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Hockey Skate Sharpening

There are times when you will find yourself seeking new information or advice about sports equipment.

I grew up in a store that was a hangout for the aspiring athletes in our neighborhood and we often attempted everything and anything to get an advantage. Needless to say after being involved for over 20 years I have learned a few things. It's my intention, on behalf of Levy's Source for Sports, to share my experiences.

In our first article I wanted to discuss an everyday necessity in the sport of hockey. That necessity is skate sharpening.

Skate sharpening is oftern overlooked as many times I have dealt with customers, asking them how sharp they like their skates and received responses that vary from a look of confusion to, "Oh, just the regular."

With sharpening skates, what one person may consider regular could be another person's disaster in the making however. Let's find out why.

Skates are sharpened with different types of "hollows". A sharpening wheel is dressed with a specific hollow, usually u-shaped or v-shaped. The more aggressive the angle made after dressing the wheel, the deeper the hollow. The skate is passed over the wheel forcing the bottom of the steel to take on the shape of the dressing and ultimately leading to different performances on the ice.

More grip - therefore more east to west agility – is gained using a deeper hollow and more aggressive edge angle. This deeper hollow however leads to increased drag in the ice and requires more effort to sustain your speed.

Shallower hollows allow for improved gliding and also require less energy to maintain speed due to the edge not digging into the ice. However, side to side maneuverability is compromised and turning is not as tight with the shallower hollows.

When dealing with the different skate sharpenings however, these two scenarios are generalizations. Experience, skill and ice types will also factor in so a player should take note on an individual basis and find the hollow that best suits them. Once the optimal sharpness is found you will cut down on fatigue, improve cornering and acceleration, and will ultimately improve your experience.

Next time you're at Levy's Source for Sports, ask us about your optimal skate sharpening and we will be sure to set you up so that you're getting the most from your hockey skates.

SKATE BLADE PROFILING

Skate blade profiling is a method of reshaping the steel on your skates. The shape of the steel dictates many things for the player including balance, transfer of power, freedom to pivot and ability to glide.

Today, most retail steel out of the box is shaped inconsistently and is the culprit of undue fatigue, premature soreness and lack of power with playing. Let's talk about how we can alleviate these ailments.

Skates blades are shaped on a big circle. Often blades come from the manufacturer shaped on a 9 to 10 foot radius. This means a portion of that big circle is used to shape the bottom arch or radius of your skate blade and dictates how much steel in contact with the ice at any given time.

If we reduce the size of the circle – say to a 7 foot radius - it creates a more rounded blade and allows the player to pivot much easier being that there is less steel touching the ice. It also changes the balance of the player because they are skating on a less stable surface.

Increasing the size of the circle puts more steel in contact with the ice and creates more stability for the player. This also creates a great gliding surface and when paired with the right sharpening cuts down on energy needs.

Along with blade radius, when the center point of the skate is found, the steel can be pitched forward or backwards. A forward lean puts the skater on their toes and a neutral position stands the player more upright.

When we put these techniques into practice they apply as follows.

Say for instance you are a beginner skater who would want as much stability as possible. Beginner skaters – who lack good balance – stand very upright. If we use a larger radius and pitch the skate forward, we create good stability and allow the skater to achieve that bent knee position. This starts the basis of good skating mechanics.

On the other end of the spectrum - more experienced skaters – could potentially want less steel in contact with the ice to free up movement. Balance is not an issue at this point and having the ability to pivot and accelerate faster would improve their performance.

There are many advantages that can come from getting your blades shaped. When coupled with the proper sharpening it can make a dramatic difference in your skating ability.

Be sure to stop by Levy's Source for Sports and ask about our custom skate profiling system and see why we are Langley's source for hockey.

Stick Stringing

Levy's is a full service lacrosse shop.

We know that no two players are created the same and therefore we offer the services to compliment your style of play.

There are several ways to string a lacrosse stick. Starting with the materials used, a player can choose mesh – which vary in stiffness – and a traditional pocket.

