The most important thing about skate sharpening is to ensure the blades have level edges. When selecting a skate sharpener ensure they are someone who is diligent at providing level edges. If you are unsure whether your current sharpener provides this HRPM Sharpening is happy to provide a free level check.
There are a few factors that need to be considered when deciding on a depth of groove to try. Age, height, weight and skating ability all come into play when selecting a groove. The thickness of your blade, and the rocker radius also affects how the blades feel on the ice.
In the end it all comes down to personal preference and you may need to try a few different grooves before finding one that suits you. You may also need to change grooves as your skating improves or if you purchase a different type of blade.
If you have a narrower blade the bite angle will be less than if you have a thicker blade when using the same radius because it covers less surface of the circle. Therefore, you would need a smaller radius of hollow for a narrower blade to achieve the same bite angle as on a wider blade.
If the radius of hollow on the dressed sharpening wheel is not centered on the blade when sharpening this will cause uneven height of edges. This will cause one edge to have a greater bite angle and also be harder to find the other edge because it will be further from the ice surface.
If you have been skating on uneven edges and become used to them you will notice a difference when your edges are leveled. Some people have commented that their blades feel ”flatter”. I believe this is because one edge rocker isn’t as prominent as it was before. If you had uneven edges for blade positioning this will also make your blades feel different as your blades may not be in the correct position on your boot so you would need to turn your foot more in one direction to find the edge correctly.
Essentially if your edges don’t feel comfortable or you are feeling stuck and you can’t change edge with confidence you may like to try a different groove. Feel free to have a chat with your sharpener to see what they suggest.
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