Sharpening...

[bertuzzi44 0]

Hi, i am new to the forum but I read MSH everyday...

Maybe this question is more for JR but, can someone explain me the process of a good sharpening. What are you looking at? What kind of tools do you use??? Tell me about the preparation and the finishing part...

Thanks

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Squareness (level edges) is the most important thing. A really sharp skate that is not square will do you more harm than good.

The smoother finish, the better. Waves, chatters, and burns are not good.

If you are concerned about blade squareness, invest in a Maximum Edge blade gauge. I think they are about $30.

www.maximum-edge.com

[Cavs019 710]

i find that a smooth, controled motion while passing through is much more affective and precise than passing it through back and forth rapidly like some people do.

[Chris_H 0]

Speaking of passing back and forth, is this good? I`ve heard some things of only doing forward on the wheel, and not backwards. Just looking for soem truth adn such regarding these statements.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

I go back and forth, however I do not hit the ends every time (on each 5-6th pass). People who go back and forth and grind the entire blade end up changing the shape of the blade.

Question for sharpeners...what direction do you mount the skate to the holder? Toe pointing to the left or to the right?

[Chris_H 0]

I`ve always seen it done with the toe pointing to the left.

[all-star 0]

I`ve always seen it done with the toe pointing to the left.

same

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

When you do a custom radius, you go the other way. Also, at Blademaster/NESSI's booth in Toronto during the sharpening demo, they did it against the wheel rotation (the toe facing right)

[Cavs019 710]

toe to the left jr. I also go to the toes about every 5th, people that get these ridiculous unintentional rockers on their blades is from sharpeners that go to the toes on every pass.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Yup, that's the way to do it.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Nothing wrong with squared toes. Rather have squared than a blade that looks like a banana...

[Ranger-#8 1]

Is it bad if where the toe of the blade there are different angles? Looks like 2 or 3 flate planes at the end.

[hockeydude2003 0]

yeah, also when the guy has done a few passes on ur skates he can do a few quicker passes so there not staying on one spot too long creating burns. a faster pass basically cuts through the steel quicker. was told its actually good by maximum edge

[CBJ 0]

You can eleminate those burns by NOT pressing so hard on the wheel. You don't neccassaary need to speed up your passes on the wheel. If you get going to fast you can lose some of that precise control you have a slower speeds and put waves in the steel. We have a few guys at the shop i work at that tend to press way too hard. I cringe everytime i hear them sharpening skates. The people who care about their steel and actually have some knowledge as to what a good edge is don't let those guys sharpen their skates.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Can you actually see the burns on the blade?

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Yes. It'll leave a black line on it if it is really burned badly.

It honestly is not easy. One MSH member told me last night that he started to learn to sharpen skates and that he found it "easy."

If it were easy, everyone would be good at it. However, I can assure you that it is not the case.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

Yes. It'll leave a black line on it if it is really burned badly.

It honestly is not easy.  One MSH member told me last night that he started to learn to sharpen skates and that he found it "easy." 

If it were easy, everyone would be good at it.  However, I can assure you that it is not the case.

It's very hard to sharpen skates. I have tried to sharpen skates a couple of times and I have had a lot of problem. My father sharpen skates since about 10 years and he still has some problem sometime. When your sharpen skates, there is always something you can improve.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

When your sharpen skates, there is always something you can improve.

That is the mentality to have. Whenever I sharpen skates, I try to maintain a level of consistency and to out-do my previous sharpening.

[Racer8 0]

That is the mentality to have. Whenever I sharpen skates, I try to maintain a level of consistency and to out-do my previous sharpening.

Amen, brother. If more people in the world cared about the quality of their sharpenings I really think you'd see in increase in skating proficiency, especially among little kids (7-12). Most kids that I have seen will adjust their skating style to a bad sharpening rather than complain or have it fixed. Skate sharpening is easy to do, but difficult to accomplish.

[goalie39 0]

agreed....sharpening is not easy. Ive been doing it for 3 years now and theres always problems...my boss claims its easy but he rarely has even edges and when i have to redo a skate hes done the skate looks like this from the front: " / " Its sad actually.

Question for JR, how often do you trim the stone and change the dresser? I usually change the stone about every two pairs of skates and the dresser whenever it seems like theres no longer a good tip on the dresser. Also if you have any other tips for me Id be thankful for them as i am only 17 and dont have your experience. I may be attending BC next year and I would like to possibly do some skate work for the team (riviting, sharpening, ect) since i will most definitly not be playing for that team. Thanks...

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

It all depends on a few things - how much pressure you put on the wheel and if you apply oil/wax on the blade for your final pass. I use oil as it doesn't cake up the wheel like wax does. I can go about 4 skates before I have to redress.

As far as diamonds go, maintenance is the key. What I do is keep my own diamond and screw it on the dresser when I work and unscrew it when I am off. Too many guys cut the wheel too deep and also drop the dresser on the wheel.

[Dave 1]

Damn, trim the stone, change the dresser, dresser on wheels etc. etc. I have zero clue about sharpening, but this sounds complicated. Is there any source on the net that explains the different steps in sharpening as well as what a sharpening machine consists of (dresser, stone...)?

One day, when I have the bucks, I will sure buy a sharpening machine. I use t'blades now because everything I get around here is the worst sharpenings you can imagine. t'blades give me consistency. Yet, I love to tweak my hockey gear so I'd love to shapren the skates myself... but even a basic sharpening machine is expensive.

[Chadd 916]

When we get the shop up and running I'll send you my old machine. You just have to get it to work with your wacky electrical.

[hockeydude2003 0]

another thing that dirtys the wheel up very easy is carbon steel since its so soft it really gets into the wheel. Best way i can describe it is think of earth and when we rotate we hold stuff around us and if it gets too close itll fall to earth. ur skate is breaking the barrier on the wheel so everything from ur skates blade is not really falling but is being collected by the wheel since the wheel it self has its own gravity technically since it rotates at such a high velocity. and to comment on the quicker passes those are mainly for ur cutting passes not finishing. finishing you still go nice and slow and soft.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Another poll - what kind of wheels do you guys use?

I prefer pink but we ordered rubies this time around.