in the ice More efficient skating Faster top speed Turns and stops become less rapid or sharp Acceleration is more limited

There are other ways to customize your skate blades (e.g. blade shape profiling). However, these go beyond the requirements of a typical beginner.

Other skate sharpening questions

How often should I sharpen my skates? This is a very personal call. Some players sharpen very frequently, e.g. B. ice time every 2-3 hours, while others can go a whole season without sharpening. If you’re not sure where to start, try sharpening them after 10 hours of Ice Age, then adjust them if you find it necessary. It’s also worth noting that colder ice (especially that found outdoors) is much harder and will dull your skates very quickly. If you’re playing with your friends at the outdoor rink, it’s probably a good idea to get sharpened before your next game.

What should I do to maintain my skates between sharpening? A whetstone is a good choice for maintaining your blades. Its job is to smooth out any burrs or nicks that may form on the sides of your blades that can trap the ice and slow you down. While tempting, sharpening tools (like the candy stick) cannot and should not replace regular sharpening. They should only be used for occasional touch-ups when you cannot sharpen your skates before your big game. This is because they don’t gouge the underside of the blade like a real grinding wheel would. Instead, they scrape the outsides of your blades, tapering them to create a temporary edge.

I heard about a new style of grinding called the Flat Bottom V (FBV). What is it and how well does it work? FBV is similar to traditional sharpening in the sense that there is still a grinding wheel that the skate blade is driven past. But instead of a round profile, the wheel is now flat in the middle and truncated further out where the edges of the blade will be. This will make the cross-section of your skate blade flat in the middle and angled into the ice along the edges. It is designed to give the user more glide without compromising bite as much as a traditional sharpening would. Everyone seems to have their own take on this – some users find it’s largely the same as a traditional hollow, while others find it vastly improves their game. I would encourage you to try it and make up your own mind.

So next time you get your hockey skates sharpened, maybe try a new fillet depending on the criteria above and see what works best for you!

Let Binnie’s help you make sure you understand what skate sharpening is and how to get the best sharpening for you.

If you’re new to hockey, the concept of sharpening your skates can be daunting or confusing. Most players, and especially new players, drop off their skates at the local hockey store or rink and get “the usual,” whatever it is.

The basic concept of skate sharpening is that a skate’s steel blade is clamped into a fixture (or jig) and moved across a rotating whetstone to gently abrade the bad or unwanted steel. This spinning stone, called a finishing wheel, is contoured to a specific radius that creates the depth of an indentation and two sharp edges. Sometimes when a skate is brand new, needs a completely different pan, or if the steel has imperfections such as rust or pockmarks, the skate is first run over a compound grinding wheel. Often made of a coarser and harder material, this wheel spins vertically rather than horizontally, creating a near-flat grind on a pair of skates.

When you sharpen a pair of skates, you can adjust a few elements to help you skate faster, be better balanced, turn sharper, and tire less. These adjustments are the hollow radius (RoH) and the profile of the blade.

Radius of Hollow

Hollow Radius (also known as Hollow Depth or RoH) is how deep your skate is cut compared to the radius of a given circle. Typically these are measured in 1/8″ increments from 1″ to 3/8″ but many qualified skate sharpeners can sharpen in 1/16″ increments and make cuts much shallower than 1″. The diagram below shows the different hollow cuts.

Almost four years ago I was explaining cuts, troughs and rockers to a bunch of people and felt the need to write a blog explaining everything so I didn’t have to keep rehashing the information – it comes up on Twitter every few months. When @NHLhistorygirl tweeted this today…

“I’m a good glider.” – #MNWild Ryan Suter on how to deal with so much ice age. — Jen (@NHLhistorygirl) January 9, 2014

…I replied (implying that he needs to use a flat cut) and thought it might be good to take another look at skate grinding and how it’s changing. So, start with my explanation of the default sharpening options, and I’ll meet you below to explain the rest.

***

My summer job during my college career was at a hockey shop grinding skates for three years. We were one of those skate sharpening shops – the best gear, pride in our work, the whole package. So I know the stuff pretty well.

Here’s what you need to know:

Standard grinding wheels

Basically, your skate is “hollow” by how deep the groove is between the edges of your blade.

If you give your skates to someone to sharpen and don’t ask them which trough you get them made in, chances are she’ll sharpen them with “half an inch” (referring to the wheel they use to sharpen your blades). And hey, don’t feel bad if you don’t know what you hone yours on – Jarome Iginla walked in one summer and said “I don’t know, my trainer just makes them”.

