Would like some advice on getting into skate sharpening

[dw9509 0]

I would like to open a small shop that would specialize in skate sharpening. Where I live there is one hockey rink and they provide sharpening services, but the problem is that there are kids doing the sharpening and when you tell them what radius you want, they have no idea on what you're talking about. There are many teams that play in my area and the closest LHS is more than an hour away. I know that this is an art and requires the passion to learn the trade and to strive for consistency. I guess what I'm looking for is advice on how to start this, what machine would be a good one to begin with and do any of the machine manufacturers offer training on their respective equipment. We've got a great market here and I know a good, quality, sharpening service would be appreciated. Eventually, I would like to expand the services to offer basic hockey equipment.

I'm a rec hockey player but have the passion for the game and I'm kinda new here to MSH. What amazes me is the amount of knowledge that you guys have in this area and your willingness to help. Any help would be very much appreciated.

[goblue9280 33]

It's funny, sounds exactly like my rink. The other rinks/figure skate shop that have sharpening in Houston are all 45 minutes or more away. Usually you leave skates and then are lucky if they get sharpened in the next week. One of the kids at the rink was sharpening the other day so I asked if he would have time to do my 8-year olds. In order to gauge if he had any clue what he was doing, I simply asked what they used for a house cut... his response: "Uh, well for the little kids it doesn't even matter cause they don't skate that fast". So not only does he not know what his wheel is dressed to, I now doubt that he has any concept of what ROH is.

If I were opening a sharpening service, I'd look at a Blackstone machine with the spinner setup... as the FBV sharpening is getting very popular right now.

[dw9509 0]

Thanks for the reply. I didn't mention FBV sharpening because the closest place to get that done is 4 hours away. I've been looking at the Blackstone X2 as well as the Wissota. They both sound good, but being a newbie, I wouldn't know which would suit me. I'm looking for a good quality machine to start with, with some sort of instructional video. I'm real serious about this and have the work ethic to make it happen. I was hoping some of you guys could tell me what you use and what the learing curve was for you. I know the best way to learn is with practice, but I don't want to learn using poor habits.

[Chadd 916]

The Blackstone will require a larger investment but will produce better results and will do so more quickly. The spinner system makes dressing the wheel much, much easier, but it does limit the hollows that you can provide. Personally, I think it is worth the trade off. And I've owned both the Wissota and the X02. Where exactly are you?

[dw9509 0]

I'm in Mount Vernon, Ohio. I've read about the Wissota and the X02 and it does seem that the X02 is a more complete machine. That's probably the sharpener I'm leaning towards. I know there are quite of few of you experienced sharpeners on here and I value your opinions. I'm just tired of getting sub-par quality and I believe I could work hard enough at it so that quality would inprove, I play with many of the guys I would target for their sharpening as well as the youth and college teams. I just need to develop the skills. How long do you think it takes before someone is comfortable enough to venture off on their own?

[DarkStar50 680]

You will know when you're ready to sharpen someone's skates once you know you can sharpen your own. Sounds simple but true.

[Larionov 0]

Hi

I'm interested of sharpingening and the business around it. I'm a business developer consultant and maybe I have an interesting proposal. My first question is where are you planning to start your shop?

[DarkStar50 680]

try post #5. As a consultant, observation and reading skills are critical.

[Chadd 916]

You will know when you're ready to sharpen someone's skates once you know you can sharpen your own. Sounds simple but true.

Agreed. When you no longer have to worry about how your edges feel, or if you did them correctly, you are ready to do other skates.

[dw9509 0]

Thanks Chadd. I've got 4-5 pair of my own skates to practice on. I just need to make the investment in the sharpener. What type of sharpener do you use and how long have you been sharpening skates?

[Chadd 916]

Thanks Chadd. I've got 4-5 pair of my own skates to practice on. I just need to make the investment in the sharpener. What type of sharpener do you use and how long have you been sharpening skates?

