| Ice skating is a popular sport these days. But it is by | | | | will vary between a quarter and one inch, depending |
| no means a new past time. The oldest ice skates | | | | on the type of skate and the purpose it is used for. |
| ever found are said to be over 5,000 years old and | | | | For a professional figure skater, this hollow will be |
| they were made from the leg bones of either a | | | | deliberately carved to suit the skater's style and |
| horse or ox. They were secured to the feet with | | | | weight. Speed skates and touring skates have a |
| leather straps and a metal spike was used to propel | | | | completely flat bottom with no hollow to aid speed |
| the skater forward. Of course, these ice skates | | | | without cutting into the ice. |
| were used mainly for ease of transport across ice | | | | Figure skates are the most popular recreational ice |
| and less for entertainment although we can never be | | | | skates. Moulded from stiff leather for ankle support |
| completely sure! | | | | and with toe picks for easier manoeuvring, these are |
| Scandinavia and Finland are the obviously places for | | | | the type you will normally be hiring if you attend an |
| the first ice skates to be made given their vast | | | | ice rink for fun. |
| amounts of ice. Some of the examples of the skates | | | | Hockey skates are much more lethal looking ice |
| that have been uncovered in these regions and | | | | skates. Moulded from plastic, leather and ballistic nylon |
| consisted of a thin strip of copper attached to the | | | | they have better manoeuverability and thinner, faster |
| underside of a leather shoe. So, what else can you | | | | blades than a recreational ice skate. The ice hockey |
| do to an ice skate? Apart from slight adaptations for | | | | goalies skate are cut lower and the blade is set |
| comfort and durability, the ice skate has barely | | | | slightly different with a protective shell which |
| changed much over the last 5,000 years. | | | | provides more protection. |
| The Long Reach skate was the most widely used ice | | | | Bandy ice skates are quite different. Used for playing |
| skate for many years and this was developed in new | | | | rink bandy, they come with a much lower cut boot |
| Brunswick, Canada by James A Whelpley in 1859. | | | | which barely covers the ankles and a longer blade. |
| This was developed for long distance skating on the | | | | Racing skates, or speed skates have extra long |
| lakes and the family owned business of | | | | blades and the shoe is connected to the blade via a |
| manufacturing ice skates in this area for another | | | | hinge. They also have higher blades to allow for |
| seven years before they moved to New Hampshire. | | | | better turning and to prevent the boot coming into |
| Today's modern ice skate has changed little although | | | | contact with the ice. |
| there are now slightly different designs depending on | | | | So, whether its recreational skating, figure skating, |
| what the user wants them for. Although the bottom | | | | speed skating, rink bandy or ice hockey that you |
| of an ice skate is often seen as a blade it no longer | | | | want to get involved in, finding the correct type of |
| resembles a knife blade. It actually has a crescent | | | | ice skate will make the game a whole lot easier and a |
| shaped hollow along the surface so that you actually | | | | whole lot more comfortable. |
| skate on two parallel edges. The depth of this hollow | | | | |