All new skates should be sharpened. Skates come dull right out of the box, and need to be sharpened before you step out on the ice in them.

If you have gone pond skating, it is recommended you have your skates sharpened after. Pond ice is neither as clean nor as smooth as rink ice; dust and dirt can be captured within the skates, and the rough pond ice will dull blades much faster than rink ice!

If you feel like you are slipping or sliding when trying to push off or turn, your skates more than likely need to be sharpened. Sharp blades will give you much more control over your movement when you are skating, and a lack of control is a good indicator that your blades are dull.