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Automated (CAG1) Contouring versus Hand Held (Blademaster,Blackstone)

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What does a better job of contouring and sharpening skates: An automated machine approach such as the CAG1 or the Hand Held Approach such as the Blademaster or Blackstone?

It would seem intuitive that the automated approach eliminates a lot of the error and would be more precise?

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Oh good question! One that I've spent some time puzzling over too... intuitively I was thinking automated sounds like a good thing. I assume someone will correct me where I get any of this wrong. One of the things I was excited about at the OneGoal show was to see the Cag1 demonstrated.

I can see its benefits. So many people are math challenged, and this takes the guesswork out of math. You really could have ANYONE sharpen skates because you just set the skate on the machine, select the appropriate setting and then you can go eat your ham sandwich while it is doing its thing. And they supply a list of different settings with the machine.

BUT... among other things, the machine can't make adjustments for the toe, that still has to be done manually. And that is where you are back to needing an operator who knows what they are doing (including math).

As far as I can tell, it is good for high volume places who want some shortcuts or for doing some of the precision work without a lot of knowledge.

Eh, for me, having someone who is a master at sharpening wins out hands down. If they also understand skating even better.

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I don't understand what is meant by "the machine can't make adjustments for the toe, that still has to be done manually". If the CAG1 can contour, which it can, it surely can make adjustments to the toe. What type of adjustments are you referring to?

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I don't understand what is meant by "the machine can't make adjustments for the toe, that still has to be done manually". If the CAG1 can contour, which it can, it surely can make adjustments to the toe. What type of adjustments are you referring to?

Well, for example, my daughter needed to have more off of the toe to increase her lateral mobility... and then it needed to be blended or feathered in (different people use different terminology). Her heel was also blended a bit.

So I specifically asked during the demonstration how the setting could be adjusted to accomodate that sort of profiling/contouring. The answer was it couldn't. You set the basic profile or contour on the machine... but if you need anything ... ummm, more custom for lack of a better way to describe it.... then you would have to manually do it on a different machine.

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Yes, she asked, Lurch answered, I was there to witness it! The machine is not the end-all for profiling. Nothing will replace the human touch in skate sharpening!! Doesn't that sound nice?! LOL(who says that?)

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LOL, DS you did MUCH more than witness it. It was great of you and your partner to let me hang around for a while and make like sponge and ask my questions. Between the time with you and JR and OTG just happening to pop up and show us the Blackstone filtration system, I learned a TON... thank you so much.

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Sorry to all that I couldnt spend more time with everyone there. With the weather and things i had to get done for work and people being just busy all around I wish I could have chatter more with everyone.

But to those i did get to spend some time with it was a great time.

Peter get ahold of me as I have a solotution for our dinner disscusion.

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