The sharper your edges (resulting from the deeper grooves) the deeper you sink into the ice. So you can get more thrust and accelerate faster, but when coasting you will also decelerate faster due to the increased friction/drag of your blades in the ice.

And the heavier you are, the deeper you sink, of course. So being heavy with sharp skates is a bad idea.

You can have your skates sharpened anywhere from 1/8 inch to 1 inch. 1/8 would be the sharpest and 1 inch would be the least sharp. The majority of pros use something with a shallower bowl, but preferences vary widely.

I used a 5/8 hollow but as I got older and heavier I switched to the less sharp 3/4. Basically, I like staying on the ice and maintaining speed as I wasn’t really a stop and start penalty kill guy, more of a coast and float breakaway chasing guy. At my weight (185 then, 200 now) I can still get plenty of boost out of that trough. Also, we had trainers that allowed us to sharpen our skates as many times as we wanted, so there wasn’t the “make ’em too sharp and let ’em dull” logic that many recreational players use.

Most of you probably get your skates sharpened too much.

Standard non-portable sharpener. Pro teams have smaller versions for travel.

You want fewer depressions if you’re skating on soft ice, if you’re a heavier person, or if you want to better maintain your speed while coasting. I think you get less tired this way, but it may take a second longer to hit top speed.

You want more depression when you’re playing on hard ice, when you’re a lighter person, or when you want to accelerate faster. I think you need to consciously move more, but you’re exploiting your potential speed.

Standard sharpener

So next time you get your skates buzzing I recommend 5/8. Most guys I’ve played with have used this hollow as it’s a nice compromise – a 1/2 inch is damn sharp. And if the place you’re taking them doesn’t know what you’re talking about either, you’ll need to take them somewhere else (preferably somewhere that they use a spirit level to make sure your edges are even. It makes a big difference, and the lazy places don’t do it).

In general, things like T-Blades are too gimmicky for me. I’ll stick with what everyone uses at the highest level (more on that below) until something better comes along. Unless it’s too weird, like Vern Fiddler and a bunch of other guys testing that heated blade holder thing. i’m out thanks

As far as “rockering” goes, that’s a matter of preference. People say that forwards need to be more alert and D-Men need to be more on their heels, but if it doesn’t totally bother you, you’re probably reconsidering. I took mine out of the box, had it sharpened and wore it. Don’t freak out.

Let me know if you tinker with them and like them less spicy. I bet you do.

********

Most of what has changed since I wrote this post is the introduction of FBV – the “Flat-Bottom V” version of skate sharpening that has more recently become part of the mainstream hockey lexicon. Personally, I didn’t know the depth of its popularity or value, so I contacted the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves (NCAA D1) Equipment Manager — my boy P.D., who to follow on Twitter if you’re into guys who like both rap as well as hockey – to find out all the details.

The consensus: Elite skaters don’t notice much of a difference (if at all), so you probably won’t either. This isn’t just for the “NCAA elite” either, this is also true of the NHL, where few players in the league (a few per team?) use the “new” style of sharpening. Zero players at UAA use it, one or two at Fairbanks, and the majority of kids coming out of the junior years (the easily influenced ones) don’t ask for it.

“Flat-Bottom V” isn’t illogical – instead of the rounded trough, they go for a flat bottom with more pronounced edges, with the selling point being “flatter blade on ice for gliding, more edge for turning”. ”

And I know the sales pitch is great. Because of this, you can go back to the 80’s to find different types of “edges” that make sense and will revolutionize skating to the point of dying when you hear things like “elite skaters don’t notice a difference (if at all)” .” A good sales pitch can go a long way (you can ask for more!), and that’s probably why people on Twitter are telling me this is the wave of the future, while an NCAA outfitter is the reaction among non-payers says is “meh”. Placebos are a damn good drug. (I’ve also reached out to the Isles gear man who was supposed to get back to me this afternoon so I’ll share the Isles usage numbers then.)

The brands that sell FBV are Blackstone and Blademaster and both do it better than the other if you ask them.

The consensus of P.D. and the trainers he’s spoken to say that the stone is difficult to dress properly, it’s difficult to level up, and when it’s off it’s a mess.

So the majority of players still use the old-school cut. Now go and get a shallower hollow, yeah?

It is called groove, hollow grind or base radius. You could put it like this: “I want a 5/8 radius” or “I want a 1/2 radius”. By grinding a radius into your skate blade, you make your edges sharp, and depending on the radius you choose, you also make your edges more (or less) pronounced.

