The TSA keeps changing the rules. I know there was that poor ice dancer a few years ago that had to compete in rental skates after the airline forced her to check hers and then lost them. But I took a flight a month ago and was surprised to learn that they do allow figure skates as carry-ons.
Here's the TSA link; it says figure skates are ok to carry on under sporting goods (but ski poles are not??? Oh, TSA...): http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/prohibited-items
Found an article and video on the ice dancer, Jordan Noelle. They didn't just lose her skates, they lost ALL her equipment. The costume she's wearing was borrowed from one of the vendors on site.
http://figureskating.about.com/od/c...ates-She-Competes-Anyway-In-Rental-Skates.htm , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hroBU9ZCzw
So somebody can bring ice skates with essentially a knife on the bottom, but my 5 ounce bottle of hairgel gets confiscated