Should I be upset with this sharpening?

[Chappie 0]

Hey guys, long time no see. Haven't had a chance to inject much hockey into my life until recently, as my cousin wants to start it up again. Anyway, we went to get some skating in on Friday and my skates hadn't be sharpened in a good year or so previously, so I took them to a local pro shop to get some proper edges.

I was running late and didn't have time to check the work, so I just paid, grabbed my skates and went on with the rest of my day. Went to skate that night, immediately didn't feel like I was getting a complete grab on my right skate, but attributed it to a combination of rust on my part and the ice that quickly snowed up in a pretty crowded open skate. Took them off at the end of the night, went to wipe the steel down and noticed this:

At this point, I was fairly angry. I don't usually go to the pro shop I got them done at for sharpening and I understand nicks do happen, but I just feel like this was a really lazy job that I'm not going to have to get taken care of at my usual guy. I also know for a fact that the guy who did it has been at this shop for at least the last 4 or 5 years, so he definitely should know what he's doing. Not that it's a lot of money or anything, but it's still more work than I should need to get done and, beyond that, what about others who may potentially be getting/have gotten the same treatment? Idk, maybe I'm upset over nothing but this to me is just a bit over the top and frankly, I'm still a bit upset and figured I could commiserate here. I just don't understand how this happens with an experienced sharpener.

[AIREAYE 248]

You must've stepped on something because the machine cannot make those marks on the steel.

[jdksaves 56]

Doesn't even look like they were sharpened as I'm sure you stored them blades down and they nicked and pitted out in the center of the blade. That would have taken a decent amount of cross grinding or else new metal to alleviate that so he probably didn't even try from the looks of things. Just My $.02

[Chappie 0]

I only stored them on soft places, no hard floor or even on the ground of my car (they sat on the seats). Didn't fall, everything was controlled, and in generally I am very good with all of my gear. Unless I ran over something while skating itself, I can't imagine how this would happen and it only was this bad on one skate. Like I said, the left skate is fine and looks good. Seeing as they were always together, I don't know how this could happen to only one skate.

Not saying that I explicitly blame the sharpener per-se, but I am very responsible with my gear and don't just throw it around, etc.

[HockeySavants 5]

Did he sharpen them with rocks?

[TBR 11]

You can tell by the way chunks are missing that the steel was badly pitted. That is the result of poor blade maintenance rather than an incompetent sharpener.

That said, if you handed me those skates, I would not have sharpened them at all, and instead advised you to purchase a new set of runners.

[johnnyvegas 0]

That said, if you handed me those skates, I would not have sharpened them at all, and instead advised you to purchase a new set of runners.

Following on this thought, maybe the sharpener was waiting to speak to the OP but wasn't around when the skates were picked up

[Chappie 0]

Skates were sharpened while I waited, I was the only one there and he did them in about 5 minutes.

It may have been that they started pitting minimally or something and I just didn't catch it, and sharpening then exposed it, I don't know. Either way, I guess at this point I'm going to need new runners or new skates. Haven't decided which yet haha (these are old Flexlite 12's and have definitely seen better days, so we'll see. Not sure I want to break in new skates though).

[wrangler 157]

I wonder why he didn't say anything to you.

[DarkStar50 679]

I only stored them on soft places, no hard floor or even on the ground of my car (they sat on the seats). Didn't fall, everything was controlled, and in generally I am very good with all of my gear. Unless I ran over something while skating itself, I can't imagine how this would happen and it only was this bad on one skate. Like I said, the left skate is fine and looks good. Seeing as they were always together, I don't know how this could happen to only one skate.

Not saying that I explicitly blame the sharpener per-se, but I am very responsible with my gear and don't just throw it around, etc.

If you make this claim, then how could you not notice the steel was pitted before you handed them over to be sharpened? If I had been sharpening these skates, yes, I would have pointed out that your steel is a mess and needs to be replaced. However, as the sharpener, this problem was handed to me, not caused by me. Sorry to be so upfront, but the sharpener is not the cause of this problem at all.

