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There are three main types of ice skates:

• Figure skates are used in the sport of figure skating. They have a pick at the toe that allows the skater to push off of the ice.
• Hockey skates are used for playing the game of ice hockey. The boot is generally made of molded plastic.
• Racing skates have long blades and are used for speed skating.

A clap skate (or clapper skate) is a type of skate where the shoe is connected to the blade using a hinge.

Modern ice skate blades are not shaped like knives. The bottom of the blade has a crescent-shaped hollow, creating two parallel sharp edges on each skate (recently, parabolic blades have been developed as well). The skater uses these edges in different combinations in order to maneuver. When ice skates are sharpened the blade is ground against a template that restores the hollow.

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