Don't have time to sharpen blades, best way to get an edge?

[seanmulvy83 0]

Hey guys, I have a game in 2 hours and I totally forgot to get my blades sharpened. It's spring league so I've been letting them get dull, because all the kids are awful. I literally have no inside edge on my right skate. The guy that sharpens my skates can't do it in time but I have these 2 stones and a sweet stick (I think that's what it's called). one stone's gray and one's white? How do I use these and will it help at all?

[Harv 86]

This is too late, but just for further use.

Don't use the ''sweet stick''. It gives you a false edge. Always use a stone.

[chk hrd 164]

Stones will just clean up the edges by taking any burs off. It's not going to put an edge on if there wasn't one to begin with. If it's tough to get to your sharpener buy an extra set of blades, have a good edge put on them and keep them in your bag. I keep an extra set of E-Pros and blades for emergencys. Nothing worse than breaking one and the pro shop not having the right one in stock.

[wetwilly17 6]

This is too late, but just for further use.

Don't use the ''sweet stick''. It gives you a false edge. Always use a stone.

they can be beneficial if you use it properly. most people don't know how to use them properly and that's the real problem with the product.

[Chadd 916]

I would take a bad sharpening over no edge, but I tend to sharpen my skates often enough to keep them the same every time I am on the ice.

[hockeymass 11]

they can be beneficial if you use it properly. most people don't know how to use them properly and that's the real problem with the product.

?? It always rolls your edge. That's how it works and that's why people don't like it.

[drewptwo 1]

?? It always rolls your edge. That's how it works and that's why people don't like it.

It is doing that because people generally put too much downward pressure on it when dragging it across the blade. Just rest it on the blade. DO NOT PUSH DOWN. Also only do two or three passes per skate.

[hockeymass 11]

It is doing that because people generally put too much downward pressure on it when dragging it across the blade. Just rest it on the blade. DO NOT PUSH DOWN. Also only do two or three passes per skate.

http://www.sweet-stick.com/sweet-stick.htm

Their site even says that it works by rolling the edges.

[drewptwo 1]

Yes it does, and it will work by rolling the edges in slightly. What I am saying is people push down and roll the edge too much, effectively making the edge useless.

[RussianDangler15 0]

The edges aren't supposed to be rolled in slightly, thats what they're saying.

[Chadd 916]

The best way to use a sweet stick is to rub it down the side like a stone. Anything else will deform the edge. Deformed edges will work in an absolute emergency, but it is not a fix for laziness when it comes to sharpening.

[wetwilly17 6]

use VERY light pressure with it. do not "roll" the edges. it helps to provide slightly more bite when the edge is dulled. i only use it to get an extra skate every now and then when my sharpener is unavailable. and it does a good job at that. it does not work miracles. the key is to understand how it affects the geometry of your edge, to understand the limits of the tool and to not over use it.

[ktang 34]

I have used a round file in emergencies before. File along the groove, lightly and carefully, and then stone the outsides of the blades.

[hockeymass 11]

use VERY light pressure with it. do not "roll" the edges. it helps to provide slightly more bite when the edge is dulled. i only use it to get an extra skate every now and then when my sharpener is unavailable. and it does a good job at that. it does not work miracles. the key is to understand how it affects the geometry of your edge, to understand the limits of the tool and to not over use it.

I don't think you get it. It's designed to roll the edges in...

[wetwilly17 6]

I don't think you get it. It's designed to roll the edges in...

i do get it. i just looked at the sweet stick website and, yes, they do use the term 'roll' as you do. as laymen, they (and you), are using the term incorrectly. to engineers and those folks who understand the meaning of the term with regards to materials, the term 'roll' means to work the metal - to plastically deform the metal. if you put too much pressure on the edges with a sweet stick, you will roll the edges.

however that is not what the sweet stick is supposed to do. it is not meant to deform the edges. it sharpens the edges by removal of material. that is not "rolling".

[Chadd 916]

It pinches the edges together, simulating a deeper hollow without actually sharpening the edges. Call it whatever you want, it isn't actually sharpening anything.

[elevation 1]

...is there a problem to sharpen pinched or 'rolled' edges afterwards?

[hockeymass 11]

i do get it. i just looked at the sweet stick website and, yes, they do use the term 'roll' as you do. as laymen, they (and you), are using the term incorrectly. to engineers and those folks who understand the meaning of the term with regards to materials, the term 'roll' means to work the metal - to plastically deform the metal. if you put too much pressure on the edges with a sweet stick, you will roll the edges.

however that is not what the sweet stick is supposed to do. it is not meant to deform the edges. it sharpens the edges by removal of material. that is not "rolling".

...no matter what you do, you're bringing the edges closer together. You could call it "hasenfutzing the edges", it still doesn't equal a true edge.

[hockeymass 11]

...is there a problem to sharpen pinched or 'rolled' edges afterwards?

I believe you'd probably need to crossgrind the blade if the edges are sufficiently deformed.

[JR Boucicaut 3810]

Nope

[wetwilly17 6]

It pinches the edges together, simulating a deeper hollow without actually sharpening the edges. Call it whatever you want, it isn't actually sharpening anything.

The sweet stick certainly does sharpen the edges. Just look at the shape of it - it hones the blade edges in the shape of a narrow angle V. If you can’t visualize this, then try it on a skate that is slightly dulled. You can make the edges ultra sharp again with a few LIGHT passes. The point is to remove material from the outside of the edges using very light pressure, not to bend the edges with excessive force. If used properly, it can sharpen slightly dulled skates to get you a little extra bite. But it is not meant to replace traditional sharpening.

...is there a problem to sharpen pinched or 'rolled' edges afterwards?

not at all

...no matter what you do, you're bringing the edges closer together. You could call it "hasenfutzing the edges", it still doesn't equal a true edge.

yes, it does bring the edges closer together. but unless you over use it, not significantly. simple geometrical analysis will show you that it is not significant. do you notice the difference in width between blades due to the manufacturing tolerances of the raw plate metal used?

[Chadd 916]

I've had teammates with them in the past. My comments are based on direct experience with them and I stand by those comments.

[jimmy 194]

The Sweet stick is certainly good to refresh a dull edge, it does not "sharpen" a damaged edge, just like nothing else but a skate sharpening machine can do. I've sold thousands of these over the years, customers like them and use them all the time. Good in a pinch like the OP was inquiring about. I even have one customer who now only sharpens twice a year, who uses the Sweet stick the rest. It's a good product if used correctly. Usually only one like swipe is needed, it does not roll the edges. Those who are having issues are not using it correctly.

[hockeymass 11]

Why do people keep saying it doesn't roll the edge when it very clearly does? And how does it work if you use FBV instead of a traditional hollow?

[jimmy 194]

It really doesn't matter how it works, rather that those who use it like the results. If the user puts too much pressure or does multiple heavy passes, they prob will not like the result.