Unfortunately, curling isn’t a mainstream sport like the NBA, NFL and NHL. This leads to much confusion about how you play the game of curling and the type of equipment used.
Today, I will be answering all the most common questions surrounding the most important piece of curling equipment, the curling stone!
Table of Contents
How much does a curling stone weigh?
Not all curling stones are made the exact same weight. While the most common weight of a curling stone is 42 pounds, curling stones generally weigh between 38lbs -44lbs. That may sound very heavy, and it is! But curlers don’t need to lift that weight, they simply need to slide them down a sheet of ice.
What are the dimensions of a curling stone?
According to the world curling federation’s rule book, a curling stone should have a circumference no greater than 36 inches, a height no less than 4.5 inches, and a weight that includes the handle and bolt, no heavier than 44 pounds and no less than 38 pounds.
Why do curling stones have lights?
Most average curling games do not use curling stones with lights equipped. Almost any time you see curling stones with lights, it’s at a big tournament like the Olympics.
In curling, there is a line called the hog line, players must release the handle of a curling stone before crossing the hog line for the stone to be considered in play. A green light on the curling rocks indicates that the handle was released in time, and a red light indicates that it was not released on time.
What are curling stones made of?
Curling stones are made out of high quality granite that is a fine grain and free of quartz. The granite uses to make curling stones has 3 times the impact resistance of regular granite.
Only two quarries in the world produce the unique type of granite that is required to make a curling stone, one is in Wales and the Other is in Scotland.
Do curling stones ever break?
Due to the high quality granite the stones are made from, it is very rare that you would see a curling stone itself break from impact. Most times curling stones break, it involves the handle coming loose.
Why are curling stones red and yellow?
Although curling stones come in a variety of colors, the two most common stone handle colors you will see is red and yellow. This is because they are two vivid colors that are easiest to distinguish between for both the players and the viewers at home.
How much does a curling stone cost?
New curling stones cost between $400-$600. This price is due to the rare and high quality granite each curling stone is made from. Most curlers do not buy their own stones rather, they pay a yearly fee, normally around $100 to their local curling club who will provide them with stones to use.
How do you clean a curling stone?
Cleaning your curling stone is rather easy, simply grab a rag and apply rubbing alcohol to it, proceed to wipe the bottom of the stone with the alcohol soaked rag. Avoid using anything that is primarily water based as this can lead to your stone cracking.
You would be surprised how much dirt build sup on the bottom of a curling stone. Keeping your curling stones clean is important and can have a direct effect on your performance.
How long does a curling stone last?
If handled with care and properly taken care of, a curling stone typically lasts between 10-15 years. Keeping the bottom of your stone clean can preserve its lifespan, as it is often the first part of the curling stone to fail.
How many curling stones are in a set?
A set of curling stones contains 8 stones. Both teams will use 8 stones of a different color, usually red and yellow.
Why is it called curling stone?
A curling stone, otherwise referred to as a curling rock, gets its name from the material it’s made from. Being made completely of granite, it is, essentially, a stone or a rock.
Who pushes the stone in curling?
In curling, each member of the team is responsible for pushing two stones. A team has 8 stones, meaning 4 members of the team will take a turn delivering 2 two each. The first to push a stone is called “lead”, the second is called “second”, the third is called “third” and the fourth is called “skip”.
Final thoughts
Curling is a wonderful game, if you are new to the sports you now have a broader understanding of the most important piece of the game which is the curling stone. Hopefully you decided to learn more about curling and even get out there and try it sometime!
