Not only are the skates not pre-sharpened, but the first sharpening is an important one. The bottoms of blades on new skates are flatter and rounded, so they need a hollow groove cut into them before they should be used.

How do I know if my ice skates are sharpened?

We recommend testing 3-5 spots up and down the blade on both the inside and outside edges. If you feel a little bite to your nail as you drag it across the edge – the edge is sharp.

Can you use ice skates right out of the box?

YES and YES. Brand new skates are never sharpened. DO NOT go on the ice with them. Brand new skates are also very stiff, and poorly form-fitted to your feet.