I have a Blackstone X02 here at the house. I have owned a Wissota in the past and used both Blademaster and Blackstone full size machines in shops that I have worked in or managed. I've been doing skates for 13-14 years or so.

[forbs02 20]

If you are deciding between the Wissota and the Blackstone get the Blackstone. It is easier to use and produces a better result.

[jimmy 194]

If you plan on opening a shop, you'll need more than a Wissota or X02. Those are for very low volume. A Blackstone F02Spin would be a better choice, actually 2 of them. You will also be sharpening goal skates, figure skates, youth skates, so even with one machine, you'll need more skate holders. IMO almost impossible to run a shop that has any volume with just one machine. When I opened I had three. Soon it wasn't enough.

[Chadd 916]

If you plan on opening a shop, you'll need more than a Wissota or X02. Those are for very low volume. A Blackstone F02Spin would be a better choice, actually 2 of them. You will also be sharpening goal skates, figure skates, youth skates, so even with one machine, you'll need more skate holders. IMO almost impossible to run a shop that has any volume with just one machine. When I opened I had three. Soon it wasn't enough.

Absolutely true. However the X02 is a nice tool to use, learn and build a customer base before laying out the significant investment needed to open a shop.

[dw9509 0]

Chadd...That's what I'm thinking. I really want to start by sharpening my own skates to begin with and read so many good things about the X02. I'm not planning on venturing out to do it a business until I'm absolutely confident in my ability but more importantly the results. What spinners would you recommend to start out with. I would eventually like to do the FBV sharpening because there is NO ONE within 3 hours of my location that offers it.

[goblue9280 33]

Absolutely true. However the X02 is a nice tool to use, learn and build a customer base before laying out the significant investment needed to open a shop.

Not to mention my guess would be the X01 and X02 hold their values well. I've seen Wissota's on ebay going for 75-80% of what they cost new... I'd think the X01/02 would be in that ballpark as well. Seems like a low risk/investment option to see if the business can take off.

[Chadd 916]

Chadd...That's what I'm thinking. I really want to start by sharpening my own skates to begin with and read so many good things about the X02. I'm not planning on venturing out to do it a business until I'm absolutely confident in my ability but more importantly the results. What spinners would you recommend to start out with. I would eventually like to do the FBV sharpening because there is NO ONE within 3 hours of my location that offers it.

Around here 3/8, 1/2 and 5/8 are the most common standard hollows. As for FBV, I would go with 100/75, 95/75 and 90/75. That will roughly cover the same ground in FBV without having to explain the difference between X/75 and X/50 hollows.

[chk hrd 164]

Before you open your own place you should work for someone who can show you how to sharpen correctly. A short training course or practicing on your own gear won't cut. You need repetition with a person who knows what they are doing watching over you correcting your mistakes and answering questions. You can have the best machine out there but if you are not capable of using correctly then you are not doing anyone a service.

Not trying to burst your bubble but nothing will kill your business more than not being able to sharpen skates to a high quality. It is alot of expense to start a business and it would be a shame to not make it because of the quality.

[jimmy 194]

Before you open your own place you should work for someone who can show you how to sharpen correctly. A short training course or practicing on your own gear won't cut. You need repetition with a person who knows what they are doing watching over you correcting your mistakes and answering questions. You can have the best machine out there but if you are not capable of using correctly then you are not doing anyone a service.

Not trying to burst your bubble but nothing will kill your business more than not being able to sharpen skates to a high quality. It is alot of expense to start a business and it would be a shame to not make it because of the quality.

So true. Some douchebag thought he could sneak and watch me sharpen and then buy the machines I had, and open his own business a few miles down the road. He was out of business within a year. He had no clue how to sharpen, nor the ability to understand what hollows were and how they worked, and how to pair settings with the skater, and a lot more he was clueless at. He simply though buying the same machines I used that he would be a sucessful as we are. It's not the machines. It's never the machines. I can sharpen just as good on a Wisotta as I can on a more expensive machine, just can't do it as fast as needed for a retail business.

