Skate Maintenance

Speed skates are sharpened by hand, using a jig, a sharpening stone, and a deburring stone. Instructional sessions on how to sharpen your skates are held during the skating season. If you rent club skates you are responsible for sharpening them throughout the season. The club has jigs available for club members to use for a minimal fee paid for with registration.

It is also important to properly dry out all equipment between each practice!

- Laces should be kept relatively short to avoid tripping over them.

- Tuck in the tongue and laces, close all Velcro and buckles.

- If you find that the skates are very uncomfortable then consider heat molding the boots to your feet.

- Before you put on your skates check that all nuts and bolts are tight and that there are no visible signs of deterioration.

Take good care of your skates. They are expensive!

To properly maintain blades:

- Be sure to fully dry the blades after each use to prevent rust from developing.

- Hard skate guards are to be used when you are walking from the dressing room to the ice surface and return to the dressing room. DO NOT STORE THE SKATES IN THE HARD GAURDS. If you keep the plastic skate guards on the blades while they are damp, rust will form and damage the skate blade.

- Store the blades in a soft skate guard any time you are not using them, such as between practices.

- Sharpen the blades regularly. It is best to sharpen quickly on a regular basis rather than an occasional long sharpening job. This can be done by using club sharpening jig. Ask your coach how to get this done.

- Check the edge of the blade with a fingernail to check for sharpness and burr. If you are able to scrape some of your nail, the blade does not need to be sharpened. When checking for burr, you want to be able to scrape your fingernail upwards on the side of the blade without catching it on a piece metal.

- Have the rocker and bend on skates checked at least twice (beginning and mid-season) per season by a club coach or equipment person.

- The tips of the blades must be rounded to the radius of a nickel to reduce their possibility of puncturing an object.

Speed skates are intended for use only on indoor short tracks at practice and sanctioned competitions. Any damage to club blades when used on outdoor ice will be the financial responsibility of the skater.