Are your ice skates sharp enough for speed skating?
Unlike the skates typically used for other ice activities, the speed skates are flat and razor-sharp. Keeping the ice speed skates sharp and ready is mandatory if you want to be able to slide over the ice with high speed and as little friction as possible. Individuals that have been performing ice skating for quite some time are well aware of the importance of sharpening the skates. In a nutshell, if the skates are dull, then they will not be able to speed skate, nor will they perform the clear turns and other movements specific to this sport.
Luckily, there is a simple way to transform the ice skates from blunt to sharp. It is important to point out that the difficulty of this task is mainly dependant on regular maintenance performed and how much time has passed since the blades have been sharpened. In case you are wondering how you will know if the blades are sharp enough, then the answer to this question is to test it with the fingernail. Essentially, if the fingernail is not damaged by the blade, that means it is still dull and hence, you should continue to grind.
Let’s see how it all goes down. In order to sharpen the blades of the ice speed skates you will need a jig, a sharpening stone, burr stone, oil, rags and towels. Therefore, place the skates on the jig ensuring that each inner side of the boots is facing each other. Next, you need to place some oil on the rough side of the sharpening stone in an even coating and start grinding from the front to the back of the blades. From time to time, you should run the fingers on the blade and check if you feel a burr on the entire length of the blades.
When you notice roughness on the blades, it is time to remove the ice speed skates from the jig and run the burr stone on them. While using the burr stone, make sure that you rotate and flip it around on all sides of the skates so you do not miss out on any imperfections. Test it again and if you do not feel any imperfections, then place the skates on the jig again and use the fine side of the sharpening stone to finish the sharpening. This last step typically requires about ten or twenty strokes for each side of the blade. However, if you spot marks on the blades, it is advisable to run a few strikes more with the burr stone and then the fine side of the sharpening stone.
If you are performing regular maintenance and sharpening on the ice skates, then an easy method to keep your blades sharp is with the aid of a file. However, it is important that you do not attempt to sharpen this way, unless you know what you are doing. This warning is also available for the aforementioned sharpening procedure, as performing this incorrectly will destroy the blades and make skating difficult.
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