Skate Sharpening.. how often to dress wheel

[jimmy 194]

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

I have a guy that sharpens (resets) my diamonds. These cut soooo sweet, make just a nice smooth cut and the cutting sound is so fine. I actually like the resets better. I have a fetish for fresh diamonds, and often change mine, perhaps earlier than needed, but there is nothing like a virgin diamond. :D

[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

I have a guy that sharpens (resets) my diamonds. These cut soooo sweet, make just a nice smooth cut and the cutting sound is so fine. I actually like the resets better. I have a fetish for fresh diamonds, and often change mine, perhaps earlier than needed, but there is nothing like a virgin diamond. :D

ohhh but its crap when u just put a new diamond on and u dress the wheel nice and u do a few pairs then a rookie jumps on and just murders that diamond

[analog999 0]

Since I have only had the pleasure of a new diamond, what does an old diamond feel/look like? How will I know when to replace it?

[jimmy 194]

Since I have only had the pleasure of a new diamond, what does an old diamond feel/look like? How will I know when to replace it?

There are several ways to tell, .. sound, sight, feel, and by sharpening results. But the best way is look at the flame coming off the diamond, if it's nice and consistent, no sputtering,, it's OK. You'll prob get about 80 cuts off a wissota diamond before it needs replacement.

[analog999 0]

hmm... wissota says to dress the wheel after every pair of skates and they say a diamond will last 400 pairs...

DIAMOND DRESSERS COST $23 AND LAST APPROXIMATELY 400 PAIR OF SKATES

[PH_Hockey2 4]

I have a guy that sharpens (resets) my diamonds.  These cut soooo sweet, make just a nice smooth cut and the cutting sound is so fine.  I actually like the resets better.  I have a fetish for fresh diamonds, and often change mine, perhaps earlier than needed, but there is nothing like a virgin diamond.  :D

I know what you mean jimmy, I too love the feel of a new diamond. I makes a very big difference.

[jimmy 194]

hmm... wissota says to dress the wheel after every pair of skates and they say a diamond will last 400 pairs...

DIAMOND DRESSERS COST $23 AND LAST APPROXIMATELY 400 PAIR OF SKATES

That's optimistic to say the least. Yup, I can skate all year on one $5 sharpening too. The difference is performance. Same with diamonds. No way, no how, any industrial diamond will still cut true at 400 cuts. If you want a perfect cut, and since you are a home sharpener, you can easily have it, do not skimp on diamonds, or dressing. The difference in quality sharpening between a fresh diamond and one with 100 cuts is like night and day. This is why so many shops have poor skate sharpening. Their owners insits on cutting costs and extending stone and diamond life as long as they can. Result is mediocre sharpenings. If you are satisfied with that, then no problem. Sometimes I ditch a diamond after 30 sharpenings. You can't just take a arbitrary number and apply it. Sharpening is way more complex than most belive.

[kovalchuk71 212]

what exactly is a diamond?

[analog999 0]

A hardened piece of carbon at the end of a piece of metal that applied to the grinding wheel will shape it.

Jimmy - I agree with you on not skimping, I'm just surprised that 30 pairs would be enough to kill a diamond when the manufacturer claims 400 pairs. Why would there be such a difference?

I guess I don't follow quite how the diamond will make that much of a difference, as long as the length of the diamond does not change and the point of the diamond stays sharp. You are cutting a radius on the wheel so as long as it cuts, it cuts, right?

[sogaduch 0]

i had the opportunity today to dress a new with with a new diamond. mmmmmm man it was so smooth on those passes, amazing. my dream if possible is to get a diamond replaced everytime you replace the wheel but thats just me.

[sogaduch 0]

A hardened piece of carbon at the end of a piece of metal that applied to the grinding wheel will shape it.

Jimmy - I agree with you on not skimping, I'm just surprised that 30 pairs would be enough to kill a diamond when the manufacturer claims 400 pairs. Why would there be such a difference?

I guess I don't follow quite how the diamond will make that much of a difference, as long as the length of the diamond does not change and the point of the diamond stays sharp. You are cutting a radius on the wheel so as long as it cuts, it cuts, right?

it also depends on whose dressing the wheel a new diamond could be ruined just by accidentaly hitting the diamond hard against wheel on your first pass. if the person dressing the wheel knows how to do it properly it can last 30+pairs but each sharpener has there own lil kinks and such that they like with diamonds or wheels or the table or how stiff the dressing arm is

[jjalb29 0]

I don't think you can stress enough the importance of actually knowing how to dress the wheel. Nothing is worse than being across the store and listening to someone just destroy the diamond, especially if it was just replaced.

[analog999 0]

I'm the only one doing it, so unless I make a mistake I guess the diamond will last a while?