jimmy

The dressing system uses long bits with the shape in it. Doesn't use spinners. I have a pic of the dressing bits, but don't remember my photobucket password and that's only way to post it on this board. Perhaps I can get it up later. The Swede's aren't real good at details. Magnus Erikson however, explained to me that they tested the FBV in Europe and their players didn't really notice much difference, primarily because most of them are skating in the 3/4-1" hollow range. He said the FBV also lost an edge too easy for them. Said it worked well for skaters who were on deeper hollows but it really wasn't suitable for the average European player. Since that's their primary market, that's why they developed the Channel... to get more speed but not lose edges. So far for now we all will have to guess (as we did for the FBV) until we can skate on it and compare it to the other methods. It may have it's niche, so why not another option. It's good for hockey.

Neither the dressing system or shape is anything similar to the FBV. No copyright infringement at all. I've been talking to Prosharp for quite some time about the Z and it sounds interesting and it has been tested pretty well in Sweden and by prosharp in Canada. I should be set up to do it in 2 weeks or so, after a few delays, my equipment has been shipped from Sweden. After we do the blind testing we'll see how it compares to the FBV. The FBV is going to be hard to beat for sure.

because the rink is literally a mile away. we have it worked out. i need a free hand to carry beer. and thanks for being my accountant, jimmy. i need tax advice from modsquad like i need a hole in my head. Nothing to do with accounting, more with legality. So many people think they can buy a sharpener to make a few extra $$$, but fail to realize (or in some cases ignore), the proper legal way to do it. If you do it legally, it can be a nice side business.

Make sure you guys who are getting your machine to run a home business/charging people, get the appropriate federal, state and local business licenses and also report your income using a Schedule C. In the first year you can claim the machine/supplies as a business expense, which works out pretty good, offsetting what you make. Also check with your town, many do not allow or limit foot traffic to a business at your residence. This can be a show stopper. And if you think you can do it under the table, trust me someone will report you, most likely your local LHS who finds out your stealing their business. If you do it on the up and up, everything will go smooth for you.

I asked my diamond company(diamonds is all they do). After examining a used one I sent them, they said they couldn't do it. if you find a place, please let us know.

I was skeptical of the benefits of the machine as we really had no problems fitting skates without it. However, since we've had it, I've changed my mind, it works great and does a much better job than just sitting in the skates. Customers love it as well. We use it on all brands. Combined with sizing, heating, punching, and stretching, it provides the total service package. A good addition for any pro shop. f2racer, sorry we held you captive in the machine longer than necessary. :D I'll have to scold the front desk folks and also restock the magazine rack.

My daughters boyfriend decided he wanted to learn to skate and play hockey. I started him on a regular hollow but after a couple of skates he said he wanted to try the FBV. he's been on it ever since and after completing a 8 week, learn to program, he's skating pretty good, stopping, crossovers, not bad. I wouldn't rule it out, just try it, it's no big deal to go back to a hollow if for some reason it doesn't work for you.

Very funny indeed. I had some ME a-hole email me and demand to know why the FBV was so good. I asked him if he skated on it. Nope. Enough said.

Don't take his response in a bad way. It sounds like he's been burnt before, e.g. answering peoples questions, they they screw him by opening their little under the table side business, often at prices lower than his, and then taking many of his customers with them. So I can see why he's gun-shy of helping you. Nothing wrong with being a home sharpener but don't expect your local guy to help you get your mini-business going. I'm not saying at all that's what you are doing, but as I said, he's prob been burnt a few times.

Not to mention it is impossible to make a left turn in VC. No turn lanes, no turn arrows. You can literally spend 1/2 hr at one traffic light. Yea, I wish they would as well. Most haven't figured out that goalies like extreme bite. I use the 100/75 and it's perfect for me but I was skating on 15/32. Those on 5/16 and 1/4 will have to wait till something just for "goalies" is created.

Try the 100/75, at the moment it has the most bite. Most of my goalies who were deep using deep hollows like 3/8 found that the 100/75 gave them plenty of grip. I'm hoping BS will come out with something with more bite than the 100/75, just for goalies like you. But 100/75 may be enough for you.

Absolutely correct. It's hard enough explaining a regular hollow to a customer, having to sell a FBV and explain what it is is a lot of work and does takes time ... and time is money.

and... the spinners are way more expensive than a conventional diamond. and the spinners can only be bought from Blackstone, not from the local diamond store so shipping is more as well. So when you add the initial cost of the machine and supplies, added shipping costs, it does cost more per sharpening.

you dress that often during sharpening? No, only once for a regular sharpening. But cutting new steel needs more passes and clogs stone with metal so it needs to be redressed more. As for spinners, I've found that when the spinner is used up, you will get a flame while dressing because the diamond coating is gone and your dressing metal to stone instead of diamond to stone.

Spinners will last long time if you stick to one spinner setting and are only lightly redressing the wheel. However if you are going back and forth between spinners 100/50, 90/75, 100/75 etc, on the same head, the spinner will wear more. (so will the stone) Not really any different than if you did the same thing with a single point diamond dresser. I'm going thru them quick, but I cut in a lot of new steel and generally dress about 4 times per new pair. As you said, there are many variables, volume for one, but changing settings prob does the most wear.

What I meant was with a hollow the holder can be tilted and you can still get level edges, can't do that with FBV. Of course if one doesn't know how to set up a holder, it doesn't matter what cut, it will still be off.

Yes, true, your alignment has to be very accurate with the FBV. It is not as forgiving as a regular hollow cut. It is very hard to "eyeball". I use a special rubber compound to make a mold. I make a mold of a sharpened blade then examine the mold thru a microscope to ensure edges are perfect and centered. Since there are no measuring tools available yet to verify, for me this seems to be the best method to test alignment of machine and accuracy of the cut.

I believe Blackstone has a dressing system that works on other machines for $1800 plus spinners, So around $2200.

The Rocket runner wasn't a failure, it is a great product. Sharpeners who didn't know how to sharpen it properly, they were the failure. They were the ones who turned customers off to it. Many thought it was the blade and just didn't know it was just an incorrect sharpening.

The only problem I see with that contraption is that you will go thru spinners like crazy. Too hard a press and bingo, the diamond is toast. Pressure on the wheel needs to be controlled and doing it freehand is risky.

The type of sharpening does not mess up the profile, a bad sharpener does that. If they mess up a regular radius, they'll mess up a combo too. Crossgrinders are unnecessary. I'm surprised anyone even sell them anymore.

Law G, yes, that bugs the crap out of me as well. Unless I'm out of position and the net is empty, there is absolutely no reason for a defenseman to try to get the stick with his puck. If they don't tip it in themselves, they usually deflect it to the opposite side of my position on the original shot, where then another opposing player can just plink it in the open net.

Is it similar shape to the Rebellion 3-D blade? "When skating forward, you use mainly the center blade, surface sharpened for heightened speed. This center blade is about three times the width of a conventional blade. Designed to glide on ice, instead of digging in like a conventional blade, it offers less friction for faster less laborious skating. When turning, the radius-sharpened side blade takes over ensuring the entire blade grips the ice surface without gouging."

Nothing worse as a goalie during pick up is for the players to stop playing "hockey". I love it when I'm screened. On the other hand when everybody moves out of the way and lets the shooter waltz in another 20 feet closer (because he now has a clearer shooting lane), that's BS.

Are you kidding, he's loving hockey so much he's spending his whole paycheck in my store. Plenty of opportunity to get rid of him later! :D