| Ice skates were originally invented to help people save | | | | depth of this hollow is different depending on the types |
| energy whilst they were hunting in harsh winter | | | | of skating that the skates will be used for and the |
| conditions. Early ice skates were made from the leg | | | | ability of the skater. |
| bones of horses, ox's and deer. The early versions of | | | | The radius of this hollow can be anything between 0.5 |
| the skates were attached to the feet with leather | | | | cm and 2.5 cm. In general the larger the hollow the |
| straps and the people that wore them used a long | | | | greater the control the skater has but skates with less |
| pole with a sharp metal spike to help propel them | | | | of a hollow can achieve greater speeds. The style of |
| along. | | | | skate that the person chooses is generally made as a |
| These skates have since been developed for different | | | | result of a number of different factors including the |
| types of skating. The most notable development of | | | | skater's ability, strength and also the activity that they |
| the traditional Finnish design took place in New | | | | use the skate for. |
| Brunswick in 1859 when James A. Whelpley | | | | There are five core types of ice skate which each |
| developed the skate to help people that wear them | | | | have unique aspects that differentiate them from the |
| travel over extensive distances. The skate was | | | | rest. These skates fall under the following categories |
| designed to help the user travel rapidly along the Long | | | | figure skates, hockey skates, bandy skates, racing |
| Reach section of the St John River. The skate was | | | | skates and touring skates. Figure skates are typified |
| made up of a steel blade that was attached to a pair | | | | by the toe picks on the front of the blade and are |
| of normal boots with leather straps. The design and | | | | designed to enable jumps in figure skating. |
| quality of these skates has been in development ever | | | | Hockey skates are used for playing ice hockey and |
| since. | | | | typically do not use moulded plastic on the upper |
| Although it may look like the ice skate comprises of a | | | | section of the boot so that the skater can have a |
| single blade skate the actual blade of the skate does | | | | good range of mobility. Racing skates generally have |
| not meet at a single point like a knife. Instead the ice | | | | longer blades and they are often higher than other |
| skate blade has two blades that have a hollow ridge | | | | skates so that the skater can make deeper turns |
| between them. Both of these blades run parallel to one | | | | without the boot contacting the ice. |
| another and indeed the better the quality of the skates | | | | Touring skates are those that can be attached to |
| the better the more consistent the two blades are. | | | | cross country ski boots and are used to travel long |
| Poor maintenance and improper sharpening techniques | | | | distances on ice. The length and breadth of these |
| can therefore damage the effectiveness of the | | | | skates makes them steady on uneven ice and the |
| skates and can have a considerable effect on an | | | | fact that the skates can be removed from the boots |
| individual's ability to skate. The hollow between the two | | | | make them popular as it is possible to approach any |
| blades is known as the Radius of the Hollow and the | | | | terrain without having to completely remove the boot. |