Sharpening

---

Simply put, sharpening is the process of grinding a groove along the bottom of the skate blade. Think of the letter "U". It is this groove or "hollow" that creates the edge which allows us to skate.

It is important to accurately grind the hollow so that it is centered along the length of the blade and that the edges are the same height. An edge height difference of as little as .002" (2 thousandths of an inch can negatively effect the way the blade feels on the ice.  A flat item (like a coin) laid across the edges (the top of the "U") will form a 90 degree angle with the side of the blade.

It is equally important to only grind as much metal as necessary to achieve sharp edges while at the same time not changing the profile or curvature of the blade. A profile that has been changed or damaged can not be repaired in most cases. The profile can be damaged by one bad sharpening.

A poor sharpening, which creates uneven edges, will require the removal of a larger amount of metal to get the edge height even again. This can be as much metal as two or more sharpenings, reducing blade life.

 The sharp edges we skate on are created by the junction of the inner part of the hollow and the flat straight sides of the blade, If the flat side of is damaged by rust, a smooth sharp edge can no longer be achieved. This damage can not be fixed.

The hollow or R.O.H. (radius of hollow) is expressed as fractions of an inch. The most Common are 5/8", 1/2", 7/16". These are roughly the diameter of a half dollar, quarter, and nickle coins.