WHAT SHARPENING IS BEST FOR ME?

Despite what many people think, there is no right answer to this question. It all comes down to personal preference. Every skater has to find out what works best for them. This is easier said than done. But, we are here to help you and educate you through the process.

HOLLOW

The hollow refers to the measurement of your skate sharpening. Without getting too scientific, the hollow ultimately determines how much blade digs into the ice while you are skating. the deeper the hollow, the “sharper” the feel when skating on the ice.

The hollow is measured in fractions of an inch. the smaller the fraction, the “sharper” and more bite you get.

COMMON HOLLOWS

The most common hollow we use for hockey players is 1/2″ but it is not the only hollow to sharpen at. 1/2″ is the industry standard or average sharpening. a deeper hollow like 3/8″ will give you a “sharper” feel with more bite. A shallower cut like 5/8″ will give you more glide and straight ahead speed.

This information is as basic as it gets when explaining skate sharpening. for more detail stop by our store,  give us a call at 212-228-8400, or email us at info@wsskate.com.

Pros and Cons of Different Hollows

Again, it comes down to preference. But with that said, here is an explanation of what to expect at different hollows.

Deep Cut (3/8″): a deeper cut will give a skater more bite, a cut that allows you to really dig into the ice and get lots of grip with the ice. However, digging into the ice also causes more resistance when gliding. the deeper the blades cut into the ice, the more “drag” you may feel. This can cause skaters get tired more quickly considering it will take more energy to cover the same ground compared to shallower hollows. But, a deeper cut will make the edges feel sharper for a longer period of time So usually skaters with a deeper cut will sharpen skates less often

Shallow Cut (5/8″): a shallow cut relatively speaking is the opposite of what is said above. So a shallower cut will provide more speed but less grip and bite, less resistance so a skater will exert less energy compared to a deep cut. It will also feel like the blades wont stay sharp as long as blades cut with a deeper hollow.

Average Cut (1/2″): 1/2″ is the middle cut. This is why we recommend adult skaters start with 1/2″ cut and change from there if they prefer a different feel.

What Affects the Feel of a Skate Sharpening?

The quick answer, lots of things. but to name a few:

• Size of the skater
• Ability of the skater
• Hot Weather
• Cold Weather
• Indoor vs outdoor ice
• Thickness of the steel

For more detail about how these factors affect a sharpening stop by or contact us.