- How often to sharpen skates depends upon the texture of the ice and how much a person skates. If the ice is rough, the blades will dull faster. If a casual skater uses his skates twice a week, then he needs to sharpen them approximately every two months. A skater who skates four to five times a week needs to sharpen his skates every three or four weeks.
- When blades are dull, they slide on the ice and don't feel secure. A good method to test the sharpness of blades is to run a fingernail over the edge of the blade. If the blade cuts the nail, the blade is sharp. If it just slides over the nail, it's time for the blades to be sharpened.
- The best way to have skates sharpened is to go to a professional. For those who would rather sharpen their own blades, there are hand-sharpening kits for the specific types of skates. Hand-held stones work fine for touch-ups on the edges. The Skate Mate is a universal ice skate sharpener with Teflon strips and adjustments for the hollow.
- Professional sharpening machines are tricky to use if you are unfamiliar with them. They are set up for hollow grinding that carves out the center and sharpens the edges at the same time. If the hollow is too deep, the edges are too sharp. Skates that are not sharpened properly will not give the control needed on the ice.
- When looking for professional skate sharpening, check out sporting goods stores that have trained staff who take the time to check out the blades for imperfections. If the skates do not perform better after sharpening, try another place. If a place is busy, it's a good indication that they do a good job.
