Skate Sharpening Question

[leafer101993 2]

Hi all,

I have a question for anyone that has experience with sharpening skates. I've been working at my current shop for about a year and I am looking for advice on technique and procedures. The guy that trained me is a good friend of mine, however I am questioning some of his practices.

One thing that he insists on is that he sharpens everything on a 3/8 hollow and won't deviate unless it is requested by the customer, because it is a general cut that all can use. Now myself, I sharpen based on the hollow that is on the blade when they are brought into the store, unless it is specified by the customer, because I know that a 3/8 for most adults is impossible to use.

Any guidance is a big help.

[hyster110 3]

in my practice, very few people used 3/8th, and most used either half inch or 5/8th, most shops use a house grind to save on costs, because the less they grind the stone, the longer it lasts and the most skates you can do.. if your doing it for a shop. my advice is not to mess with the system they have established, but if your doing it for a team, your method is much better. although at high level hockey, most players know what hollow they want.

[jsykes 35]

My shop is a half inch unless specified, yours is different. As was said, do what your shop has established unless told otherwise.

[Chadd 916]

I always ask the customer what they want. If they don't know, I ask them what they like/dislike about the way they are usually sharpened and try to find the best option for their preferences. Some people just don't want to think that much about their edges though.

[icewalker_bg 126]

3/8 is not a general cut that all can use, very few people can use it actually, it can be dangerous in some cases if youre not used to it, because if the bite. I dont know about USA, but here in canada every place i have been to it is 1/2 or 5/8, i have never seen 3/8 as a standard.

[kajunkrawdad 0]

I always ask the customer what they want. If they don't know, I ask them what they like/dislike about the way they are usually sharpened and try to find the best option for their preferences. Some people just don't want to think that much about their edges though.

I

I'm generally one of those people. Whenever the shop asks me what I want, I say it doesn't really matter. Then I wonder why I don't like what I get...

[wrangler 157]

I never thought about it until I found MSH. Now, after trying a few things, I'm using 100/50.

[leafer101993 2]

I always ask the customer what they want. If they don't know, I ask them what they like/dislike about the way they are usually sharpened and try to find the best option for their preferences. Some people just don't want to think that much about their edges though.

I try to do this with most, but my store is very cheap, and they think that I'm wasting stone because it keeps getting dressed back and forth.

Also, does anyone have any tips on checking that the blade is level? I check that the stone is in the middle on blades that I've had to cross-grind by doing taps on the steel at either end, but when I don't cross-grind the only way I can check is with the level, which I find very time consuming.

[Davetronz 109]

leafer101993: Based on experience, more people use either 1/2" or 5/8". Obviously, don't buck the system at your shop, but maybe ask the guy who made the 3/8" decision if there's a specific reason. At the end of the day, the shop should be trying to make their customers happy. I specify a 9/16", but I know a lot of guys who couldn't skate on a 3/8, and wouldn't know to ask otherwise.

Even one light pass on the cross grinder is enough to take down/clean up the edges while still leaving a certain degree of the hollow on the blade. From there it is easier to see witness marks (the taps), or a single pass over the entire length of the blade. Then from there you can easily make your adjustments. If your shop is anti-cross grind, you can also use a black felt to make a line on the bottom of the blade to see your witness marks or first pass.

[leafer101993 2]

leafer101993: Based on experience, more people use either 1/2" or 5/8". Obviously, don't buck the system at your shop, but maybe ask the guy who made the 3/8" decision if there's a specific reason. At the end of the day, the shop should be trying to make their customers happy. I specify a 9/16", but I know a lot of guys who couldn't skate on a 3/8, and wouldn't know to ask otherwise.

Even one light pass on the cross grinder is enough to take down/clean up the edges while still leaving a certain degree of the hollow on the blade. From there it is easier to see witness marks (the taps), or a single pass over the entire length of the blade. Then from there you can easily make your adjustments. If your shop is anti-cross grind, you can also use a black felt to make a line on the bottom of the blade to see your witness marks or first pass.

Excellent, Thanks!

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Even one light pass on the cross grinder is enough to take down/clean up the edges while still leaving a certain degree of the hollow on the blade. From there it is easier to see witness marks (the taps), or a single pass over the entire length of the blade. Then from there you can easily make your adjustments. If your shop is anti-cross grind, you can also use a black felt to make a line on the bottom of the blade to see your witness marks or first pass.

Only works if you know the same hollow it was sharpened at previously, clamped the same way, and the assumption the edges were somewhat square when they were sharpened...in other words, waste of time. If you do your own skates or are an EQM where you know you did the skate previously, witness marks work.

If you know your holder is square, sharpen away. You may have to make adjustments on the fly; you may not. Seen too many cases of people tinkering with holders and creating a bigger mess; the previous skate you did was square, right? You're going to be in the same ballpark for the next one.

[leafer101993 2]

Seen too many cases of people tinkering with holders and creating a bigger mess; the previous skate you did was square, right? You're going to be in the same ballpark for the next one.

That's an issue that I've been having recently, I'll do one right down the middle, and the very next pair I clamp on won't be anywhere close to square.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

What kind of holder?

Get in a habit of placing the skate the same way, clamping it the same way, same tightness. Also, the skate sometimes plays into that; even from left to right. I've had some skates due to width or even shape that I have to sharpen the right toe-out and the left heel-out.

[leafer101993 2]

Blademaster SH6000, I'll work on consistency thanks.

[strosedefence34 178]

I do not sharpen skates, but I remember when I first started playing ice hockey when i was 18 I bought a pair of skates at a local shop and the owner asked me what I want them cut at. I told him first time owning ice skates I have no idea. He said ok I will give you a general cut. This cut was way too deep, and almost caused serious injury to myself. I went back up to school to play for the school team I was on and brought them to the local rink to be sharped and the employee said wow these where way to sharp for you. I explained what happened and why i didn't know anything he then sharpened them to 5/8s and it was night and day. Moral of the story is some people simply just don't know anything and the more info you can give them the happier they will be. So like Chadd said ask them what they liked or didn't like and maybe find a cut that is right for them.

[t6lock 24]

one of the local shops here has the standard at 5/16 which i find crazy. i find very few people actually know their hollow and get the default. the shop is also part of the ice rink so a lot of people use it

just curious, how does one measure the hollow of a skate?

[interpathway 9]

A sequencing set of well produced ball bearings knowing their diameter.

[Davetronz 109]

That's an issue that I've been having recently, I'll do one right down the middle, and the very next pair I clamp on won't be anywhere close to square.

It could be different blade thicknesses or clamping tightness too. Make sure you're not over tightening (or not tightening enough), which might inadvertently change the pitch of the blade in the holder.