[goblue9280 33]

You guys are right, but remember what he first said, the closest LHS is over an hour away. Working for someone else who will train him over a period of time obviously isn't an option. I'm sure with the information on this board (and other places) as well as working with blackstone (or whichever company he buys his machine from) he can get up to speed on his own. I doubt it would take him that long before he's producing the best sharpening within an hour of the rink.

[dw9509 0]

You guys are right. If I could, I would love to do it part time for a LHS, but that option isn't available. I've read so many of you guys posts and the knowledge and advice here in this forum is awsome. When I first started skating, I had no idea of all the different options for sharpening. The different radius's, hollows, profiles all for different players and styles. I've dropped off my skates at the local rink and told them to sharpen with 1/2" radius and I always get a blank stare. I have a full time job, I'm just wanting to learn the trade and provide a quality service for the skaters in my area. I do realize that the X02 isn't a high volume machine, but you a lot of you guys recommend it and that's good enough for me.

[chk hrd 164]

You guys are right, but remember what he first said, the closest LHS is over an hour away. Working for someone else who will train him over a period of time obviously isn't an option. I'm sure with the information on this board (and other places) as well as working with blackstone (or whichever company he buys his machine from) he can get up to speed on his own. I doubt it would take him that long before he's producing the best sharpening within an hour of the rink.

Reading about things is far different than physically learning how to do them and understand what you are doing. Using customers as test subjects isn't good business. A bad experience will loose customers faster than anything and word of mouth, especially in a small town, will hurt future business. Basic sharpening isn't brain surgery but to get proficient takes time, practice and repitition

[cooperalls 4]

dw9509,

Have you tried asking around your hockey community to see if anyone has experience sharpening skates? Even though there isn't anyone running a shop or training at the rink, there's a possibility someone in your hockey "world" has done it before? If so, you could ask if they would help train you on the basic principles and techniques of sharpening. In exchange you could offer them access to the machine for their own personal use, or money, or some other good/service that's within your current profession? I'm just trying to think of ways you could get a little first-hand training. It's not impossible to learn to sharpen well without an apprenticeship, but first-hand instruction will go a long ways.

Another option: there are sharpening franchises. You can pay a fee, get trained over a period of a few days, and in exchange you get to use their sharpening system name and have access to some proprietary equipment/tools. It's not cheap, but if you're serious about starting a business, it might be a worthy investment...sort of like a one-week trade school to get you started. The one I know of assumes you have some working knowledge of sharpening, but perhaps you could contact them, or another one and see if they can take on a beginner?

Sharpening is like a lot of things, it's not too difficult to get proficient at, but it takes a ton of time and effort to master. You seem like you have a good understanding of that.

Good luck!

[goblue9280 33]

Reading about things is far different than physically learning how to do them and understand what you are doing. Using customers as test subjects isn't good business. A bad experience will loose customers faster than anything and word of mouth, especially in a small town, will hurt future business. Basic sharpening isn't brain surgery but to get proficient takes time, practice and repitition

I 100% agree with you. However, my point was just that training at a pro shop is not an option for the OP. They only place anywhere near him (and I'm assuming near most of his customer base) that sharpens is awful. Without any really competition, he should be able to build a customer base while still perfecting his sharpening skills, as he'll still be turning out better results than the kids at the rink. As long as he strives to improve and asks questions when they arise, he can become proficient without actually working under an experienced sharpener.

[dw9509 0]

Thank you all for the great advice, this is why I originally posted. It seems that there a lot of folks on this forum with experience, including all of you who responded. I have 3 pair of my own skates to practice on and I thought about taking my main pair to the LHS I usually take them to for sharpening. Then using these as a control to compare the 2 other pair that I'll be personally sharpening on my own. This way I can compare the results to a known pair that I know are sharpened right.

Also, do any of you guys keep a notebook or database of your customers to keep track of their sharpener settings? I wasn't sure if this would be a good idea. This way I could set the sharpener using the settings that were used for the previous sharpening.