Do outdoor rinks dull skates?

Outdoor ice can be very dirty or the dirt frozen into the surface makes the ice a strong abrasive. Blades which have been poorly sharpened often leave a weak or rolled edge that quickly breaks down leaving the skates dull. To protect your blades in your bag and while carrying them use SKATE GUARDS.

How often do NHL players sharpen their skates?

A rule of thumb is for every 15 to 20 hours of ice time, but let’s go beyond the basics. The biggest factor is how often you skate, hence the rule of thumb based on ice time. It’s not unheard of for some players to sharpen their blades before every game, and others once or twice a year.

What happens if skates are not sharpened?

Without an edge, your skate blades will slide on the ice. This would make it difficult to skate or even stand on the ice at all. Some new skate blades also come with a thin layer of plastic coating that needs to be ground off during the sharpening.

Does outdoor ice dull blades?

If it’s somewhere that’s maintained very well like Sun Valley with a Zamboni, you are fine in your good skates. But if it’s a not so well maintained outdoor rink or a pond like setting, then it’s going to destroy your blades. You will get lots of nicks in them and they will dull considerably very quickly.

How do you know if your skate blades are dull?

To see if blades are dull, you can simply feel them with your finger. Run your finger width-wise across the blade, not length-wise as you can cut yourself this way. You should be able to feel two distinct edges.

How often should skate blades be sharpened?

Skates should typically be sharpened after 8-10 hours of use on an indoor rink. This timeframe shrinks when skating outdoors. If you find yourself struggling to skate smoothly or falling down doing a typical skill you’d be comfortable with it is a sign that you may need to get your blades checked.

How can I tell if my skates need sharpening?

If you feel a little bite to your nail as you drag it across the edge – the edge is sharp. If your fingernail ever feels like it slides across the edge smoothly (i.e. as if the edge were rounded and not sharp) – this is an indication that the edge might not be sharp enough to skate on with confidence.