Buying Blades
As with boots, there are many reputable brands of blades. Some of the most popular ones include John Wilson, MK, Riedell, and Jackson. All of these brands have blades for all disciplines and skill levels. Below are links to blade selection guides for each of these brands.
As with boots, a professional fitter is the best place to go for blade advice and mounting. They will also be able to provide recommendations for an appropriate blade for your skating discipline and level. Many of our skaters go to the Cleveland area to purchase new boots. Both Matt at Trusted Edge and Chris and Carl at Skaters Edge are experienced fitters who can help you choose the right blade for you or your skater and mount it for you.
One thing to bear in mind is that blades are sized to fit the boot, with the key boot measurement being the length from the tip of the toe to the back of the heel. This means that if you change the brand of your boot, or sometimes even get a different model of the same brand, your current blade may not fit the new boot.
The last thing to be aware of regarding blades is the rocker radius. This measurement indicates how much of the blade is in contact with the ice and there are two options: 7 inches and 8 inches. Every blade has a specific rocker radius (i.e. you don’t choose a blade and then get it in the rocker radius of your choice). An 8-inch radius is flatter and provides more speed since more of the blade is touching the ice and is better for jumps. The smaller 7-inch radius is better for agility, deeper edges and smoother turns. Once again, a professional fitter is the best place to go to help determine which rocker, and blade, is best for you or your skater.
Caring for Your Blades
Your blades are your only contact with the ice. You want that contact to be as effective as possible. Good care will help to ensure this. Always keep them sharp. A sharp blade grabs the ice better than a dull one. Sharpen your blades when they start to slide uncomfortably when you land or when you notice that you slip sideways when holding an edge. While skate time between sharpenings will vary from skater to skater, a good general guide is to sharpen your skates after about 35 hours of skating. As you skate more, you’ll get a feel for when your blades need to be sharpened.
Sharpen responsibly – be careful of who you trust with your blades. Be aware that figure skates are sharpened with very different goals in mind than hockey skates. Figure skates are sharpened with a hollow in the bottom, which provides those edges that you hear so much about. The radius of the curvature can vary anywhere from 5/16 inch to 1 inch depending on your weight, the disciplines you skate (singles, ice dance, etc.) and your skill level.
Most skaters prefer a hollow of 7/16 inch to 5/8 inch, and beginners typically start with ½ inch which tends to be the default that sharpeners use if you don’t specify the hollow you want. Bear in mind that a smaller hollow provides a deeper groove between your edges and, therefore, more grip on the ice which consequently makes stopping more difficult.
Nothing will dull your blades more quickly than walking around on them off the ice. When you must walk on floors, put guards on your blades. Guards are hard or semi-hard plastic covers whose sole purpose is to protect your blades. Every time you exit the ice you should wipe any ice or snow off your blades by sliding your fingers along both sides of the blade and then put your guards on.
Off the ice, the biggest killer of blades is rust. Rust is much softer than steel, and once part of your blade is rusted, you can never change that part back to “the good stuff.” Although rust can usually be removed by a skilled sharpener, this is not something you want to have to do often – or ever. Each sharpening removes a little of the steel from your blade. Removing rust will likely remove more of the steel than a typical sharpening which, in turn, can significantly reduce the life of your blades.
At the end of each skating session, after you have taken off your skates, you should thoroughly wipe your blades and the bottom of your boots with an absorbent cloth. Be sure to wipe the sides of the blade, the hollow and the mounting surfaces. The screws rust too and will loosen much more easily when they’re rusted or the leather gets rotten. If you’ve got the time (while you’re changing your clothes, perhaps), let them sit for a couple of minutes and wipe them down again before you put them in your bag or locker.
When you do put them in your bag or locker, put soakers on. Never store your blades with the guards on as this can – and most likely will – cause rust on your blades. Soakers are a simple cloth cover for the blade that helps to draw off any remaining moisture. In addition, they provide a cushion for your edges while the skates bounce around inside your bag.
Lastly, maintain both your soakers and your guards. The soakers wear out after a while, typically by holes developing at the ends. Replace them when they no longer cover your blade effectively. The hard guards will wear out too. Watch for thin spots or holes in the bottom and replace them right away when you see these problems. You should also clean out the insides of your guards periodically – more frequently if you don’t wipe your blades before putting on your guards. They will accumulate grit after a while which can scratch your blades.