You may recall from elementary school math that a 1 inch diameter circle has a 1/2 inch radius.

A 4″ circle has a 2″ radius, a 3/4″ circle has a 3/8″ radius, etc. etc.

The diamond dressing attachment on most skate sharpeners directs (shapes) the grinding surface of the grinding wheel to the curvature shape of any radius between 1/4″ and 1-1/4″. This is the radius that is transferred to the skate blade by grinding.

WHICH RADIUS IS BEST: THE MEANING OF “SHARP”

Choosing a radius can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. The following discussion will allow you to understand skate sharpening. You should then be able to form your own opinion.

First, let’s look at what the different radii look like on the underside of your blade. Note: These drawings are exaggerated for effect.

A SMALL RADIUS CREATES “Deep Hollow” More pronounced peaks

Sharper feeling

More edge

More surface contact with ice

More grip (less agile)

Drag more (slower). You lose glide from excessive friction and work harder.

May have difficulty stopping without chatter or walking over the top of your skates.

Will be able to hold a very tight turn. A LARGE RADIUS CREATES “Shallow Hollow”, less pronounced peaks

Not so sharp feeling

Less edge

Less surface contact with ice

Less grip (more manoeuvrable)

Less drag (faster)

After a skate is sharpened, it will have sharp edges no matter how big or small the radius. Remember that the long speed skating blades used in the Olympics are ground flat with no radius. You are looking for maximum glide. While being careful around turns, never doubt those blade edges aren’t sharp! The real questions are: “Is there enough margin?” “Is there too much margin?”

If a skater claims the skate isn’t sharp enough immediately after use, they usually say, “This skate doesn’t have enough edge to fit my skate.”

How much edge a skater can tolerate is affected by four main variables. These are the skater’s weight, the skater’s discipline, the ice temperature, and the skater’s skill.

Warning: Under no circumstances should a radius smaller than 1/4 inch be used. Aside from being too sharp for anyone, this will weaken the sharpener’s grinding wheel and pose a safety hazard.

WEIGHT

An extremely light skater can tolerate very small radii (creating a deep trough and lots of edge). They don’t have much weight to carry on the ice.

Beginner-level skaters can more easily learn most skills (especially the hockey stop) by grinding their skates with a very large radius. As they progress, the radii are reduced back to normal levels.

A heavy skater trying to skate on a small radius (too much edge) will bite the ice so hard that they will have trouble without rattling or going over the edge of their skates. You will also lose glide from excessive friction and work harder. On the other hand, they will be able to hold a very tight turn!

Pros and Intermediates can skate on smaller radii and often find it better for fast edging and footwork and better grip when landing higher rotation jumps; particularly effective for ice dancers. Skating on too small a radius sometimes feels like skating on soft ice.

While 3/8″ radius edges are more pronounced than 5/8″ radius edges, they are also more fragile and less durable.

A “general” table for Radius COMPETITION/ICE DANCE LESSONS/BASIC HOCKEY BEGINNER RECREATIONAL HOCKEY GOALKEEPER 3/8″-7/16″ 1/2″ 5/8″ 3/4″ 1 TO 1 1/4″

A US dime is ~11/16″ in diameter or ~11/32″ in radius. That’s ~1/32″ less than a 3/8″ radius.

A US penny is ~3/4″ in diameter or ~3/8″ in radius.

A US nickel is ~13/16″ in diameter or ~13/32″ in radius. This is ~1/32″ larger than a 3/8″ radius.

A US Quarter is ~15/16″ in diameter or ~15/32″ in radius. That’s ~1/32″ less than a 1/2″ radius.

SKATER

Hockey: 1/2 inch seems to be the most common radius for kids through high school. Forwards generally prefer smaller radii than defenders of the same weight. Goaltenders generally prefer very large radii so they can “tee off” without catching an edge.

Figure: Most novice and instructor skaters can skate on a 1/2 inch radius. A 5/8 inch radius is sufficient for most recreational skaters.

When figure skaters reach the level where they are in a serious program, they are under the tutelage of a coach or instructor. The skater should consult these people for advice on the best radius for the program they are running. Most common are 7/16″ to 3/8″ for ice dancers and in between for synchro

ICE TEMPERATURE

Most rink managers aim for an ice temperature of around 25 degrees Fahrenheit. A temperature of 17 to 23 degrees is considered “hard hockey ice”, 25 to 26 degrees is considered good figure skating ice. A slightly smaller radius can be used on colder/harder ice and vice versa.