[dsjunior1388 81]

I cant fathom a way that the sharpener could have caused this on the wheel, but I also have no idea why he or she was comfortable handing them back to you and accepting payment for them.

[jimmy 194]

I cant fathom a way that the sharpener could have caused this on the wheel, but I also have no idea why he or she was comfortable handing them back to you and accepting payment for them.

We get these type of blades in often in the winter, most skaters are going on the pond and they only skate once or twice a year. Even though we tell them we cant get a good sharpening on them, they still want them sharpened. Actually we should be charging them more as most blades are coated with rust and require way more time to sharpen than a clean pair. Honestly, most of these type skaters don't care, nor could they tell the difference between a good sharpening or not. That's why most of the low end skates have the sticker on them that warns that the blades must be sharpened.

[jsykes 35]

I think its established that the sharpener didnt do this to the skates. I also find it hard to think that you didnt look at them when he gave them back to you and before you skated on them. Whether they know what they're looking at or not, it seems that my customers always at least run their finger down the blade after we hand them back to make sure we actually sharpened them.

However, the sharpener probably could have handled it better by telling the OP that they were pretty messed up. I know I would have, if for no other reason than what is happening here and to make sure he didnt blame me for what was not my fault. Y

ou might want to go back and have a NICE talk with him and ask him about the blades. Tell him you had him sharpen them and wondered why they look like this and ask what can be done. If you dont want to deal with him any longer, thats fine, go talk to someone you trust.

Its unfortunate, it wasnt the sharpeners fault that the blades look like this, but he probably should have said something and helped the OP with a solution rather than just hand him back these skates and say "have a nice day."

[theGhost 0]

I think its established that the sharpener didnt do this to the skates. I also find it hard to think that you didnt look at them when he gave them back to you and before you skated on them. Whether they know what they're looking at or not, it seems that my customers always at least run their finger down the blade after we hand them back to make sure we actually sharpened them.

However, the sharpener probably could have handled it better by telling the OP that they were pretty messed up. I know I would have, if for no other reason than what is happening here and to make sure he didnt blame me for what was not my fault. Y

ou might want to go back and have a NICE talk with him and ask him about the blades. Tell him you had him sharpen them and wondered why they look like this and ask what can be done. If you dont want to deal with him any longer, thats fine, go talk to someone you trust.

Its unfortunate, it wasnt the sharpeners fault that the blades look like this, but he probably should have said something and helped the OP with a solution rather than just hand him back these skates and say "have a nice day."

This.

[watchgreat 4]

Sure you didnt step on concrete or somthing after the sharpening?

[raganblink 82]

Its funny - you can tell by the replies here who sharpens skates for a living and who doesn't.

I see skates like this all the time - I try to get as much of the nicks out as possible without doing an excessive amount of passes, and try to explain to the person whose skates I did you need to A) get these sharpened way more often so you don't get an insane amount of nicks or to make both of our lives easier, B) buy new steel.

To be frank, its your fault here for letting them get that way, but the sharpener should have had explained the situation to you.

[Chappie 0]

I don't mind taking responsibility, but I can't imagine how they got this way, and I've never had another pair get like this. Also, as I said before, it's only on one runner, so that threw me off as well.

Anyway, I'm not really trying to make it an argument. I definitely don't do the technical stuff when it comes to skates, so if that's the general consensus, I'm willing to except that. I'm pretty bummed however. Never had this problem before and hopefully wont again.

[Chadd 916]

We get these type of blades in often in the winter, most skaters are going on the pond and they only skate once or twice a year. Even though we tell them we cant get a good sharpening on them, they still want them sharpened. Actually we should be charging them more as most blades are coated with rust and require way more time to sharpen than a clean pair. Honestly, most of these type skaters don't care, nor could they tell the difference between a good sharpening or not. That's why most of the low end skates have the sticker on them that warns that the blades must be sharpened.

We charged extra for sharpening badly damaged steel, same price as new skates, due to the extra time and effort.

[Tikkanen 1]

Is that the new rough bottom sharpening?

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Enough with the snarky comments.