mckjim

mdamson If you go to www.flatbottomv.com you will see the cross sections of the FBV concept applied to the steel. Any sharpening process that is not adjusted for "square edges" will be less than optimum, but in my experience this system is as easy as any other conventional diamond quill dressed wheel system to set up if not easier. Simply turn the adjustment knob for the spinner to contact the wheel and adjust the skate holder for level and you are good to go. I have done hundreds of these skates on FBV and have not had one single complaint regarding your concerns.

I have found that even my Blademaster and Maximum Edge Tri-lie holders need to remove the top screw for small children skates and even some goalie skates. There just is not enough clearance between the bottom of the skate boot and the skate blade holder on some skates. Taking the top screw on and off is an inconvience but it is the only way to sharpen the smaller skates and skates with a small clearance between the boot and skate holder. I also have found that after a couple hundred skates sharpened on the X02 that making adjustments on the front two wheels is the easiest way to make adjustments. My experience has been that if I am off by 1/1000 of an inch, from being level that approximately 6 individual clicks of the adjustment wheel moves the skate blade 1/1000 th of an inch. In other words, if I clamp the skate and the gauge shows that the wheel is hitting the blade too high by 1/1000, then I adjust the front dials UP 6 clicks and I get very close. It has been trial and error, as I have previously used Blade Master and EZ-Sharp Machines. This FBV and Spinner system is by far the best I have ever used. I sharpen team skates for First and Second Year PeeWee's as well as High School kids and my kids coaches, and they all just love the FBV. Good Luck. Also, I have made a note of what each adjustment of the front adjustment dials does with my machine, and I am not saying all will be the same. I am only mentioning this so that you also may find that keeping track of how many clicks are need for adjustments will make it easier in the future. For example, the adjustment on the front dials is larger for goalie skates to get a square edge. Aproximately 20-25 clicks down on my machine to get the edge square. Your machine/holder combo may be different, but if you keep track of the number of clicks it will be second hand in no time.

Has anyone noticed the difference in the lack of sound as the FBV skates go over the ice compared to a "normal" ROH skate? I have been at ice level and when the FBV skates go by there is no sound of biting chipping ice etc when the player is "gliding" and then when they turn in the corners, the blades just seam to rip through the ice. I have done many skates on two of my sons teams with the 90/75 FBV and several with the 100/75 and it is amazing. Comments?

Consistency is the ticket for first timers and old timers. If you do the clamping and the movement of the holder to the cutting wheel the same each time it makes it real easy to figure out why there is a problem. I have sharpened for years with another mfg'er's machine and have the x02 and it took about 1/2 hour to get the holder dialed in. Remember that when you move the holder accross the table to the cutting wheel that any pressure down on the holder (i.e. pushing down on the holder unevenly) will affect the squareness of the sharpening. Practice doing the setup and clamping the same each time and the way you use the holder and you will find that there are not so many adjustments needed in the future. It is a very good machine and produses a very good finish!