Modern ice skates are mainly divided into three categories based on the sport: speed skating blades, figure skating blades, and hockey blades.
Speed skating blades have a blade thickness of approximately 1-1.3 mm, a long and straight blade, and a long contact distance with the ice surface, maintaining good straight-line gliding. They also have a relatively low waist. Figure skating blades have a blade thickness of approximately 3.5-3.8 mm, a groove in the middle, a curved blade, and serrations at the front of the blade for easier jumping and spinning.
Hockey blades have a blade thickness of approximately 2.8 mm, the shortest blade, and an arc shape, facilitating sudden stops and turns. Goalkeeper blades are made entirely of metal and have a short, flat blade.
Taking speed skating blades as an example, their structure typically consists of the blade, blade tube, front small blade holder, front large blade holder, front tray, rear blade holder, and rear tray.
Figure skating blades and hockey blades are usually positioned vertically in the center of the skate sole. The mounting position of speed skating blades differs; the left blade is slightly angled to the right, and the right blade to the left, to facilitate cornering.
Blades are thin and sharp, posing a risk of cuts at high speeds. Short track speed skating blades are only 1-1.3 millimeters thick. Therefore, athletes wear protective suits made of special fibers, as well as neck protectors and helmets, during training and competition to reduce this risk.
