| In early days the Frisians used a special skate for | | | | frequently used in those days. This was the Balancing, |
| racing purposes. This consisted of a longer blade, from | | | | also called the Tournament skate, which had a |
| 3/32 in. to 1/8 in. wide, with the inner edge sharpened | | | | symmetrically formed round blade at the toe and heel. |
| about half a millimetre higher than the outer edge in | | | | About the year 1850, a great improvement in the skate |
| order to give a greater purchase on the ice at the | | | | was made in Philadelphia, where skating at that time |
| strike off. In Holland it was customary to sharpen the | | | | was more of an art than in any other part of the |
| bottom of the blade very flat, whilst in other countries | | | | United States. The skill of the surgical instrument maker |
| skate was the blade of the old wooden vogue, | | | | was called upon to produce a skate with both blade |
| grooved, a custom, which is still in vogue. | | | | and foot-plate made out of the finest quality of steel. |
| In the middle of the nineteenth century the iron runner | | | | As much as fifty dollars has been known to be paid |
| of the skate was lengthened so as to extend the | | | | for a single pair of skates. These skates were |
| whole length of the foot, for formerly it reached only to | | | | fastened to the foot by means of straps. Sometimes |
| the middle of the heel; and instead of the customary | | | | the straps were interlaced from the toe to the instep, |
| spike, a screw three-quarters of an inch long was | | | | or else three broad straps were used, one at the toe, |
| used for the heel. This was a great improvement on | | | | another at the bend of the foot, and a third at the |
| the method of fastening used up to that time. There is | | | | instep. Later these straps were omitted. |
| another kind of skate to be mentioned which was | | | | |