Grip meets glide.
Trust your edges.
Precision-trained staff, your sharpening history on file, and four sharpening machines under one roof in Langley.
DRESSING THE WHEELPride in every single skate.
We take pride in every skate we sharpen. Rod Bolivar, the original owner of The Hockey Shop, knew this was the most important thing we could do to help our customers perform at their best — and it's been this way since 1988.
Protocol. All of our sharpening staff complete our extensive Precision Balance training system. Nobody touches customer skates until they have a deep skillset and expert knowledge of everything sharpening.
Quality control. Each time you sharpen with us, we record who sharpened your skates and the hollow they were cut at. With your full history on file, our experts can advise exactly what sharpening is best for your game.
More choice is better. We've invested in the best machines and the latest technologies — Blademaster, Sparx, Elite E-24 and ProSharp — so whatever you skate on, you don't have to go anywhere else to get it.
Better sharpening equals better performance.
— Pro or beginner — it's true either way
Bite at one end, glide at the other.
Look at the bottom of your blades: they're curved, with an edge on either side. That curve could round off a circle, and the radius of that circle is your hollow. Deeper hollows dig in. Shallower hollows let you run.
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3/8"
The deepest of the common cuts. Maximum traction and the tightest turns, with glide traded away for grip.
Most bite -
7/16"
One step deeper than standard. Extra grip for players who want to feel locked in without losing much speed.
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1/2"The standard
The standard cut and a good place to start. Balanced bite that plenty of adults never move away from.
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5/8"
Shallower. Noticeably easier glide and more top-end speed, with a lighter bite through turns.
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3/4"
The shallowest of the common cuts. Built for speed and long, easy strides over tight, grippy edges.
Most glide
Shallower does not mean duller. Move from 1/2" to 5/8" and the first skate can feel under-sharpened — the edges are just as sharp, you've simply changed cuts.
Not sure? Ask at the counterFrom counter to cut.
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Drop them at the counter
History on fileTell us the cut you want. Not sure, or can't remember what you liked? We'll look up what you had last time.
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A trained sharpener takes over
Precision Balance trainedEvery member of our sharpening staff has completed the Precision Balance training system before they touch a customer's skates.
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Cut on the right machine
Whichever machine your cut calls for — Blademaster, Sparx, Elite E-24 and ProSharp — it's already in the building.
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Logged, then back to you
We record who sharpened your skates and the hollow they were cut at, so next time is exactly the same — or a deliberate change.
Where your edges get made.
TAGGED AND LOGGEDWe'll guide you to your perfect cut.
Looking to try something new? Maybe a hollow with a little less bite, or a little more. High-level players are always changing their game and gear to find an extra edge, and a cut that fits you, your rink and your playstyle is one of the easiest places to find one.
You can play on any cut as long as the edges are sharp and even — but if the specs don't agree with you, it's hard to reach your highest potential. Come by the shop and catch up with one of our experts to get dialled in.
Questions we get at the counter.
Ask us in LangleyWhat hollow should I ask for?
If you've never thought about it, start at 1/2" — it's the standard cut and a balanced place to begin. Want more traction and tighter turns? Go deeper, to 7/16" or 3/8". Want more glide and speed? Go shallower, to 5/8" or 3/4". If you're not sure, come in and one of our experts will walk you through it.
I went shallower and my skates feel dull. Did something go wrong?
Almost certainly not. Blades aren't "sharper" or "duller" after sharpening — a sharper feel just means a deeper cut, and a duller feel means a shallower one. Switch from 1/2" to 5/8" and the first skate can feel under-sharpened, but your edges are just as sharp. You've changed cuts, not quality.
Do you remember what I had last time?
Yes. Every time you sharpen with us we record who sharpened your skates and the hollow they were cut at. That history stays on file, so you can ask for "the same as last time" — and so our staff can advise you properly when you want to change something.
Is profiling the same thing as sharpening?
No — they're different services. Sharpening is the hollow we cut across the blade. Profiling shapes the blade along its length, changing how much of it sits on the ice and where you balance. Plenty of players do both. You can read about profiling on our custom profiling page.
Get dialled in.
Bring your skates by the Langley store — your sharpening history is on file, and our experts will match the cut to your game.