A few years ago, one could walk into a sports shop, say in Montreal, and ask that his skates be sharpened like Larry Robinson. The operator would pull a template (labeled “# 19”) off the wall, lay it across his flatbed sharpener, marry it with the clamp holding the skate, then proceed to grind away. The skate would ONLY be ground where the #19 template allowed. Thus was born the “profile”. Similar templates with other numbers were hanging on the wall. The “# 10” was a popular one (In Montreal), #27 in Toronto. And what impressionable young fellow wouldn’t want his skate sharpened just like “The Flower” or the captain of the Leafs?
More recently, the computer chip has taken over this business of profiling. Precise grinding can be requested for defense and forward positions. Although technology has changed, the impressionability of young minds (and their parents’ too) has not, and peer pressure, being what it is today, the “cool “ thing to do is have your skates profiled. The visions and expectations of better stops, starts and turns (and ultimately, improved hockey skills) are all cemented in the vulnerable mind; and the “myth” is born.
And just what is a “profile”? What do those numbers mean? The proponents of this type of sharpening suggest that with the computer-driven sharpener (Cag is one, Eriksen another) creates a flat area or gliding surface roughly in the middle of the skate blade. The flat spot can be shortened or lengthened and can be moved forward or aft from the centre point of the blade. The numbers that represent these combinations are in millimeters (mm) and are often written on the sole of the skate for future reference, like: 25/50 or 40/60. The second number represents the length of the flat spot, with the first number identifying the length of the flat area that is in advance of the centre point. A 35/50 profile, as an example, is favoured by players who are centers or wingers who, they further suggest, need a more forward-tilted stance. Conversely, a 25/50 sharpening is geared to defencemen needing a straight-up stance. That’s the theory, anyway.
The reality is a little bit different. Let’s explore:
First, all hockey skates come from the factory with a pre-determined profile on the blades. The flat spot is already in the middle of the blade. The length of that area is about 17% of the total length of the blade. On a size 8 skate, that’s very close to a 25/50 profile. Sound familiar? Sellers of profiling will have you believe that the flat area is much, much longer (to get your business, no doubt), and it would be better for maneuverability, to have them profiled properly.
Second, a hockey player uses only 70% of his blade during practice and game situations. The front 10% and the back 20% are used occasionally (5% tops). That 50mm of flat in the centre of the blade means diddley. A player constantly shifts his weight side-to-side and front-to-back-to-front rendering a “forward-tilting” or “straight-up” stance profiles, at best, negligible.
Third, seasoned players moving to new skates or newly -mounted blades (and for growing ‘AAA’ players, this often happens more than once through a given season) will experience a period of awkwardness while they get used to the new footwear. Some players will adapt quickly, but most (especially strong skaters) will not begin to feel comfortable for two to three weeks or so. Why is this? It has to do with two things: blade wear and muscle memory! Let me explain. As blades are sharpened, they wear down. As this happens, the feet gradually get closer to the ice. This happens slowly over games, practices and many sharpenings. The body (and muscles) remembers when the blade is supposed to hit the ice. The incremental adjustments by the body to accommodate for the sharpenings over time are automatic and unnoticeable. It is only when a sizable change to the distance between foot and ice (which new skates or blades will do) does the body and muscle memory get “tripped up” so-to-speak. The tendency is want to run out and have the skates CAGed or reprofiled to revitalize that confidence and begin to feel the level of comfort experienced with the old skates. And, of course, you will pay for this in some way!
So, is it worth it to have skates profiled? When you consider that new skates come pre-profiled from the factory, the amount of steel that is lost to excessive grinding, the cost in dollars and steel and the small amount of time it takes to get used to new skates, I think not! However, if you still feel that the psychological benefit is worth it, I know a fellow who is marketing special rose petals for jock strap insertion that will also make for better hockey players.
And what of goalie skates? That’s the subject of our next article, titled
“The Crosscut is DEAD”---don’t miss it.
The Crosscut is DEAD