Are your skates 'ice ready'?
Posted: 02.13.2013 at 5:47 PM
Photo

MARQUETTE -- It's still hockey season, and that means players are in need of sharp skates. But how do the skates get sharpened?

Employees at Hockey Central use a machine specially designed to sharpen skates. The machine does the sharpening while Bill does the maneuvering of the skate against the spinning blade. U-shaped edges are carved into the blade, which allows for added stability when on the ice.

Hockey Central Owner Bill Kiple said, "It makes a hollow in the bottom of the ski blade so you end up with actually two edges so that when the skater banks, they have one edge that's digging into the ice and another one that's kind of grinding across the top."

Keeping your ice skates or hockey skates sharp is a necessity. If they aren't sharp, you won't move on the ice.

Proper care of your skates is crucial as well. Keeping the blades wrapped up in something soft is ideal so they won't rip anything when you're off the ice.

Making sure your skates are completely dry after use is another thing to remember. The blades are steel, and if they aren't dried off, they may rust.

Related Links