Sharpening methods, machines, and opinions vary across rinks and technicians. Our FAQs explain how we approach sharpening and why — so skaters understand what to expect and can decide what works best for them. If you'd like to know more about our tools and processes please get in touch with us.
Sharpening quality depends on the machine, its calibration, and how it is used. Some automated systems can produce acceptable results when well set up, but consistent edge level and blade profile still depend on careful measurement, regular checks, and experience. Our approach focuses on monitoring edge level and blade condition throughout the sharpening process rather than relying on a single automated pass, and our extensive experience in sharpening skates with the most appropriate tools for the job.
We strive to ensure blade-life longevity, profile retention and accuracy of tools and measurements.
We offer training for home-sharpening to make sure you are equipped with the knowledge to get the best results from the machines.
Rich@TheRink strives to be simply the best skate technician, giving better results than others in the field, through design and development of tools and processes that out-perform the results of others. That means:
We operate as a separate business to Cambridge Ice Arena, and usually require payment up-front for work, before it's carried out. Payment is taken online, not at the ice arena (see below FAQs). After payment has been made, your skates will be scheduled for sharpening. This may take up to a week, and will depend on whether you selected for 'normal priority' or an 'express service'.
In some cases we may also need to discuss some aspect of the sharpening with you, and this requires getting in touch via text message or WhatsApp. If we are not able to read the mobile number left with the skates, we won't be able to do so and therefore neither requests for payment nor other communications will be possible - we may leave a note with the skates for when you're next in.
Always make sure your mobile number is readable on the maintenance request form.
Depth of hollow (or "how sharp the skates are") is as much a personal preference as it is a technical one. We have page dedicated to answering this question.
The blade profile is as much a personal preference as it is a technical question. We prefer to start with the question "What are you struggling with?", rather than give so called "best practices" and pretend "absolutes" on the blade profile. We know skaters who've switched profile and have gotten used to the new profile within days, but without any measurable gain or loss in technical ability.
The section of the blade just behind the toe pick does not contact the ice during normal skating, and sharpening equipment cannot safely reach beneath the pick without causing damage.
When we sharpen skates we always try to ensure that the pick-engagement distance (the area that never touches the ice) remains roughly the same length, as this has been demonstrated to the single factor of sensitivity from work performed with elite figure skaters by our blade-manufacturer partner in the Engineering Lab.
We measure for even edges at all parts of the blade, from the engagement point of the toe pick to the back of the blade. Any sharpening that occurs in the unskatable section between the engagement point and the toe pick itself may look "uneven" for a number of reasons, including but not limited to:
Since this area of the blade never touches the ice, it's not worth a skate technicians time making it look nice; our main concern is:
If the blade has been excessively rounded at the end we tend to avoid sharpening all the way to the end; this will prevent rounding of the end and shortening of the blade.
This section of the blade also rarely touches the ice (if at all). We will make sure that the area is free of rust, but if the health is reasonable will not sharpen it, unless you report that not doing so impacts your skating.
Skate sharpening will, over time, cause variation to the profile of the blade. This is unavoidable.
The variation of profile can broadly be categorized as either "rounding" or "flattening".
This normally happens with flattening of the rocker, particularly at the spin sweet spot, and rounding of the tail, because:
Our tools and processes ensure that an even speed and pressure is applied across the whole length of the blade, from inside the toe pick engagement point all the way to the back of the blade. We aim to give better results than any other sharpening machine or skate technician.
We've been asked once or twice to grind down a toe pick as part of sharpening, and our opinion is the toe pick should never be ground down with the blade-sharpening wheel. There are numerous issues in doing so.
Usually the question arises as a result of someone repeatedly tripping on the pick or blunting the pick, for example by accidentally dropping the skate on the toe pick on concrete, but there are alternative ways to combat this (and other) issues. Please speak to us about any issues you have - we're happy to advise what we would recommend as the best resolution.
Prices are kept low by sharpening multiple pairs of skates at the same depth of hollow. Reconditioning the sharpening machine at the same depth of hollow uses far less materials and time than constantly switching between different depths of hollow. When we carry out "Express" sharpening, we're often recalibrating and reconditioning for a single pair of boots. This costs more material and time, and therefore to keep the cost down for the majority we sadly need to increase the price for the few that require this service.
It's always best to plan your sharpening ahead of time, to make sure that you get the best price available.
Often you'll be directed to our online shop to pay for goods and services. This is hosted by Shopify, and you can pay through all the usual means of payment available through that platform, including all major credit and debit cards, Apple and Google Pay. You can identify whether you're on our shop where the URL starts: https://shop.therink.uk/
Some goods and services will be invoiced, rather than directed through Shopify. We use a platform called FreeAgent for invoicing, which in turn has the option of direct bank transfer that you initiate yourself, or via Stripe for card payment.
If in-person we may also offer payment method via card via Stripe on a mobile phone. If you're unsure, please ask to pay via one of the methods above.
We do not typically accept cash as a form of payment. If you prefer to pay with cash please let us know ahead of time.
We never ask for payment via bank transfer to a personal account. Our bank account is under "TheRink", with Natwest, and is a business account. If anyone posing as us asks for payment via any other means, do not pay and contact us directly.
Our business is separate to the Ice Arena. Please do not ask a member of staff to pay them directly. The only form of payment that may be accepted at the Ice Arena is if you are speaking with us directly, and not a member of the Ice Arena staff. In this case we may offer payment via Stripe on a mobile phone. But if you are unsure, please request online payment (see question above).
Refunds are always paid back in exactly the same method/to the same card as the original payment taken. We cannot offer payment back via a different method, or to a different card or bank account.
Please contact us ASAP. Typically this will be down to a request for a depth of hollow that you're not used to, and the skates will feel sharper, or blunter than you'd like. In this case we offer free resharpening, provided the skates are dropped back in within one week of collection, and you let us know.
Alternatively, if you'd left your skates for too long in between sharpening, the sudden change in edge sharpness can feel extreme. You can drop your skates back for resharpening if you like them at a shallower depth of hollow, skate on them for a while until you're used to them, or ask us to "dull the edges" slightly (though this would not be our recommended approach).
In other situations, please read the FAQ below.
Please contact us ASAP. Our maintenance work aims to be better than automated machines and any other skate technician in the UK (and beyond). We can only achieve this by a constant cycle of improvement based on feedback. If you feel that we've made a mistake and it's impacted your skate/skating in an adverse way, we want to know about it so that we can make it right.
We will investigate the issue you're facing, comparing measurements taken with our comprehensive work logging system.
We will never lay the blame elsewhere without being able to prove it.
We will make it right, even if this means replacing skates, boots or blades.
Skates bought direct from our online shop without fitting
You can return them for a full refund provided that the boots are in original condition, with all original packaging, and haven't be altered (baked, added screws, etc.).
If you had the skates sharpened by another person or business, we will need to assess whether they have met our standards of sharpening in order to determine whether we can offer a full refund.
Skates bought from us after fitting
As part of the fitting process we will ask you a very important question: Are you happy that these boots fit your feet to your satisfaction. Depending on the circumstances, we may be able to offer a partial or full refund, but this will sadly not be the case where blades have been fitted, as the boot ceases to be in a "like new" condition. We will however work with you to maximise the refund.