bflohcky

Well, I was able to purchase a used Sparx. My son skated yesterday on some fresh edges, he said they felt great. He's 6 though but I didn't notice anything obvious. Do you find it matters at all which direction you point the skate? Manual says toes pointing left. Videos all seem to be pointing right.

So if you had the funds to pick up a Sparx or Wissota 911, which do you go with and why?

Curious as to how long some of you have had your Sparx machine as how they have held up to this point. Thanks. I find myself sharpening my 6 year olds skates far more often than I ever sharpened my own.

OK, I've been thinking about purchasing a Sparx. I still skate 1-2 times a week, but my 5 year old is a hockey nut and skates 2-3 times a week, sometimes more during the season. We also have a rink in the yard during the winter months that he will spend 4 hours skating on any given day before his mom or myself drag him in the house to eat something and thaw out for a few minutes. I find that I am sharpening his skates far more often than I sharpen my own as the little guy tends to abuse the blades quite a bit while stepping on sticks, banging into the boards, etc. I also suspect the backyard rink dulls them quicker as the ice is often considerably harder than you'd find in a climate controlled rink. If his compassion for the game sticks and he's playing for the next 10+ years I could see real value in this machine. However I'm concerned about it's durability over the long haul. We have a number of shops around but the the cut is inconsistent and there's always someone different sharpening. I've never seen some of the guys dress the stone. We've had a couple bad sharpening's this year resulting in uneven and flat inside edges which my son is quick to call out. During my competitive playing years, The same guy sharpened my skates for as long as I can remember and I can't remember a bad cut. Can't seem to find that anymore. Obviously the price is quite a hit to the wallet when raising 3 kids. He has 2 younger sisters and our middle one is already starting to skate and showing some interest in the game. I've gone back and forth between a Sparx and a Wissota. I've never sharpened a pair of skates in my life however. I like the cleanliness of the Sparx and the greatly shortened learning curve. Any input is greatly appreciated. Having a hard time pulling the trigger (being in the middle of a bathroom gut job doesn't help).