Yellowknife (Oct 18/06) - Gary Stoodley's job isn't unique, but it may be one of the most important jobs in Canada each winter.

Co-owner of the skate sharpening shop in the Multiplex, he's been ensuring young skaters have just the right edge for the past 13 years.

Jake Power, co-owner of the skate sharpening shop in the Multiplex, demonstrates how a skate is sharpened on the grinder that's been part of the shop for nearly 20 years. - Jessica Klinkenberg/NNSL photo

"It's kind of like an apprenticeship," he said, as he passed the skates to his business partner and fellow skate sharpener Jake Power.

"I was taken on when I was a kid," Stoodley said. He was 15 when he first stepped behind a counter and started sharpening blades.

"For the first year I wasn't allowed to touch adult skates."

Instead he worked on the skates for kids, before moving on to adults, but only on regular ones. "Not the skates that were $400."

Stoodley said that skate sharpening is important, especially when kids are starting out.

"There's a difference between skating on a dull skate and a sharp, well balanced blade," he said. If a blade isn't well balanced they may not be able to make turns as well as possible.

While places across Canada are switching over to machines to sharpen skates, Stoodley can't imagine doing that. "It's better (hand sharpening), you can't beat the human eye for balancing out the blade."

He has worked at the skate sharpening shop since he was 15, and now at 28 he owns it, though he did take some time off for school.

The first sharpener that he bought when he first started out is still there as well.

"It's been around since Yellowknife Hardware's been around," he said.

Stoodley said that for every different skate out there, which includes figure skates, hockey skates and goalie skates, there's a different kind of stone they use to grind the blade.

"You have to dress the stone," Stoodley said. For goalie skates, which are thicker than regular skates, a different grind on the stone is needed. It also depends on what material the blade is made out of as well.

And sharpening differs for each skater as well. "It all depends on what the person is doing. If they're playing hockey three times in one week, they should get it sharpened once a week."