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Jason16

For all the sharpeners on the board...

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Do you utilize a standard hollow for children 12 and under?

I work at an ice rink and teach skating. I’ve noticed a lot of the children having difficulty scraping and performing a full snowplow stop when moving. It’s not the children’s fault but us sharpeners. For the longest time 3/8 was the standard grind but it’s about to change as I read in a handbook that for children, 5/8s should be used so the kids learn how to use their edges rather than rely on them.

We don’t have the time to run a pilot test as lessons begin shortly, so any feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jason

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5/8" is fine for someone who weighs 180 lbs+. For an 80 lb beginner, it is probably too flat--the kid will be falling down on every turn.

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I'm not sure if the issue with kids skates is about hollow as it is about square edges. Most of the guys at our shop dislike sharpening kids skates size 2 and below. The find it more difficult to fit on the clamp, or have trouble adjusting it for squareness.

Part of the fault may also be due to the common assumption that "kids can't tell the difference!", so many people just rush through kids skates to get them over and done with.

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Also, FYI, we've changed the house cut from 3/8" to 1/2" for over a year now, and I'd say the vast majority (my unscientific estimate of 80%) did not notice that we did anything. It was mostly all the guys who like the SUPER deep, 1/4" hollows that noticed and whined.

If anything, the feedback for the quality of sharpenings has gone up. Due both to changing the house cut, and implementing better standards.

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I'm not sure if the issue with kids skates is about hollow as it is about square edges. Most of the guys at our shop dislike sharpening kids skates size 2 and below. The find it more difficult to fit on the clamp, or have trouble adjusting it for squareness.

Part of the fault may also be due to the common assumption that "kids can't tell the difference!", so many people just rush through kids skates to get them over and done with.

The edges are square we have jigs that fit baby sized skates 6-13. Our boss is pretty adament that we provide the children with the "right tools" to let them learn how to skate.

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Most people that I have seen don't have the patience to have a kid learn edge control. They want to see progress as fast as possible and that usually means a "training wheel" sharpening like 3/8".

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Also have to factor ice conditions...I have been having to drop hollows on a few kids just because the ice is really hard at my rink and they are sliding out.

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Most people that I have seen don't have the patience to have a kid learn edge control. They want to see progress as fast as possible and that usually means a "training wheel" sharpening like 3/8".
Also have to factor ice conditions...I have been having to drop hollows on a few kids just because the ice is really hard at my rink and they are sliding out.

That's the opposite of what we have here. In the past, kids would pass their respective levels etc but when they come back the next season it was as if they had learned nothing before. Parents were upset and wanted to know why. We had a city-wide meeting with instructors and sharpeners and came to the conclusion that it was indeed the "training wheel" hollows that was the source of this pandemic. This was recent. Our season is over in March and lessons begin shortly, no time for trial an error. Our rink is notorious for having fast ice. I'm thinking 9/16 would be ideal but our diamond quill doesn't have the markings for that, it's 1/2 and straight to 5/8s.

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I'm thinking 9/16 would be ideal but our diamond quill doesn't have the markings for that, it's 1/2 and straight to 5/8s.

Measure the distance between the two points and put a mark exactly halfway. Now you have a 9/16 measurement.

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5/8" is fine for someone who weighs 180 lbs+. For an 80 lb beginner, it is probably too flat--the kid will be falling down on every turn.

I am 120 and use a 5/8" on both my player and goalie skates.

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A couple years ago I had to etch some more lines and numbers into the quill cuz the kids kept on asking where x/y" was!!! :unsure:

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I am a 180lb forward with exceptional skating ability. I am skating on a 1/2 inch hollow. I think that is to shallow. Should I be using a 5/8 inch?

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I am a 180lb forward with exceptional skating ability. I am skating on a 1/2 inch hollow. I think that is to shallow. Should I be using a 5/8 inch?

If you have "exceptional skating ability" going deeper isn't going to help you in any way.

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