Pro's and their skate blade specs?

[Neo5370 132]

Anybody know what hollow/radius/pitch some pros are using?

I'm particularly curious about S. Niedermayer and S. Fedorov (no surprise). Any of the better skaters generally.

I don't need anyone to repeat the Coffey speculations. There's nothing on that horse left to beat.

:P

[GLUhipfan 0]

I don't know about his radius and pitch, but the Stars' former equipment manager has told me that Modano uses a 1" hollow on his skates.

[jimmy 194]

Many NHl'rs use shallower hollows. There's a reason.. speed! In the old days, most used 3/8's. Which is just a crutch. Anyone can turn using a 3/8 hollow. Once you go to shallower hollows and learn how to use your edges, you get the best of both worlds, speed and turning ability. Paul Coffey started his career on 3/8 and ended with 1".

[flaming_june 2]

1" is basically flat eh?

im at 3/8 right now, whats the reasonable next step up to 1" i should be taking?

thanks

[hockechamp14 0]

1" is basically flat eh?

im at 3/8 right now, whats the reasonable next step up to 1" i should be taking?

thanks

7/16, then 1/2

[cobrAA 0]

you should go 1/2 and then 5/8

i used to use 9(5/16 which equal to 2.5/8) and 11(3/8) on t'blade sizing

then i used 4/8 on my F10(i wasnt lacing my top eyelet)

and i'm now with 5/8 on my tack which i lace at the top

I think it depends on how stiff is your skate...when i first got my tblade i used to skate on 13 and 11...after 2 year(the boot was softer) i used almost everytime 9

ON my F10..i needed more movement in my skate...so the boot was softer so i needed a bit more crunch, now i swapped my LS2 on my Tacks..and found i couldn't skate...they were too sharpen...so i moved to 5/8

[jimmy 194]

The best way to move toward shallower hollows is to do it in small increments. If you are at 3/8 now, go to 13/32nds next. Then 7/16, 15/32, 1/2, 17/32, 9/16, 19/32, etc, etc. If you do it a small change at a time the feel will not be dramatically different and you can get use to it easily Big jumps are a guaranty you wont like the feel, the skates will feel dull. You have to get use to the bite angle change slowly.

[Neo5370 132]

I see this thread has taken a turn, but it's all good.

When I first heard about coffey basically on dull skates I tried to work my way there. I got down to a 1 inch hollow and then slightly flatter.

Skating on 1 inch hollow isn't difficult at all if, as everyone has said, you work on your edges (and the ice isn't mush).

[Chadd 916]

With a shallow hollow you do have to sharpen them a bit more often.

[sweetblazer 0]

How dramatic would the speed change be? Like is it an easily noticeable diffenrence if someone was to watch you skate wit a 3/8 and then with a 1? I ask because any little edge I can get is worth it, but im not gunna put time and effort in for something very miniscule.

[thenizzle 0]

in fact, blade hollows make quite a significant difference. However, all the speed you would gain in making your hollow shallower would have a trade off in that it would be quite a lot more difficult to turn if u went from 3/8 to 1. You basically have to be a nasty skater / used to it a lot to pull it off. But once you are able to feel your edges, and you are used to it, they are pretty sweet

[hockechamp14 0]

in fact, blade hollows make quite a significant difference. However, all the speed you would gain in making your hollow shallower would have a trade off in that it would be quite a lot more difficult to turn if u went from 3/8 to 1. You basically have to be a nasty skater / used to it a lot to pull it off. But once you are able to feel your edges, and you are used to it, they are pretty sweet

if you bend your knees more in the turns you don't need to worry about it. You just can't be lazy.

[Chadd 916]

in fact, blade hollows make quite a significant difference. However, all the speed you would gain in making your hollow shallower would have a trade off in that it would be quite a lot more difficult to turn if u went from 3/8 to 1. You basically have to be a nasty skater / used to it a lot to pull it off. But once you are able to feel your edges, and you are used to it, they are pretty sweet

if you bend your knees more in the turns you don't need to worry about it. You just can't be lazy.

