About Skate Sharpening & the Radius of Hollow

Figure skating, hockey and recreational ice skating require more than simply purchasing skates and trying them on. The angle at which the skate is sharpened and the point at which the skate bites into the ice will determine how easy the skates are to control. Therefore, serious ice skaters must learn how to properly sharpen their own skates or find a service that sharpens skates to their liking.

Radius of Hollow

The radius of hollow is the angle of the bite on the skate and the blade edge. The friction of the skate is determined by these two factors. Smaller radius of hollow and higher bite angles means that the skater will need more energy to skate across the ice. Choosing the radius of hollow is based on the sport played and the preferences of the skater.

Sharpening

To properly sharpen skates, you must get the radius of hollow to be located in the center of the blade. Otherwise you could end up with a different bite angle at different ends. This can cause the skates to not function properly.

Warning

Badly sharpened skates can cause skates to dig into the ice suddenly, causing the skater to stumble. These skates might also not dig into the ice correctly when the skater wants them to, sending the skater sliding out of control. This is caused by a bad radius of hollow. Many professional skate shops use one radius of hollow when sharpening their skates and then claim that this is the perfect type of radius of hollow for skaters of all types. This is a lie told to cut costs. In reality, different skaters will want their radius of hollow adapted to their own needs.

Expert Solutions

Make sure to search around for different skate shops. Skate shops should be willing to sharpen your skates to your liking. If you find a skate sharpening store that you like, stick with it. But it doesn't hurt to try out new skate sharpening stores during the off season. Usually, small skate sharpening services are more willing to customize the radius of hollow than larger branches.

Equipment

Skates are sharpened using a rotating grinding wheel. This wheel has a circular cross section which determines where the radius of hollow will be on the blade. A holder clamps the skate blade while it is being sharpened. A special guide keeps the blade aligned with the grinding wheel.