Ice Skating Depth of Hollow: What Is It and Why Should I Care?

If your blades are the engine of your skating, depth of hollow (DOH) is your gear ratio. Get it right and you’ll feel locked-in when you need bite and effortless when you want glide. Get it wrong and you’ll fight your skates or feel slow and chattery. Learn the basics below, then book your sharpening online so we can dial it in for your style and ice.

What “depth of hollow” actually means

Skate blades are ground with a concave groove along the bottom. The radius of hollow (ROH) is the radius of the circle that makes that groove. Smaller radii (e.g., 3/8", 7/16", 1/2") cut deeper and create more bite; larger radii (e.g., 5/8", 3/4", 1") are shallower and give more glide.

Helpful overview: Sparx — Radius of Hollow: https://sparxhockey.com/blogs/feed/sharpening-101-radius-of-hollow (and concept page: https://sparxhockey.com/pages/learn-radius-of-hollow).

Why the trade-off matters

• More bite (deeper hollow): stronger edge hold for quick stops, tight turns, explosive acceleration — but more drag.

• More glide (shallower hollow): easier speed and less fatigue — but less “locked-in” feel at high edge angles.

Common starting points

There’s no single “best” hollow; it depends on your weight, strength, ice conditions, blade profile, and style.

• Hockey skaters: Common starting points are 1/2" or 5/8"; adjust shallower for more glide or deeper for more bite.Source: Bauer — Complete Guide: https://www.bauer.com/blogs/learn/complete-hockey-skate-sharpening-guide Bauer Hockey, LLC

• Figure skaters: Ranges vary by discipline, but the coaches I interact with almost always go 7/16" or deeper. The key is to test, take notes, and repeat what works. Primer: Jackson Ultima — “Gain Confidence by Knowing Your Skates”: https://jacksonultima.com/blogs/news/gain-confidence-by-knowing-your-skates

Ice conditions matter

Harder/colder ice often warrants a slightly deeper hollow; softer/warmer ice can benefit from a shallower hollow.

ROH vs. flat-bottom-style cuts

Traditional ROH creates a semicircular groove. Flat-bottom-style hollows (like Sparx FIRE) keep two defined edges but reduce the center channel for more glide at a similar “bite” feel.

Learn more: https://sparxhockey.com/pages/grinding-rings-learn-more 

How we dial this in at SchwendiSharpens

Every sharpening here is measured and verified — not “close enough.” Figure skates are sharpened on our SSM-2 Pro; hockey skates on our Commercial Sparx 3 — both are trusted, top-tier systems designed for repeatable precision. We confirm edge balance and hollow using multiple tools to ensure precision.

Want the full picture? Visit our About Us page or Book Online.

How often should you resharpen?

Guidelines vary. One rink guide suggests every 8–10 hours of hockey skating; SKATING Magazine notes a figure-skating cadence around 20–40 on-ice hours.

• Chiller Rink Guide (PDF): https://www.thechiller.com/custom/files/figure-skating/blademaster-hollow.pdf

• Figure interval discussion: https://skatingmagazine.usfigureskating.org/article/Skating_202306-07_28

Quick ROH chooser chart (starting points)

Guidelines only — we’ll measure, test, and record what actually works for you.

Skater / Goal	Ice Condition	Start Here (ROH)	Why	Try Next If…
Youth / lighter skater seeking grip	Typical or hard	1/2"	Deeper cut adds bite for control	Still washing out → 7/16"
Adult rec / heavier skater seeking balance	Typical	5/8"	Solid control with better glide	Feels slow/tiring → 3/4"
Speed-oriented player	Soft or typical	5/8"–3/4"	Shallower cut reduces drag	Edges slipping → 1/2"
Freestyle figure (jumps/spins)	Typical	3/8"–7/16"	Strong edge set for load & takeoff	Too “grabby” → 1/2"+
Dance / thinner blades	Hard	3/8"–7/16"	Secure bite for deep edge work	Fatiguing → 1/2"+
Curious about more glide without losing bite	Any	FIRE 1/2" (flat-bottom style)	More glide at similar perceived bite	Want even more glide → FIRE 5/8"