I used to rollerblade from when I was about age 5 to probably about 14, then I moved to a rural area where blading was not an option. Although, hockey is a huge thing up here, and i recently started ice skating again, I have never done it much, but I am starting to like it so much, because it reminds me of blading, and I can pick up on stuff so fast. Now my question is, I have been going to our rink every time it is open to the public, and renting skates + the skate fee was getting expensive so I decided to invest in my own pair. Now, my question isn't which pair to get, but I JUST got the skates, and open skating hasn't started yet, my question is, the blades are pretty much rectangle/flat on bottom so do you get them sharpened first? My thought was yes, but i've only ever rented skates, so sorry for the stupid question.

Yes, they have to be sharpened if you just bought them (new).

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As I believe it to be (possibly wrongly), figure skates come with a 'factory' grind, which is enough to be able to check the mount on new boots, but not enough for serious skating. Hockey type boots are not ground at all.

Either way, it is sensible to have them ground.

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They're the Nike Bauer Vapor IX ones, with the TUUK Fasteel Runner/blade if that says anything at all. It might help, I don't know. Open skate is tommorow so I am trying to find out if I should get them done before. My guess is a yes but I'm no pro.

You can easily test to see if the blades are sharp (or sharp enough). Use the surface of the nail of your thumb, and GENTLY/LIGHTLY scrape the nail across the side of the blade. If the blade shaves the nail quite easily, where you get some light nail shaving coming off your thumb nail, then the blade should be alright to use. If you need to use lots of force to get the blade to shave the thumb nail, then chances are that the blade needs to get sharpened.

If your blades are flat and hasn't got a arch or hollow yet, then you will definitely need to get them sharpened first.

Thanks. Yea I had to push hard. I kind of just took them and tested them and it wasn't a pretty sight. Deffinatly needs to be sharpened.

What's the best, easiest, and proper way to "water" skates? I just got got some a few weeks ago and I can't skate with stiff skates anymore, it P.O.'s me too much because it hurts to hockey stop and makes it even harder.

I wouldn't suggest watering skates. Did you have them baked? Where do they hurt? If they hurt in a specific place you can have them punched out there. Otherwise, try wearing them for a half hour or so every day while you are off the ice - watching tv or something. Don't walk around in them though. And can you switch back to your old skates when they start to hurt too much? You can wear them for a 1/2 hour and then switch to the old skates. Keep building up more time in them.

Just a clarification: the OP is talking about hockey skates, not figure skates.

mtviper: You would probably get more relevant responses on a Hockey forum. Just MHO.

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Yeah, forgot to say that, sorry, thanks.

They hurt my ankle mostly because like the bottom loosened up, but the top is still kinda stiff so it's hard to lace it up to where I know it should be able to. Oh, and I tried hockey forums, arrogent jerks they were.

Have you asked the pro at the skate shop at your rink? They are usually pretty knowledgeable.

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

We're definitely much nicer here then! lol There are a few people on this board who know about hockey skates, hopefully they'll see this thread. (I'm not one of them.)

I second the 'ask the pro shop' advice. You could also ask a hockey coach at the rink.

Good luck!

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As far as I know, going from my sorta cousin's experiences, most hockey skates can't be baked in the way that normal skates can, because they use other materials on them to make them more lightweight so they can go faster. I think some brands and models can get heat molded, but when I mentioned it to my cousin, he just gave me a really strange look and said they don't do that. He actually wears warm wet socks when he gets new skates to help break them in. Soaks a pair of socks in warm/hot water, puts them on his feet, and then into his skates.

Not sure how recommended that is, but he gets new skates every year. Then again, he's also playing every day, sometimes twice a day now, and the skates get to a point where they stink so bad that he can't bring them into the house.