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How do you Unsharpen hockey skates?

Author

Rachel Ellis

Published Jan 16, 2026

Use a hand stone to dull the blade if the plastic on the boards isn't dulling the skate blade enough. The hand stone can also be used to remove scratches or chips that are missing in the blade.

Can I sharpen my ice skates myself?

Can I Sharpen My Skates At Home? Yes, you can sharpen the skates at home, it will need some sort of heavy-duty machinery to do that just go through a specific method, and ,. It's not that difficult, once you get used to it you'll notice a drastic change in the performance of the ice skates.

How can I sharpen my hockey skates at home?

Now, there's at least three methods to sharpen ice skates at home:

  1. Use a Sharpening Machine. You can invest in a sharpening machine and save yourself trips to the proshop. ...
  2. Use a File to Sharpen Your Ice Skates. Now, you can use a file to sharpen your blades at home. ...
  3. Use a Hockey Skate Blade Sharpening Stone.

How should hockey skates be sharpened?

You can get your skates sharpened anywhere from 1/8th of an inch to one inch. 1/8th would be the sharpest, and one inch would be the least sharp. The majority of pros use something with a shallower hollow, but preference does widely vary.

How do I know if my skates need sharpening?

If you notice nicks or gouges on the skate blades, it's time to get them sharpened. A quick test for a sharp edge is to hold the skate upside down, place one thumbnail on the edge of the blade and gently pull down and away from the blade on three or four parts of the blade.

16 related questions found

How often should hockey skates be sharpened?

The rule of thumb is to sharpen ice skates after every 15-20 hours of use. This is typical for athletes who play hockey or figure skate multiple times on a weekly basis.

How do you sharpen skates at home with a file?

Use a flat file to file the blade from toe to heel in a diagonal motion. Be sure the file is always perpendicular to the blade. Slide the flat file across a single blade in the same direction roughly 20 times, then perform the same motion in the opposite direction. Repeat the process for the other skate.

How many times can you sharpen skates?

Generally skates should be sharpened every 20-40 skating hours. This depends on a few different factors such as how many times a week a skater is on the ice, which elements the skater is working on, and the build of the skater.

How do you sharpen ice skates with a grinder?

Grind the blades.

Push the sharpening stone down to the opposite end and side of your skates. Then pull the stone back along the blades to its starting position. Keep the stone perpendicular to your skates the entire time. Repeat this for a total of 20 strokes.

What is a deburring block?

The Deburring Block Set gives you a sturdy grip to safely deburr your freshly sharpened steel, it is available now and can be purchased here.

What does stoning a skate do?

Features. The skate stone is used as a complement to the sharp edge of your skates. It is used after the sharpener polishes the contours of the skate blades to remove tiny cracks or scratches on your blades. It is also used to eliminate possible synthetic ice shavings which might remain on the skates.

How do you dull skates that are too sharp?

Use a hand stone to dull the blade if the plastic on the boards isn't dulling the skate blade enough. The hand stone can also be used to remove scratches or chips that are missing in the blade.

What happens if your skates are dull?

If you have dull blades, your ice skates will not be able to form a powerful grip with the ice. Therefore, you could keep falling over while skating at the rink. If you have nicks in your blades, this could require you to sharpen your ice skates as well.

How long do hockey blades last?

It depends on the blade, the skill level, the skater, etc. Done frequently enough, a blade should last 5 to 8 years for the average recreational skater.

How often do NHL players sharpen their skates?

Other skate sharpening questions

Some players will sharpen very frequently, such as every 2-3 hours of ice time, while others go for an entire season without sharpening. If you're unsure of where to start, try getting them sharpened after 10 hours of ice time, and then adjust as you feel is necessary.

Can I skate with rusty skates?

Is it OK to skate with rusty skates? Rusted ice skate blades prevent you from enjoying your time on the ice and may even make it impossible to skate. Left untreated, rust continues to damage the blades, forcing you to invest in a new pair.

Can hockey skates be too sharp?

While your skates can never be too sharp, they can certainly be too dull and that can take a whole lot of fun out of the game. For those skaters who do feel their skates are too sharp at times, we recommend reviewing our post on selecting an ROH. You should experiment with a slightly shallower radius.

Can you skate on new skates without sharpening?

New skates are not sharpened, so you will need to get them sharpened by a trained sharpener, and then re-sharpened every 15-20 hours of ice time – to keep them in tip top condition by removing knicks and deformaties in the metal edge.

Are figure skates sharpened the same as hockey skates?

Figure skates are sharpened with very different goals than hockey skates. NEVER have them done by one of those automatic machines you find in some rinks. Figure skates are ground with a "hollow" in the bottom (to give them those "edges" you hear so much about).

Does pure hockey sharpen figure skates?

Pure Hockey will sharpen the blades of any new skates you purchase from us, or you can take your skates to an ice facility to have them sharpened. But be sure to explain that the skates are new, so the blades get a hollow.