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Thought I would throw my 2 cents in as this machine was made for me. I have two (soon to be three) kids playing hockey in a non-traditional market (Houston.) I use to have two options in town for getting their skates sharpened... #1 our home rink (at your own risk) or #2 had a friend with a wissota. Unfortunately two things happened this past offseason, my friend's kids now skate on a different team and our local rink closed in October. We then had to make the hour trek across town multiple times per week for my kids to play hockey. The new rink we were skating out of does not have a sharpener (have no idea why.) Taking their skates to one of the other rinks (again an hour or so away from where we live) is troublesome as they generally want you to leave your skates there and make you feel like garbage if you beg them to do them while you wait. I'm not picky... I'll wait up to an hour for them to get sharpened... still, they make you feel like you are asking the world of them. I also try to get my kids skates sharpened whenever we have a travel weekend in Dallas... but that usually means having to wait until after the first game to have them sharpened. I've looked into buying a X01 or wissota, but something always seems to come up to prevent me from putting down the $1000 plus. In addition there's learning to use the darn thing, and then finding the time to sharpen. Between running my kids across Houston multiple times per week, and the volunteer hours I put in for the org, it's hard for me to envision having the time to become proficient at and regularly sharpening the kids skates. This machine (if reliable) would be a godsend. Never having to worry about my kids having proper edges, and stressing over where to get them done. I'm sure I'll still get them done by a traditional sharpener when we are in Dallas 6-7 times a season (not to mention any profiling that may need to be done) but this machine would be perfect for the weeks in between. Plus, I'm sure my wife could use this thing with minimal effort... another plus for when I'm stuck at work. Like I said, this thing is made for me... so I put down my $550, and hope to have one sometime next season. As for doing others skates... I'm sure I will... and yeah, I'll either charge a small amount for supplies or trade for rides for my kids. My kids often get rides with teammates and I will either take their kids sometime or give them some gas money... when I give gas money, I never worry about the parents having a taxi license.

For me....since most of my days are spent shuttling my three kids (9/5/3) around the metrowest area...it is the ability to stick their skates on the machine and give them a quick buzz that has me excited. Hard to drive 35 minutes up to zwickers or an hour up to Bob at NoIcing when you have little free time and all you need is a quick sharpening. Truth be told...The thought of running an illegal skate sharpening ring is very enticing....I can be the Walter White of Skate Sharpening and start a show called "Breaking Blades"

Well there is my first post. Brand new skates, first try at court. =)

A bit extreme, don't ya think. It's not like you're sending your kids to Harvard off locker room sharpenings.

What did you do...

Well, a band is like a marriage and we all know how Marty does with that.

Come on, you know you'd rather be the Whitey Bulger of sharpenings.

You will all be happy to know that my backing pushed the total over the $60K needed You can send your thank you's to (redacted)

I should have left a while ago but I wanted to try and make it work. Unfortunately, even Brodeur couldn't save that one.

Just got clearance to skate and play again so went out and bought myself a pair of Bauer Supreme 190 skates. So EXCITED!

I call this one "Put me in coach!"

Ha, I was looking to get some skates after a loooong time off and was pretty much set on a pair of bauers. After doing some research and the information on this forum I went with Alkali and couldn't be happier with the decision to this point. I talked my brother in law into getting a pair to replace his x60's and he said he wishes he would have made the switch sooner.