skate sharpenings before competitions

treesprite

Active Member
Messages
498
I'm curious about how soon before competitions do skaters usually have their skates sharpened.

The reason I'm thinking about it, is because this skater insisted on having her skates sharpened the day before a competition. I think it was a crazy thing to do. The worst part about it, is the person responsible for sharpening them didn't do it, so when the skater came for the skates, my boss insisted that I do it because I was the only one around who can sharpen skates.... I hate our equipment because it is inconsistent, so nowadays I usually refuse to do customer skates (but do the rentals), and managers usually deal with it (unhappily), but this time I was not allowed off the hook.

The dressing arm seemed to not screw up, the blades came out looking okay, and the skater/parent did not complain (she used them immediately after I finished with them), but I think that kid was taking a very huge risk. It takes me a minimum of a week to adjust to a fresh sharpening, and a couple of weeks until I feel comfortable doing stops on them.
 

misskarne

Handy Emergency Backup Mode
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23,456
I wouldn't do it less than two weeks out. I've done it once one week out and that was hard enough. Getting them done the day before? I'd sooner take my chances on blunt blades.
 

antmanb

Well-Known Member
Messages
12,639
It depends on the skater - I know some of the higher level kids at our rink prefer it when their skates are freshly sharpened because they feel they have much better control. Others say they prefer them with a good few hours skating in between sharpening.

Personally my inability to stop on freshly sharpened skates means I only like them about a month after I've had them done (but I only skate skate 1-2hours a week on them).
 

purple skates

Shadow Dancing
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22,426
I like them sharp before competition and have been known to get them done the day before. However, I also have a dedicated sharpener who only sharpens figure skates (including for elite skaters) and I trust him completely.

If I didn't have him, I wouldn't risk it that close to competition time.
 

TheGirlCanSkate

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,254
With our current sharpener, I'd have it done with 2 hours of ice time before a competition. Since she skates an hour a day that would be 2 days prior. He is awesome so there is minimal difference. I'd rather her have dull skates than have anyone else touch them.
 

treesprite

Active Member
Messages
498
Given that the blades were Aspires, I'm assuming the skater wasn't above preliminaries. Most of those lower level skaters let the teenagers who crossgrind every pair of skates do their sharpenings. The higher level and older skaters take their skates to one of 2 other specific places, sometimes with one skater taking several other people's skates.
 

treesprite

Active Member
Messages
498
I have no idea, but every now and then I look at the completed customer skates and almost every pair has uneven edges. Maybe not uneven enough for the skaters to notice it in their skating, but experienced skaters doing more complicated skills would notice it. The cross grinding is crazy, given that we aren't supposed to even do it to the rental skates unless they are really really bad.
 

overedge

Mayor of Carrot City
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35,792
It really depends on the skater and what "feel" they want for their blades. Plus the skills of the sharpener.

There is an awesome skate shop near me and I completely trust their work. I usually get them to sharpen my blades when I have three or so practices left before the competition. I like freshly sharpened blades, but I feel more secure when I've skated on the blades and know what to expect. That also gives me time to take the skates back on the very rare occasions that the sharpening doesn't feel right.
 

SherryL

Member
Messages
42
My girls tell me that they like to test or compete with their blades after about 5 to 10 hours of skating after sharpening. For my girls, this means about 1 week or less prior to the event. The more skilled the sharpening, the smaller the hours needed.

One time, the person who regularly sharpens my daughters’ skates (she’s very good) was out sick for several days. I was panicking because my daughter said she must get her blades sharpened in order to do well on her moves test. We ended up getting the skate sharpened the day prior. I had my daughter go on a public session in addition to freestyle ice before her test so that she could skate down the sharpness of her blades.
 

likevelvet

New Member
Messages
3
I'm a really weird person who has always preferred my blades really sharp.
I get them done right before I'm able to skate one session before an event (or test, when I was testing.) I usually run my normal practice and then a full run-through of my program at this session. I've always been good to go. I think I prefer the extra grip and preciseness. This was a personal preference I just developed over time. It's unusual, but not unheard of.
 

vesperholly

Well-Known Member
Messages
12,826
I got my dance blades done by a fantastic pro in Boston the day before competition and it was awesome. But the blades were pretty dull.

Wouldn't do it with freestyle, though.
 

million$momma

Well-Known Member
Messages
587
My daughter gets her blades sharpened every 2-3 weeks. She likes to have 2 or 3 hours on them before she competes but no more than 15. At 30 hours she considers her blades impossible to skate on.
 

jersey1302

Well-Known Member
Messages
245
I like sharp blades but.. I would NEVER get mine sharpened a day or two before a competition. Id contemplate it with in the week if I still have a handful of practice sessions before I would compete. But never ever the day of or before. Problem with very sharp blades is that it can catch you by surprise on certain footwork or spin entrances or even edge jumps. You need to give your skates a bit of time to get back into the ice and have your body adjust to a sharpened blade.
 

gypsy_82

New Member
Messages
26
I usually get mine sharpened about a week prior. I have gone the day before, skated on them one hour and was fine for competition. I do however, like my blades to be sharp, so I may do that again (depending on my schedule)
 

GarrAargHrumph

I can kill you with my brain
Messages
19,434
You see, I WANT to get them sharpened a week or two prior. But due to *schedules*, I keep getting them sharpened only 1-2 days before. Gagh! So I'm getting them sharpened Thursday evening for my competition on Sunday. I will skate in them on Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning to break them in before the event itself.

Sometimes, the best you can do is the best you can do.
 

Vase

Well-Known Member
Messages
308
Typically a week out is what I recommend but saw skaters do them the day of. Going to competition with a full skate isn’t gonna work.
 

Skittl1321

Well-Known Member
Messages
17,331
I usually give it a week, but don't skate daily.
I can't usually stop well for 3-4 skating hours on new blades.
 

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