rachael7

Orange is a great wheel, but a lot of the guys that have time in on big machines seem to like the ruby (myself included).

Yes, I have both an X01 and a 3 head full sized Blademaster and there is a big difference. The smaller wheel, with it's lower surface speed cuts less aggressively. It takes more passes or pressure and final passes have to be slower to get the same qualiy of finish. Not knocking the X01 here at all - I love the machine - just the unavoidable difference between a light duty machine and a heavy duty machine. I haven't used the X02, but mathmatically, the surface speed should be similar to the big machine, so other than perhaps less torque, I expect it behaves more like the big machines.

Both FBV and ROH can be messed up by bent blades - spots with more bite and spots with less. There may be some truth to FBV being more sensitive to that though... would have to do some drawings, but off the top of my head, the geometry does make sense, actually.

Come in on a tangent (go back to your geometry book if need be), moving more along the length of the blade than toward the wheel, and make contact with the bottom of the blade, just after the heel. Don't worry about the actual heel at all, just do the working part of the blade and feather out as you approach the toe (basically just move the skate straight and let it come off the wheel as you reach the toe radius). Then, on your last one or two passes before your final, do complete passes, starting and finishing at the holder. Your pressure should be VERY light when doing the toe and heel radii and increase slightly as you come onto the working part of the blade. At least, that's how I do it - JR and other experts here might be able to explain it better.

I have both an X01 and a full size Blademaster, and while I don't have the Blackstone Spinner attachment for the big machine (I so want it, but $2000, ouch!), I can tell you that the ROH spinners on the X01 seem to produce edges consistent with big machine. If you have poor edges in places, that could be a sign of uneven hand motion, insufficient passes, or improper honing. While the basic process is straightforward, it does take a bit of practice to get the feel and produce uniformly razor sharp edges. Keep at it, you'll get it.

Had to put my cat Figaro to sleep last night. One of the toughest things I've ever had to do in my life. It was the right thing and it had to be done, but I sure am gonna miss the little guy. Outside of blood relatives, I'd known him longer than anyone in my life :-( F*** cancer. Seriously, just effing find the cure for that crap already.

Your own or as a business? If just family/friends, I would think one or two pairs a night shouldn't be too bad. But for any sort of business, Chadd is quite right - go bigger.

Yeah, that's why. Sigh. Thanks for your kind thoughts.

Lost my partner of 6 1/2 years a week ago today. She was only 44. Life just sucks sometimes.

You could probably do it with one of these in a drill press, but that's pretty cost prohibitive. Short of that, if the steel is really hardened to any degree, you're better off trying to grind it out with a small cylindrical stone on a Dremel tool at low speed and just hope like heck you get it round.

Steve indicated you would be drilling hardened steel... probably just going to smoke up your bit, unless you have a carbide tipped one.

Yes, please do tell us what has been changed/improved. I have stayed away from the Batgage because of less than enthusiastic reviews and I would love to hear what has been addressed in the new design.

Exactly right. If I'm doing skates that I did last time (so I know they are level), witness marks get me close enough for jazz. But when I want it dead nuts on or when I didn't do the last sharpen, there is no substitute for the edge checker.

It's not simple, but it's far from the toughest thing I've ever had to learn. The principles are relatively straightforward; it just took a bit of practice to master a smooth motion, to get the hang of getting a good dress on the wheel, and to learn how to adjust the holder for even edges. I would definitely recommend practicing on some old steel until you feel comfortable, but I wouldn't be intimidated about learning it.

You're welcome. I think I know the feeling you're referring to - I've experienced it with sharpenings on too small a hollow (too 'sharp'), with both ROH and FBV. It's like the edge is either biting or sliding, but transitioning between the two is difficult and finding intermediate amounts of bite is even more difficult. When I experienced that problem, with both FBV and ROH, I just went one step less 'sharp' (I hate using that term to describe hollow geometry) and the problem went away. Equating FBV to ROH is not an exact formula - the technology is different - so it is distinctly possible you'll get the wrong setting the first time and have that sort of feeling. But don't get discouraged until you've tried at least two settings - once you have the right setting, edge control is most definitely NOT a problem. I have every bit as much control over my edges with FBV as I ever did with ROH and engaging them gradually or partially is no more difficult for me than it was before. For what its worth, several people I've put in FBV ended up on 100/50 after going up and down a few times; it seems to be a nice middle ground that works for a lot of people and it is my wintertime 'standard grind' for friends and teammates. Its also the one I use when I'm doing a pair of skates for someone that's never tried FBV before, doesn't know anything about sharpening, and just plain doesn't care. I don't even bother to tell them about the FBV technology - I just leave my regular spinner on and do their skates - and I've never had a complaint.