Odd Local Skate Hollows

[Scurvy 3]

Today, as I was getting my skates sharpened, I talked to my local sharpener about skate hollows. He pointed out that a lot of local Asian players buy top-end skates and want ridiculously deep hollows. For example, a guy wanted more bite than 3/8 so he got his skates sharped at 5/16's. My sharpener thought this was retarded as using an extremely deep hollow only hinders an individual's performance and abilities. Can anyone else comment on why Asian hockey players want such sharp skates? I'm Asian and use 7/16's (quite deep I know) but I don't want to sound like a racist. Can anyone else comment on this?

[-brady2 0]

Today, as I was getting my skates sharpened, I talked to my local sharpener about skate hollows. He pointed out that a lot of local Asian players buy top-end skates and want ridiculously deep hollows. For example, a guy wanted more bite than 3/8 so he got his skates sharped at 5/16's. My sharpener thought this was retarded as using an extremely deep hollow only hinders an individual's performance and abilities. Can anyone else comment on why Asian hockey players want such sharp skates? I'm Asian and use 7/16's (quite deep I know) but I don't want to sound like a racist. Can anyone else comment on this?

why does it matter that they are asian?

I think your sharpener is a racist

[Scurvy 3]

My sharpener is Asian and he wanted to help liberate fellow Asian brothers from the realm of deep hollows. My sharpener preaches using a shallower hollow to maximize speed and performance but these players never take his advice by experimenting with a shallower hollow. Instead, these players opt to go for the "training wheels" and extremely deep cuts.

[-brady2 0]

So what exactly is your question then?

[Law Goalie 147]

I'd love to know how a deeper hollow in and of itself necessarily hinders every player's performance. Because as we all know, the same hollow performs the same way for players of hugely varying size and style. That's why all pro players skate on the same hollow, of course.

Oh wait...

[-brady2 0]

I've always wanting to experiment with hollow because I've always had the same hollow my entire life, but i've had trouble doing tight turns that tight, and i' m a pretty strong skater, spent a lot of time working on it.

[Chadd 916]

Smaller people frequently use deeper hollows than those of us folks carrying around 200+lbs. I have refused to sharpen skates for bigger guys who wanted 1/4" hollows. I would rather avoid potential liability problems and lose their business than give them something that I know is going to injure them.

[TheBert 0]

My sharpener is Asian and he wanted to help liberate fellow Asian brothers from the realm of deep hollows. My sharpener preaches using a shallower hollow to maximize speed and performance but these players never take his advice by experimenting with a shallower hollow. Instead, these players opt to go for the "training wheels" and extremely deep cuts.

I can see someone that weighs less than 125lbs using 5/16"

This has more to do with weighing less than 130lbs than being Asian. I ref with an Asian guy who's 6'1" and over 200 lbs who tells me he uses a 1" hollow. I'm just not heavy enough to skate on that hollow. I already think I'm pushing it skating on 3/4".

And depending on the style you play, someone just might want the deeper cut.

[Law Goalie 147]

A friend of mine in Windsor (6-5 220ish) plays goal on 1/8". He doesn't shuffle - he hops around the crease on his edges. He wanted to go to 1/16", but the shop couldn't (or, I suppose wouldn't) do it.

He'd play on a pair of Sabatier knife blades if he could. Utter madman.

[TheBert 0]

My ankles hurt thinking about skating on 1/8" in a goalie radius.

[fastbrother7 0]

I like my sharp as deep as I can get. Im like 5'7" 190 and if I go with the norm, I cant get a grip out there. I'm fat. lol

[TBLfan 25]

A friend of mine in Windsor (6-5 220ish) plays goal on 1/8". He doesn't shuffle - he hops around the crease on his edges. He wanted to go to 1/16", but the shop couldn't (or, I suppose wouldn't) do it.

He'd play on a pair of Sabatier knife blades if he could. Utter madman.

That's crazy. I always liked my goal skates a little deeper than average, I used to get 3/4" which is probably as deep as a 1/2" player hollow... What cowling is he using? It might be slightly ok if he's in RBKs.

