Redi-Edge Ice Skate Sharpener

[analog999 0]

I bought a 3/8" hollow redi-edge sharpener ( Redi-Edge ) and I've been happy with it so far. It definitely keeps my edges sharp and I have not had to have my skates sharpened since I got it. I used to get sharpenings once a month. The only thing I am concerned about is that when I get serious nicks in my blade, although it keeps them from being burrs, the nicks are still there after minutes and minutes of using the sharpener. It doesn't seem to really affect my skating (maybe it does, who knows), but it just seems weird to not have the nicks go away after sharpening for a while. I know that the sharpener is taking off material off the whole blade because I use a marker to show me where the sharpener has taken off material.

Anyone else use this sharpener?

[jimmy 194]

WTF are you talking about!

There is no way any hand sharpener can replace a good sharpening. Edges wear down, they wear uneven. The only way to get a skate back to normal is to get a sharpening. I'm not downing hand helds, they serve their purpose to lightly refresh the sharpness of the edges, I sell a couple that work well at that. However, they do not level edges, they do not remove nicks. Never a substitute for a sharpening. If you've been using one for more than 1 month, you definately are not skating at top performance.

[analog999 0]

I agree they don't remove nicks, (as per my previous post), but I can tell you that my edges are level. I had the same concern when I originally bought this but time has proven my edges are even. I spend about 5 minutes (2.5 minutes per skate) after each game sharpening them. If you think about how this particular device works (draw a picture for yourself), there is absolutely no way for the edges to become uneven if you use it. The only way they would be uneven is if you didn't sharpen them very often -- and then as long as you spent the time doing it, you would get them even again.

As for the nicks, I think I would notice it if it had any major ill effect on my skating. I have not. The nicks do not burr out a they're cleaned up by a stone on the outside and the tool on the inside, so they can't catch on anything to mess me up.