Causes of even and uneven edges

Skates that need sharpening don’t just have dull edges; They also have unevenly worn edges depending on weight distribution.

Skating: When skating aggressively or with uneven weight distribution on the blade, typically caused by pronation, the inside edge wears more than the outside. Additionally, the inside edge is worn mostly under the ball of the foot and not much near the end of the skate blade at all. If you don’t believe this, go rollerblading for a week and don’t spin your wheels!

Improper Sharpening: If the blade is not sharpened along the absolute center of the skate blade, it will always have uneven edges. This can be done in two ways.

#1 So the higher outside edge “sticks out” further than the inside edge and has to touch the grinding wheel first. The high stock is then removed and the cut falls to the center, creating even edges. It’s the center of the blade that needs to be the guide, not the center of the worn radius. If this rule is not followed, you will end up with uneven edges. Qualified skate technicians always use a small T-square or micrometer to measure the blade edges across the entire edge surface to ensure they are precisely flat. Years ago sharpeners could be seen balancing a penny over the edges, which was close but not quite accurate.

#2 Ice skate blades are not all the same thickness. Thus, the skate holder settings must be checked at each sharpening and not left at some arbitrary “default” setting. If this rule is not followed, you will end up with uneven edges.

For more information on figure skating equipment, see our other guides or contact us. We’re always happy to help!

Two skates

Hinge of a clap skate

Normal skate and clap skate in comparison

An early clap skate from 1936

The clap skate (also called clapper skates, clapper skates, slap skates, slap skates, from Dutch) is a type of ice skate used in speed skating. Unlike traditional ice skates, where the blade is rigidly attached to the boot, clap skates have the blade attached to the front of the boot by a hinge. This allows the blade to stay on the ice longer as the ankle can now be extended towards the end of the stroke, as well as for a more natural movement, dissipating the energy of the leg more effectively and efficiently.

Clap skates were developed at the Faculty of Human Movement Sciences at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam under the direction of Gerrit Jan van Ingen Schenau, although the idea of ​​a clap skate is much older; Designs from around 1900 are known.

The clap skate was first used in the 1984/1985 ice skating season. However, the idea was not taken seriously until the late 1990s. In the 1996/1997 season, the Dutch women’s team began using the skates with great success. The rest of the skating world soon followed suit, ensuring a spate of world records were broken in subsequent seasons, including the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

history [edit]

The idea of ​​an articulated slide was described and patented in 1894 by Karl Hannes from Raitenhaslach, Burghausen.[1][2] It was reinvented by Gerrit Jan van Ingen Schenau, who started work on a folding speed skate in 1979[3], made his first prototype in 1980[2][3] and completed his doctoral thesis on the subject in 1981[3]. ] on the premise that a skater would benefit from extended movement with the skate on the ice, allowing the calf muscles to participate longer in the skate movement.[3] The design of the hinge was further refined in collaboration with Viking.[1] In 1985, Ron Ket became the first to skate the clap skates in an officially timed frame, a 500 meter sprint on the Jaap Eden baan, with a promising 40.65.[2] In February 1986, Henk Gemser, then coach of the Dutch national speed skating team, expressed his intention to start clap skate training, although no further trials of the new skate were made. During the 1986–1987 season, a small number of marathon skaters intended to use the clap skate in competition, but its use was banned by game officials due to the increased risk of physical harm to the skaters in the event of a fall. The then current top Dutch speed skating pros Ids Postma, Bart Veldkamp and Rintje Ritsma were unimpressed by the ice skate.[1]

In the 1994–1995 season, 11 skaters from the South Holland 14–18 age group began competing in the clap skate. These 11 showed an average improvement in their times of 6.25% compared to 2.5% for the other skaters using regular speed skates. Ten of them placed for the state championship.[4]

The 1996–1997 season saw use of the clap skate at its highest level, and in 1997 Tonny de Jong became the first all-around European champion to use the clap skate, with Gunda Niemann, the defending champion, in second place. Niemann noted that ice skates were illegal and should be banned.[4] In the years that followed, the clap skate began to dominate the landscape of long track speed skating. The design has been banned for use in short track speed skating.

Research completed in 2001 showed that the speed gain from using the clap skate is not due to using the calf muscle to stretch the ankle, as was thought when the clap skate was developed, but to the fact that the pivot point is shifted the tip of the skate to the hinge, facilitating the transfer of power to the ice.[5]