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Canwest News Service
You may think once you've bought your new skates and they fit like slippers you're job is over.
Not so fast — you also have to consider what kind of sharpening profile you want on your blades.
At many hockey stores, you can have the blades custom sharpened to optimize your style of skating and personal preferences.
Typically, skates come out of the box with a nine-inch rocker — or degree of lengthwise arc on the bottom of the skate blade — but this can be lengthened for increased power and glide. But there is a trade-off. The longer the rocker, the more difficult it is to turn, so you've got to be a strong skater to make it work.
The other blade parameter that can be changed is the hollow or concavity on the bottom. The smaller the number the deeper the hollow and the more grip on the ice. The larger the number the less friction.
Skates typically come from the factory with a 3/8 hollow, but a 1/2 or even 5/8 is recommended for recreational players because too much hollow makes a player more susceptible to catching an edge and suffering a leg injury.
There is a new sharpening technique from Ontario company BlackStone Sport (www.blackstonesport.com) called Flat Bottom V, which supposedly offers the flatness of a shallow hollow and the edges of a deep hollow. The new technique has been adopted by a few NHL teams, but it's still not widely available for the rec market.
Care of skates is also key, says Tobi Higo of Cyclone Taylor Sports.
"After you play, make sure you wipe down the blades, take the insoles right out of the skates and them dry out indoors," he says.
Higo also recommends using an enzymatic spray on your wet gear to keep the bacteria count — and the smell — under control.
