Skate Sharpening: Trust Matters (So Avoid Big Box Stores)

When you find a great skate tech who is professionally trained, it’s difficult to try anyone else. A good comparison is when you find a good hairdresser or barber; it’s difficult to switch to someone else. However, when you are out-of-town at a tournament or game, you get what you get. As Forrest Gump said: “Life is like a box of chocolates — you never know what you’re gonna get.”

So. What to look for in a skate tech:

• ask them if they were trained by the manufacturer of their skate sharpening equipment. I’m not saying some technies trained themselves, but speaking from experience — even after sharpening over 100K skates in my career — mistakes do happen. Some of the Big Box Outlets can be backed up for many hours, and they often rush the process. We are fortunate that we have a very good base of select and elite clientele where we are able to provide the necessary time to complete their skates in a timely and consistent manner. Pride in your work is so very important.
• do they know the various hollows and profiles to recommend that will enhance your performance, and are they able to recommend them based on a particular players personal criteria, i.e., player assignment.
• do they check for level and clean edges?
• are their prices reasonable based on the technicians experience?

More next time, folks.

Stay sharp, David.