Ask the Expert: Chris Bartlett Talks about Figure Skate Blade Sharpening

Chris Bartlett is the founder and owner of Skaters Landing, which is a figure skate retail chain of four brick-and-mortar shops on the U.S. East Coast as well as an online shop, SkatersLanding.com. Skaters Landing also has SkatersLandingTV.com, a site with informational videos about skate sharpening, boot fitting, lacing skates, and other equipment issues. You can read my review of that website here.

I invited Chris to join us for Ask the Expert because I wanted to learn more about skate blade sharpening. I’m sure that R.H., who sharpens Ice Girl’s blades is a terrific sharpener and so is K.M., also at the same skate shop. I’m lucky that I live just 90 minutes’ drive from the skate sharpener. Some people don’t make the drive and are satisfied with other sharpeners.

Here’s the question: is it worth it for me to drive for Ice Girl’s blade sharpening? As a parent and a non-figure skater, how do I know if a sharpening is any good or not?

Chris Bartlett spent nearly an hour giving me an education about blades and sharpenings. Chris was a former show skater with Disney on Ice and got started sharpening blades in his parents’ basement. Now he sharpens skates for many people, including current Disney on Ice cast members.

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Listening Guide:

1:50 Are there only 10 good sharpeners in the U.S.?

2:40 How many times can a blade be sharpened?

4:10 How can I tell if the sharpener has removed too much metal?

5:58 What’s a hollow?

6:57 What’s the difference between a deep and a shallow hollow?

8:22 Should small skaters have a deep or shallow hollow?

10:28 What does less sharp mean in terms of the hollow?

11:06 What’s the radius?

13:30 How do I know if a figure skate blade is ruined?

15:14 Can you rescue a ruined blade?

16:27 Does a rounded heel or a rounded toe cause a skater problems?

20:54 What’s a used up blade?

22:30 Does removing blade metal affect a blade’s radius?

23:28 What’s the difference between a $500 and a $200 figure skate blade?

25:30 Does a more expensive blade stay sharp longer?

26:39 Can I use steel wool to stretch out a sharpening?

28:18 How do I find a skate sharpener if I live far from a rink epicenter?

29:34 Are hockey blades very different from figure skate blades?

31:30 SkatersLandingTV.com

35:11 Can people shop for figure skates on the Internet or must a person visit a shop?

38:13 Are mail-0rder sharpenings a possibility?

39:18 Why aren’t there enough screws securing the blade to the boot?

Do you have a question for Chris about figure skate blades and sharpening? Do you have a good or bad sharpening experience to share? Please leave your questions in the comments. Chris will respond to your questions.

Do you have a question for Ice Mom and the Advisory Board? Great! I need one for July 2. Is there a topic you’d really like to read about? Would you like to write a guest post? Maybe you could write something about your wonderful hand sewing method for sequins. I’m a lousy hand sewer and I would like to admire your patience. Are you a figure skating expert and you’d like to appear on Ask the Expert? Terrific! Send me an e-mail. I’d love to hear from you! icemom.diane@gmail.com

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Have you heard? Brian Boitano, the 1988 Olympic Gold Medalist , will be my guest on Ask the Expert on June 30. He has a show on Food Network called What Would Brian Boitano Make? I’ve invited him to answer reader questions about what foods skaters can take to the rink and what they can eat before competition. Please send your questions for Boitano in advance – deadline is June 16. E-mail Ice Mom at icemom.diane@gmail.com.

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Update: Annely has been placed!

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Photo Credits:
Chris Bartlett’s photo is courtesy of Follow Chris Bartlett. Used with permission.
Chris’s sharpening video screenshots are courtesy of SkatersLandingTV.com. Used with permission.
Brian Boitano’s photo is courtesy of Food Network. Used with permission.
Annely’s photo comes from Forte International Exchange Association. Used with permission.