Skate Sharpening.. how often to dress wheel

[analog999 0]

If you're sharpening the same hollow into your skate, how often do you have to re-dress the wheel in your opinion? I know the manufacturer's recommend after every skate, but they're also trying to sell the grinding wheels...

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

2, max 3-4...also depends on the type of wheel and if you are using oil vs wax...

[jjalb29 0]

i can usually squeeze out about 4 pairs before I have to redress the wheel... on average

[Superman847 0]

i can easily get out at least 10 pairs before i need to re-dress.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

i can easily get out at least 10 pairs before i need to re-dress.

Yes, I'm sure you can, but the point is the hollow changes and the cut is not as clean/defined with a dirty wheel.

[Chadd 916]

If any of the skates are off-balance it will wear teh wheel down on one side more than the other. Once you consider that you should wear your inside edge more than the outside edge, there is no way you should go more than a couple pair without dressing the wheel.

[jimmy 194]

I redress for every pair, sometimes more for one pair. Yes, I go thru stonjes and diamonds quicker, but you get a perfect finish. Analog999, since you are doing just yours and your wife's skates, I'd do it every time.

[Fredrik 0]

I usually do 3 pairs before redressing. If the runners are the same thickness that is...

[majg65 0]

What is meant by "re-dressing" a wheel?

I recently had my hockey skates and my daughter's figure skates sharpened. The sharpener charged double for my daughter's skates because he said he had to re-dress the wheel for figure skates. Is this normal practice? (It was the first time I've been charged more for figure skates - have I just been lucky in the past?)

Thanks.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Were they new?

Sometimes stores charge more for different types of skates. Sometimes they charge more for the first sharpening.

Re-dressing the wheel means cleaning or changing the hollow measurement.

[Eazy_b97 1]

It's not unusual to pay more for figure skates.

[majg65 0]

Thanks for the explanation. Yes, they were new. It makes sense to charge more. It just seemed odd since it was the first time I've been charged more at this shop (or any other shop), regardless of the type of skate or whether it was new.

[BNotar35 0]

Personally i believe thats shady practice to charge you more just because they had to re-dress the wheel. Ive heard of some places charging more due to you not buying the skates from them. But thats such a rare instance.

I redress my wheels every 2 or 3, and that doesnt include the various hollows i do at my shop as well. cant do too many more than that, its varys the edges. Not only are the edges better, they last a bit longer and they are cleaner. Much better appearance, and keeps the customer coming back for more.

And if you learn the correct way to dress your wheels, you wont go through Diamonds so quickly. Your wheels you will, but diamonds definatly not a real big issue if you know what your doing.

[DarkStar50 679]

Why isn't anyone addressing the size/diameter of the wheel? When I put on a new wheel the dressing lasts longer given the larger diameter of the wheel and surface being sharpened on the blade. Once the wheel gets so much smaller in diameter we obviously have to dress the wheel more often with the smaller surface provided by the smaller diameter. I hate seeing a smaller wheel on the machine as I know the dressing will go to hell in no time flat.

I also think you have to factor in the sharpener's style and touch as we all have our little tricks, nuances, and feel with a grinding wheel. These are factors that are the result of years of experience of sharpening skates.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

True. I used to get in trouble at my previous store because I didn't wear the wheel down to the bone.

[DarkStar50 679]

True. I used to get in trouble at my previous store because I didn't wear the wheel down to the bone.

Yeah, I trash the small wheel immediately and one of my guys says but so-and-so will get pissed as we are wasting the wheel. Oh yeah, we are wasting the diamond, not the wheel! Also, it takes so much longer with that damn smaller wheel! I love a big phat 8MXR fresh out of the box!

[logan 0]

I dress the wheel every 1-2 pairs, on a fresh wheel, and every pair on a worn one. I take my time when I dress the wheel, and turn the diamond often, and at very small increments. You'll wear down the wheel and diamond less, and also get a better finish.

When I sharpen my own, I'll re-dress for each skate. :P

[analog999 0]

Yeah, like Jimmy and logan both said, I might as well dress each time since I'm just doing it for myself. I don't think each skate is necessary, but every pair probably wouldn't hurt. Wissota recommends turning the diamond every 50 pairs. I do it every few. I figure it can't hurt either.

If I can do 200 pairs / wheel, then this one wheel should last me a couple years.

[biff44 0]

One thing I notice on a few wheels is that when they get small, they start to vibrate a lot. I know they balance them at the factory, but I guess they are not uniformly made, so as the wheel radius shrinks they sometimes go out of balance, and then the whole machine gets the shakes and you end up with scallops in the blade.

[DarkStar50 679]

Did you ever try to tighten the wheel again? That is usually one source of the vibration problem you are experiencing.

[jimmy 194]

I noticed that Wissota doesn't have the metal center in their stones anymore. Just a solid stone all the way to the spindle. The first one I got was WAY out of balance. Wissota has great customer service though and sent a free replacement. It worked fine.

[TML4LIFE 0]

Another question, what size diamonds does everyone use?

[pjf 0]

Another thing to keep in mind with stones are that most are now made in mexico. The quality is not what it used to be and the tolerance in the wheels are as tight. A few manufacturers have sourced american made wheels and the quality has been better (blackstone, omega, fleming gray)

[sogaduch 0]

i re-dress every 3-4 pairs. but if theres a carbon then its every 2-3 pairs. as for diamond wear rotate my diamond slightly when dressing the wheel. I also hate sharpening on a small diamond really pisses me off

[Fredrik 0]

Another question, what size diamonds does everyone use?

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