Information about Skate Maintenance

Why profile skates?

In simple terms, profiling (or shaping) the blade involves creating a curved shape along the blade from heel to toe. The curvature of the blade affects various aspects of skating, such as acceleration, straight-line skating, turns, stops—basically, everything. A sharper curve means less blade contact with the ice, while a flatter curve has more blade-to-ice contact. The shape has a significant impact on skating, and there are many profiling options available, including radius, radius contact surface, and Ramonedge profiles. We can help you find the best possible profile for your blades.

Who should profile their skates?

All hockey players who use skates can benefit from profiling. Different profiles can improve and ease skating for players at various skill levels. For example:

  • For children learning to skate, a profile is created to help them maintain balance and the correct skating posture, speeding up the learning process.
  • For juniors, the right blade shape helps with proper posture and learning how to use the blade effectively.
  • For active players, a customized profile based on their needs ensures optimal performance in various skating aspects.

How often should skates be profiled?

Each time the blades are sharpened, the shape of the blade can change, so it’s important to reprofile them. The shape’s durability depends on the sharpening quality; with careful sharpening, the profile can last a whole season with 5-15 sharpening sessions. Poor sharpening can ruin the profile after just one session.

Luistintalli has developed the patented RADchecker tool for checking the shape of skate blades. We use the RADchecker to inspect our customers' blades to ensure they are always in top condition. You can also purchase RADchecker tools from us or from HockeyBase stores.

New skates always need to be profiled and sharpened before use.

How are blades sharpened?

Sharpening involves grinding a curved groove (ROH sharpening) into the blade. The deeper the groove, the higher the edges on the sides of the blade, which increases the blade’s bite into the ice. With a shallower groove, the grip is reduced but glide improves. Figure skaters need more grip, so they typically have a groove of 10-18, while ice hockey players, who skate longer distances, benefit from a flat edge or a very mild groove for better glide, usually around 35-40. In hockey, the groove is typically 20-35, offering a balance of grip and glide.

In properly done sharpening, the groove is centered on the blade, ensuring the edges are equally high. For optimal glide, the quality of the sharpening is essential—the bottom of the blade must be flat and smooth for the best performance.

Sharpening is always done according to the skater’s needs and characteristics.

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