mickz

I do the same with my customers. If they're not sure what hollow to get I'll use 5/8" as a starting point. The next time they come in for a sharpening I'll ask them for feedback and make the necessary adjustments, if needed.

How old are your spinners?

LS2 is fine. Just make sure whoever services your skate doesn't over tighten the nut on the inside... or worse, drop it inside the holder.

Negative. All you're gonna find underneath the surface is concrete slab (or sand depending on your rink) and brine lines.

Is there a product these "Youtube stars" don't like? Haven't found one yet. Professional grade vs consumer grade unit.

2 increments on the jig is 1 line on the gauge*

I purchased the Bauer Pro 15 bag earlier in the year and here's my experience owning it. Prior to this bag I was using pro return carry bags from NHL/AHL teams. Since I was traveling to Hong Kong to play in a tournament, I needed a bag that was less flashy and small enough that I could bring it with me on trains, buses and taxis to get from where I was staying to the rink located inside of a shopping mall (Megabox). Positives: The bag has lots of handles and makes it easy to grab and travel with. The build quality overall is excellent. The two different styles of using the straps males it very versatile to fit between doors and taking it on public transit. The design of the bag does not make it clunky like a traditionso backpack bag. Things that could be improved: There is no window for an ID tag. The strings for the zipper pulls are the only cheap feature about this bag. They kept coming off on mine so I just leave it off now. You must be at least 5' 8" tall to use the bag in the backpack orientation otherwise it's going to feel like a hiking backpack.

The Prosharp home takes almost a minute to do one full cycle (1 pass in each direction). That's significantly slower than clamping a skate into a jig and manually doing it.

Hard to imagine a shop that sharpens 10 pairs a day can stay in business for long. It's still quicker to get a pair of skates done on a full sized machine than clamping a skate into a Pro Sharp and fidgeting with the buttons. The Pro Sharp is better for the more redundant actions like profiling. Some pro teams that own both a full sized table top machine and a Pro Sharp don't even use it. They just ship steel out to a third party shop to take care of it. It would work only if there was a local dealer to stock parts and service equipment. Rinks and shops don't have time to wait around for a part to come in if there was a problem. I can call up my local Blademaster rep and they will deliver any parts I need within a couple of hours. This is coming from someone who has previously worked in a city owned rink, privately owned rink and LHS.

I don't see the practicality for larger volume shops unless they can improve on the lifespan of the grinding wheels. During the busy season I'd do about 100 pairs of skates in an 8 hour shift. Multiply that by 2-3 sharpeners running at the same time.

With all the aftermarket options still available for the LS2 I wouldn't be too worried. Step is still making steel for the Custom+.

Clamp the steel into a vice and then pull.

Some guys on here and another forum have had unfavorable experiences with Bay Area Hockey Repair for glove work. Not sure if that would be the same for skates.

Sounds more like a misaligned holder or bent steel issue.

I don't see a point in the blade holder for home use. Just pop your extra steel into your skate's holder and save yourself some money. I hate sharpening loose steel regardless of what machine you're using.

This concept reminds me of a video featuring a Russian skating instructor telling you to rock your skates back and forth during turns.

Try skipping the 4th eyelet from the top until the boots soften a bit. As for your Cobra holders clicking, are you using the two washers with your hardware?

Yes they can be baked; and more than once.

Probably due to Graf's figure skates. The figure skating boutiques here will also carry their hockey skates.

Anyone know when the 2016 1X stick will be available to order on MyBauer?

Took the Super Tacks skate out for a spin today and was quite impressed. The skate was very responsive and well built. I normally wear a 7.5D Supreme and stayed with a 7.5D Tacks. I did not have them baked (just spot heated some pressure points) but I feel I can fit a 7.0D after baking. The toe cap feel reminded me of a cross between a Supreme and Mako. This is the one CCM skate I've been excited about in recent years. It will be CCM's widest fitting retail boot. You'll have to go custom if you need a skate with more volume (similar to the Nexus or RBZ). I would buy a pair when it releases but the price (and no EPP incentive at this time) makes it difficult to justify switching from my Supremes.

Having the waves in there during the process is ok since you are smoothing it out with the finishing pass anyway. if the waves become more prominent and appear more often then you might need to replace your dresser (spinner or diamond). I like to replace my diamond every 2 wheels.

^^ I had to replace the thumb screw on my br100 with the same nylon screw you have there. The entire thing is pretty robust but the stock screw isn't.

Warrior's closeouts are killing their new products.

You can find alternatives to fine shine. Some guys in the skate sharpening threads have mentioned bars of ivory soap for the final pass. I like to use a soft wax when I don't have a bottle of gusto glide available. I don't notice a difference in finish or glide. Wax may get caked on the wheel quicker than oils but you should be re-dressing before it gets to that point anyways.