How do you "know" when it's time for new skates?

[Kathryn Tappen]

About how often should I get my skates sharpened?

Let's say I play between 2 and 3 times a week. I play indoors. Ice quality is about average.

 

[Caeldan]

I'd say 15-20h on ice is usually a good rule of thumb. Increase or decrease by personal preference and extenuating circumstances (like crashing blades into the post)

 

[jorbjorb]

i sharpen mine every 10 games. honestly could push it longer.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

Every five or six skates, IMHOtep. Unless you managed to step on some concrete.

 

[Sojourn]

Let's say I play between 2 and 3 times a week. I play indoors. Ice quality is about average.

That's really a personal preference. I agree with Caeldan, that 15-20h of ice time is a good number. In my experience, that's about the time you'll start feeling a bigger difference in the blades, just from use. If I wait too much longer than that, it starts to feel like a more dramatic difference after a sharpening. That's not taking into consideration game circumstances that may cause a dull spot. My personal preference is about 10h, but I don't think it's actually necessary. It's just what I do, and it's a habit I've had for years.

I really think there's a mental component for a lot of people, in that you can feel like you need to sharpen your skates more just for your own comfort and confidence. If that's the case, then go with whatever period of time that you prefer. Alternatively, you can get a honing stone and that can help clean up your edges a bit between sharpenings. It won't fix a dull spot if you go slamming into a goal post feet first, and I wouldn't use try to use it as a replacement for sharpening(it helps more to keep the edge aligned, and depending on the type, it can help with mild deformation as the edges can start to curl), but you might feel like your edges feel a bit crisper until it's time for a sharpening.

 

[AIREAYE]

Let's say I play between 2 and 3 times a week. I play indoors. Ice quality is about average.

Very common question, I suggest a search before posting a new thread for next time.

 

[Fremitus Borealis]

I see this question has been merged with an old thread of mine

Funny to read back 6 months and see how much farther along I am with all this stuff. Most of my gear is now up-to-date, more or less; or, at least, "more modern" than it was

As for the sharpening question though, I have to say, I usually get mine done after 3 games. Any time I've gone longer than that, I just feel like I can't even push off properly. Which sucks, because I feel like that 3rd game I have the best feel on the ice, but by the middle of game 4, I'm slipping all over the place

 

[elmariachi227]

I sharpen mine a lot because I'm heavy and my edges take a beating. Every 5 or 6 skates, depending on ice conditions.

 

[Goonzilla]

I usually get them sharpened reasonably regularly, but have just been quite some time without a sharpening; nothing other than logistical reasons.

I've just had them done today; and yeah I'm a little worried I'm gonna have to retune a little. I play twice this weekend and have skated quite a bit already this week, but I'm gonna head out to a public session just to get a feel for them having been sharpened.

 

[Fremitus Borealis]

It just blows my mind when I play pickup with dudes who can't even tell you when the last time they got theirs sharpened was. I'm not joking, if I go like beyond 4 games without a sharpening, I seriously feel like I'm just sliding all over the place, and can't dig in very well. I guess it could have something to do with height/weight? or maybe skating style?