Find Your Hollow
A real-world skate sharpening guide built from thousands of sharpenings — not theory.
This is the “old man in a shed” knowledge dump… presented like a premium manual.
Quick truth: Most skaters are over-hollowed. Wider hollows fix more problems than people think.
What this gives you
A confident starting hollow + what it should feel like on the ice.
What this avoids
Chasing “more bite” when the real issue is edges, profile, or blade care.
The Dude’s bias
Start wider, adjust in small steps, and keep edges & profile honest.
Start Here — Choose Your Skater Type
These are starting points. Everyone feels the ice differently, so we choose a smart baseline and adjust with purpose —
not guesswork.
🏒 Youth Hockey
Under age 10 or under ~100 lbs
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Recommended starting hollow: 1/2"
Why this works:
- Light skaters need enough engagement to learn edges confidently.
- Stable without feeling overly “grabby.”
- Predictable stopping and turning while skills develop.
What it should feel like: secure edges, cleaner stops, and fewer “washouts.”
🏒 Teen / AAA
High-level youth, strong stride
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Recommended starting hollow: 5/8"
Why this works:
- Power skaters generate their own bite — they don’t need extra drag.
- Better glide = more energy left late in games and tournaments.
- More forgiving across mixed ice conditions.
This is a go-to hollow for a reason.
🏒 Adult / Beer League
All styles — one clean baseline
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Recommended starting hollow: 5/8" (the standard)
Why this works:
- Less fatigue and less stress on hips/knees/ankles.
- More forgiving on inconsistent rink ice.
- Still plenty of edge when sharpened correctly and evenly.
If you want a small tweak: go to 9/16" for slightly more bite, or 11/16" for more glide.
🥅 Goalies
Different skate geometry, different rules
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Recommended starting hollow: 5/8"
Goalie skates interact differently with the ice (blade angle + movement patterns).
Butterfly goalies: may need more bite for pushes — but that does not automatically mean “go deeper.”
- Edge quality (even edges) matters more than people think.
- Profile integrity matters more than people think.
- We chase consistency first, then tune bite.
⛸ Figure Skaters
Discipline matters (freestyle vs dance vs synchro)
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Most common hollow I sharpen: 1/2"
Important: figure skating is discipline-driven.
- Freestyle / bigger jumps: often benefits from a touch more bite.
- Dance / synchro: often prioritizes control, stability, and repeatability.
If you want it truly dialed: reach out with discipline + level + what you’re feeling on the ice.
Apple Simple Meets Shop-Veteran Truth
Here’s the core philosophy: start wider, keep your edges honest, and tune in small steps.
Deep hollows can feel “sharp,” but they also add drag and hide problems — until they don’t.
Why wider works
Glide + efficiency
- Less drag = less fatigue.
- More forgiveness across changing ice.
- Encourages proper edge control instead of “digging.”
- Great starting point for most players and adults.
Translation: You skate longer, cleaner, and more consistently.
Why “too deep” backfires
Bite + drag
- Feels aggressive… until legs are cooked.
- Amplifies sloppy edges and poor alignment.
- Masks steel/profile issues and creates confusion.
Translation: It can feel “good” for 5 minutes and bad for 55.
Before You Change Your Hollow — Read This
The most common issue I see by far is uneven edges — not the wrong hollow.
The runner can be “sharp” and still be wrong if the edges aren’t equal.
If any of these are true, don’t change hollow first:
- One skate feels better than the other.
- You lose an edge randomly.
- Stopping feels different left vs right.
- New steel feels “off” no matter what hollow you use.
Most common causes: uneven edges, poor blade care, burrs, nicks, or neglected steel.
Profile Comes First
This is a big one for me: profile is the foundation. Hollow is the tuning.
If your profile doesn’t match your height, weight, and skating style — no hollow will ever feel “right.”
What I see all the time
- Skaters chasing hollows when the profile has worn down or never fit them to begin with.
- Steel getting “maintained” without anyone checking if the shape still makes sense.
- People feeling slower, less stable, or “off” and blaming the cut.
If the foundation is off, the tuning won’t save it.
What About FBV?
FBV can be useful in the right situation — but it is not a universal solution, and it’s extremely feel-dependent.
Small mistakes are amplified. Because of that, FBV is always a conversation here.
If you’re curious about FBV: reach out directly and we’ll talk through whether it truly makes sense for you.
Want this dialed to you?
If you tell me your skater type, current hollow, what you’re feeling on the ice, and where you skate,
I can get you a recommendation that’s actually personal — and I’ll tell you if it’s not a hollow problem.
