Difference between hollows?

[akravetz 29]

I have always wanted to ask. What is the difference between the hollows and why is 3/8ths harder than 1/2". I usually get a half-inch and it seems to work fine. I used to go to a different shop when I first started playing a few years ago, they would sharpen the skates and it was impossible to stay up for the first times on the ice. I switched shops, he set it at a half-inch and things are fine. He says it is not as "radical" a hollow. Honestly, what does that mean? Thanks

Andy in Peoria

[Hockey DeVoTee 1]

The 3/8 is a deeper hollow... Most confuse sharpness with hollow. If you have a knowledgeable sharpener his/her 1"(flat) has the same sharpness of edge as 3/8"(deeper hollow). The difference is the depth of the groove ground down the middle of the blade. With a shallower hollow you have to lean or get more of an angle to get on that edge. I believe skating on shallower hollow improves you skating... makes you lean to get out on your edges.

Anything less than 1/2" hollow I refer to as " TRAINING WHEELS"

[akravetz 29]

great, so I am a little kid again! :) I figured it had something to do with edges and leans, but couldn't figure out why. I will say this... being new to hockey and skating (only a few years), I had no idea skates weren't just a sharp tip on the end. It was kinda interesting to see how there is a U-shape.

[Chadd 916]

The 3/8 is a deeper hollow... Most confuse sharpness with hollow.

Exactly, that's why I prefer to say that the deeper hollow has more "bite" than a more shallow hollow.

[ibeck 38]

Just to add on, with a deeper hollow you will have more bite and less glide and with a shallow hollow you'll have more glide and less bite.

[akravetz 29]

And I hate to keep adding to this and showing how silly I am, but why a half-inch is considered shallow while a 3/8" is deep? For the novice here, it would seem that a half inch is a longer measurement than an three-eighths. Right?

[AfftonDad 88]

It's the length of the radius of the circle that the "u-shape" would follow if it were to continue going past the edge of the blade. So a shorter radius means a tighter circle (deeper U) and a longer radius means a flatter U. Think o vs O

[jsykes 35]

The measurement is the radius of a circle that creates the arc in the bottom of the blade. The larger the circle, the less depth the arc takes out of the blade.

[SolarWind 23]

three things about this thread are quite fascinating :)

firstly the original poster went to the extent of asking several fairly elaborate questions here instead of just typing 'skate hollow' in google where the very first result answers every single follow up question and more: http://www.blade-tek.com/theRadius.html

secondly a bunch of people replied with more than just pointing back to google...

and lastly I just typed all this stuff for no apparent reason other than trying to make the world a better place :)

Clearly some people just have way too much time on their hands!

LOL

[akravetz 29]

You know, you are right. I should have looked it up within the site or at least, googled it. For that, I am an idiot with too much time on my hands. However, I do appreciate the information. Honestly, I love coming here for this very reason -- people who know the sport are willing to explain things that most people learn when they are 10 or 8 or 6. I am 42 and only picked up hockey a few years ago when my boy, now 6, started playing. So there is a very steep learning curve. Thanks again and I promise to look up more stuff in the future.

Andy in Peoria

[salibandy 21]

Can anybody tell me why it is recommended for lighter skaters to use a deeper hollow? I am 108 pounds and cannot skate with the recommended 3/8ths hollow. It is way too sharp for me, I can't stop. I actually skate on a very blunt FBV hollow, but I don't seem to lose my edge. I can stop, I have bite when I want it. My local sharpener refuses to sharpen my skates to anything above a hollow that he describes as 'slighty deeper than 3/8', so I am stuck with my blunt FBV cut till I can send them over to No Icing in the US to get them sharpened. He tells me that means my skating is not good enough to skate on a hollow that I should be using. Is that true?

[Chadd 916]

Can anybody tell me why it is recommended for lighter skaters to use a deeper hollow? I am 108 pounds and cannot skate with the recommended 3/8ths hollow. It is way too sharp for me, I can't stop. I actually skate on a very blunt FBV hollow, but I don't seem to lose my edge. I can stop, I have bite when I want it. My local sharpener refuses to sharpen my skates to anything above a hollow that he describes as 'slighty deeper than 3/8', so I am stuck with my blunt FBV cut till I can send them over to No Icing in the US to get them sharpened. He tells me that means my skating is not good enough to skate on a hollow that I should be using. Is that true?

In many cases, lighter or weaker skaters need the extra bite a deeper hollow offers. Far too many people like to tell others what they should use, the most important thing should be how the hollow feels to you. If you like the feel of a more shallow hollow, and don't like the bite of something like a 3/8 hollow, then use what you like.