Make sure sharpener doesn't mess up profile

[wetwilly17 6]

wetwilly,

What I was mainly refering to is that when bad edges and nicks are removed, a lot more passes are required. Could be much more on the left skate than the right if the left skate condition is worse. Even if technique is good, it's going to alter the profile a bit. Using your example perhaps 9.992' after one sharpening, then 9.889 after the secong, then 9.777 after the third, etc. Over time the left skate could be way out of wack from the right. All of us have a dominant foot, perhaps we push off with that leg first, or only make left turns, or dig for the puck with our left skate against opposing players, or jump over the boards and always land on that skate first. What then happens is that when we go to the sharpener, the dominant skate will need more work to sharpen than the other. This not only effects profile but height and balance as well. That's why refreshing a radius is a good idea.

Considering that runners only have about 1/2" of usable material, the max change in radius would only be 10' - 0.5" = 9.96'. Not enough to be significant.

[jimmy 194]

Considering that runners only have about 1/2" of usable material, the max change in radius would only be 10' - 0.5" = 9.96'. Not enough to be significant.

Height has nothing to do with radius. What are you referring to?

[Beflar 55]

Stupid question but does the average radius get bigger or smaller over time?

[rachael7 1]

wetwilly,

What I was mainly refering to is that when bad edges and nicks are removed, a lot more passes are required. Could be much more on the left skate than the right if the left skate condition is worse. Even if technique is good, it's going to alter the profile a bit. Using your example perhaps 9.992' after one sharpening, then 9.889 after the secong, then 9.777 after the third, etc. Over time the left skate could be way out of wack from the right. All of us have a dominant foot, perhaps we push off with that leg first, or only make left turns, or dig for the puck with our left skate against opposing players, or jump over the boards and always land on that skate first. What then happens is that when we go to the sharpener, the dominant skate will need more work to sharpen than the other. This not only effects profile but height and balance as well. That's why refreshing a radius is a good idea.

That's why its also a good idea to look at both skates, do the worse one first, count the passes, and do the same number of passes on the other one. That's what I do, anyway. Yeah, it takes a little unnecessary steel from the good skate, but it keeps the height the same and both runners were going to get changed when the dominant one wore down anyway.

[wetwilly17 6]

Height has nothing to do with radius. What are you referring to?

You misunderstood the post. Going back to my original point: that the human error during sharpening is what changes the profile, not skating or the simple act of sharpening. So my post above is only to illustrate (using basic math) to you that even as the entire runner is removed, the profile wont change except due to human error.

[IPv6Freely 2100]

So is profiling a skate a normal thing? I've bought three pairs of skates since I started playing hockey again (in the last year and a bit) and not once has "profiling" ever been mentioned by the stores where I've bought them. They just bake them, sharpen them, and send me on my way.

[AIREAYE 248]

Nope, the vast majority of skaters do not need any special adjustments done to their skates.

[IPv6Freely 2100]

Got it. Just making sure I wasn't missing out on something that should have been done :)