Exactly, use your leg strength and it's not a problem. If you just coast through, you're going to have problems.

[Neo5370 132]

I dunno 'bout that. I am absolutley, not arguing that leg strength is essential, however I am no mustang and I am very confident on my edges w/ a shallow hollow. (to me shallow is 1 inch)

I think technique plays a great role. When I turn, pivot, crossover, or whatever I make sure my body positioning, posture and blade angle are all correct.

[jimmy 194]

With a shallow hollow you do have to sharpen them a bit more often.

Not true, myth.. The deeper hollows have finer points, and thinner points. They wear quicker and can be damaged quicker.

[Chadd 916]

With a shallow hollow you do have to sharpen them a bit more often.

Not true, myth.. The deeper hollows have finer points, and thinner points. They wear quicker and can be damaged quicker.

Let me rephrase that, when I use a shallow hollow I have to sharpen my skates more often. That's my experience, not what people have told me or what I have heard.

[jimmy 194]

With a shallow hollow you do have to sharpen them a bit more often.

Not true, myth.. The deeper hollows have finer points, and thinner points. They wear quicker and can be damaged quicker.

Let me rephrase that, when I use a shallow hollow I have to sharpen my skates more often. That's my experience, not what people have told me or what I have heard.

Could possibly be the shallower hollows don't give you the grip you and others need and they just "feel" less sharp. Someone who can really lay those edges over gets plenty of grip. I've collected feedback from countless customers and can't come up with any compeling evidence that deeper hollows last longer, in fact just the opposite for reason stated in my earlier post. Once one skates on shallow hollows for some lenght of time, they will say the edges last longer.

[Chadd 916]

I've been on 5/8 or 3/4 for a few years now. I can't go more than three skates on 3/4 before the edge is gone. With a deeper hollow they get dull but there is still something of an edge left.

[sogaduch 0]

gary roberts is skating on a 3/4 hollow just cause he came in for sharpening during the strike. ponicorasky(?) is on 7/16th cause i sharpened his skates a couple times there radius im not positive on i think gary we put a 10ft neutral ill have to check tommorow when i go back in

[asdfa 0]

i'm skating on 3/4 right now, it's not really that the blade feels dull, on good ice, it's awesome, but i practiced in rut central today, and the blade felt a lot squirmier. it seemed like the shallower hollow makes it easier for the blade to track into grooves. i also practice on nice, smooth ice, and the shallower hollow makes my glide noticeably better, i also feel like i can turn smoother, like my skates aren't digging in a lot and i'm just cruising lightly on my edges compared to 1/2

[cobrAA 0]

my LHS profile about 10-20 guys in the NHL...and it was mostly 13-15 even 17 radius and like 5/8

i switched from 1/2 to 5/8 because i was digging too much in the ice when doing pivot(180)

maybe when the ice will be better this winter...i will go back to 1/2

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

I wonder guys like Samsonov who does alot of sharp turn, what do they use?

[flaming_june 2]

kariya and sullivan, i wonder...

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

kariya and sullivan, i wonder...

yeah me too, they have similar style of play then samso.

I also wonder what kovy has. Sometimes he does some quick and sharp turn right in front of the other player with such control and he doesn't have much room to do the move.

[jimmy 194]

my LHS profile about 10-20 guys in the NHL...and it was mostly 13-15 even 17 radius and like 5/8

i switched from 1/2 to 5/8 because i was digging too much in the ice when doing pivot(180)

maybe when the ice will be better this winter...i will go back to 1/2

You have to consider size of skate too. How many of those guys are in a 12 or bigger skate. The radius on a big skate will of course be way bigger than that on a size 7.5 skate, so 15 or 17 is not absurd.. I had heard Gretzky used a 8' radius. To each his own. Use what works best for you.