My sharpener still finds it funny that I like deeper than normal goal skates and shallower than normal player skates... Both are 3/4"

[Ngo_35 1]

Well as an Asian guy i wouldn't use a damn deep hollow. I think with most Asians its a matter of trusting edge instead of having this comfort zone from a deep hollow. Some guys I know just haven't taken the time to transition to a shallower hollow which is why they are so keen on a 3/8th cut. Cmon guys, its the new year, time to be like the rat small, nimble and quick. I'm sure lots of guys not just asian will benefit from a shallower hollow but done properly to have enough bite.

And for the record I dont think the sharpener is a racist. He's just making an observation. Around here we have so many mixes of races its great, so when we refer to the brown guy or asian guy its all in good fun.

[JR Boucicaut 3803]

A friend of mine in Windsor (6-5 220ish) plays goal on 1/8". He doesn't shuffle - he hops around the crease on his edges. He wanted to go to 1/16", but the shop couldn't (or, I suppose wouldn't) do it.

He'd play on a pair of Sabatier knife blades if he could. Utter madman.

That's crazy. I always liked my goal skates a little deeper than average, I used to get 3/4" which is probably as deep as a 1/2" player hollow... What cowling is he using? It might be slightly ok if he's in RBKs.

My sharpener still finds it funny that I like deeper than normal goal skates and shallower than normal player skates... Both are 3/4"

3/4" is the avg around here. Don't find many 1" goal hollows anymore.

[TBLfan 25]

Around here 1" is still standard.

BTW I have old school tacks, so my blade is about 4 feet wide.

[Law Goalie 147]

He's using Bauer cowlings at the moment. Loves the shape, hates the cheap, soft steel.

I'm at 1/2" on the RBK standard-width blade (not the 9K).

[shifter 0]

Well as an Asian guy i wouldn't use a damn deep hollow. I think with most Asians its a matter of trusting edge instead of having this comfort zone from a deep hollow. Some guys I know just haven't taken the time to transition to a shallower hollow which is why they are so keen on a 3/8th cut. Cmon guys, its the new year, time to be like the rat small, nimble and quick. I'm sure lots of guys not just asian will benefit from a shallower hollow but done properly to have enough bite.

And for the record I dont think the sharpener is a racist. He's just making an observation. Around here we have so many mixes of races its great, so when we refer to the brown guy or asian guy its all in good fun.

+1 :D awesome explanation a lot of people these days are getting into hockey no matter what ethnic background they came from its a sport we play it. As for Scurvy that is one sharpener stereotyping on us asians

[TBLfan 25]

damn, I guess we're a little shallow down here. Must be the softer ice.

[JBP 18]

I actually have a goalie that likes a 1/4" hollow offset at the toe (higher on the inside) blending to even at the back of the 2/3rds blade. Personally play on a 11/16-3/4's depending on the ice condition (172lbs)

[kabby15 0]

ive seen 10 yr olds who were told by their coach to get 2/8 hollow?? and goalies asking for 3/8..

[N!! 0]

Smaller people frequently use deeper hollows than those of us folks carrying around 200+lbs. I have refused to sharpen skates for bigger guys who wanted 1/4" hollows. I would rather avoid potential liability problems and lose their business than give them something that I know is going to injure them.

I was always willing to go 1/4", but first I'd explain why it wasn't the best idea. Never had any of them change their minds, though.

The real tough ones were always kids who got whatever their coach told them to (8 year olds asking for a 3/8" was a fun one), and other times where parents who were boneheads would get snappy. I had a grand total of one complaint over my sharpening, and here's how.

This team from out of state came in to play the usual two games in a day routine. Apparently the guys at their rink are clueless (as in, can't actually level skates at all) so most that I handled were pretty badly uneven. One parent comes back after the first game and gives me an earful about the sharpening job, so I hand the skates to my immediate superior and ask him to "correct" them. He goes back (an area closed off from customer view), fires up the sharpener, and proceeds to set the skates down on the bench and sip on his coffee for about five minutes. He turns the machine off, gives the skates to the guy, the kid plays the game, and the parent comes back afterward to commend him on what a great job he did, then berate me again for what an idiot I am.

Ah, parents....