The History Of Ice Skates

The evolution of ice skating.

As North Americans and avid hockey fans, most of us have probably not given much thought to “The History Of Ice Skates.” I’m willing to say that most of us have probably assumed that most things related to ice hockey or ice skating have their roots in North America and that skating has been around for quite some time. Well, the latter part of that statement is closest to the truth.

When researching facts, it becomes evident that ice skates originated in Finland more than 4,000 years ago, according to a study by Federico Formenti, University of Oxford, and Alberto Minetti, University of Milan. During this time, skates were used primarily for speed on slippery surfaces to travel faster during long winter treks.

History’s first introduction of skates was made of bone. Bone skates were invented in Scandinavia. Ice skates were made from the leg bones of horses, cows, ox, and deer. The bottom bone was made flat to have smooth contact with the ice, and holes were made in the bone to fasten leather straps. Skaters would use a pole to help them propel themselves and gain momentum, in the same way, skiers do today.

As time progressed, so did ice skating technology. As early as the 13th century, ice skaters grew weary of labor-intensive first-rendition bone skates propelled by a stick. So, along came wooden skates; these skates did away with bone and replaced it with iron blades. On the upside, skaters didn’t need a stick to help propel themselves any longer as they could rely on their legs, but the downside meant that they could not glide on ice as smoothly because the metal blade created additional friction that oily bone skates did not have. Despite this, the wooden iron-bladed skates prevailed, and by the 14th century, it was here to stay, replacing bone skates.

From the 14th century until about the 18th century, not much changed in the construction of ice skates other than introducing the curled-toed skates, presumably for esthetics and to ensure that a skater’s toe wouldn’t stick into the ice, causing them to trip.

In today’s modern times, skates have come a long way and are much more technologically advanced. Many types of skates are available, all with specific attributes to enhance a wearer’s performance.

Today we have Figure skates, Hockey skates, Inline skates, Touring skates, and Double runner skates such as cheese cutters, bobby skates, or bob skates made for young children just beginning to learn skating. These twin-blade skates are designed to increase a child’s balance and stability on the ice.