With lacrosse mesh a player ends up with a stick that requires little maintenance on the players end. Softer mesh allows a player to feel the ball better while the stick is moving and also increases ball retention while the player is being checked. Beginner players often benefit from using softer mesh because it allows them to "feel" the ball without constantly checking their stick. It's also more forgiving while the player is learning to cradle and will allow them to retain possession while being checked. The setback to this however is the ball will release slower while throwing with soft mesh and the pocket will also grow deeper during the break-in process causing the ball to "hook" if it's not readjusted.

Hard mesh offers a more stable pocket that drastically increases the velocity of the ball when throwing. Hard mesh also holds up during the break-in process and does not "Bag-Out". The downside of hard mesh however is that the break-in process increases substantially over soft mesh and feel for the ball decreases. Because of how easily the ball moves within the pocket, retaining the ball becomes more difficult especially when running and being checked.

Hybrid mesh uses different treatments of softer mesh to offer a quicker release of the ball, increased feel and durability while increasing ball retention. A wax, rubber or urethane is often applied to get these effects.

Finally, a stick can be strung traditionally. This is done with differing diamond counts, which harden or soften the pocket. Traditional pockets offer maximum feel and customization but require the most upkeep. Some basic stringing fundamentals are usually essential to keeping the pocket intact and functioning properly. Once set however, little work is often required to dial it back in. Many colours can be used as well to ensure you're fully decked out.

Pocket Positioning

Depending on how the player carries the stick and how the ball is released, a pocket needs to be placed accordingly in the head. With three basic styles in mind a player can rock a low, mid or high pocket.

All three will offer something different for the player and can be strung using one of the above materials to get maximum customization for the athlete.

Team Jerseys

Teams require different services and items than individuals. From jerseys to embroidery we offer everything, making Levy's a team's one-stop shop.

There are literally hundreds of jersey manufacturers out there that offer different materials, manufacturing processes, prices and delivery times. At Levy's we have access to practically all of them allowing our teams to pick and chose through endless fabrics, colours, custom logos and numbering designs.

Along with the design of the jersey, there are a few different types of manufacturing that can be used to create the end product. The two main methods are your traditional sewn method and a sublimated method.

The sewn method is done by joining pieces of material together, whether the same or different colour, and creating seems in the jersey. This method has been used for some time and allows the team to have a well constructed jersey for minimal cost. Often logos and cresting are added after the fact allowing for full team customization but there are endless amounts of jerseys in stock to meet your needs.

The drawback of the sewn jersey is that the more seems you have in a garment, the weaker the end product. Also, if a logo or number is being sewn on, the jersey gets heavier. Again the benefits being the large variety in stock and the cost.

With sublimation you are fully designing a jersey with logos and the team set of numbers before the manufacturing begins. Inks are pressed into the jersey allowing for very creative designs and fades giving the end product a unique and sharp look. The weight of the jersey is minimized in that there are less seams and no need to sew on logos or numbers.

The drawback to sublimation however is cost for starters. A single sublimated jersey can be as costly as two sewn jerseys and this can add up when doing an entire team. The design and manufacturing process also takes some thought and time and can take as long as eight weeks on average.

Which ever way you decide to go Levy's has plenty of options and can offer the help in chosing your teams next set of jerseys.

Embroidery

To complete your teams apparel needs, Levy's offers coaches, executives and parents a full line of clothing with custom team embroidery to complete the look.

We offer full in house embroidery that is easily done with the team or associations logo. This can be transferred to hats, jackets, pants, shorts and just about everything else that is worn.

Visit us on the one way in downtown Langley or call us to see how we may be able to help you.

Pro Apparel

Levy's is your throwback headquarters! Whether you're looking for a vintage Gretzky or the new Eberle jersey, Levy's is a fully licensed pro apparel dealer.

We offer authentic NHL, NFL, CFL and MLB player pro packs in whatever player name you wish. All pro packs are made of 100% pro twill material to ensure maximum longevity and accuracy of team colours and also fonts.

Visit our location in downtown Langley or give us a call when looking for the best is pro apparel.