Sharpening at home without a machine

[McDugan 89]

I would like to take pause in this thread to ( in all seriousness) marvel at the thoughtfulness and ingenuity that is on display here. This sort of passion is what is so freakin' great about hockey.

There, fixed it. As a once serious basketball player, I almost derailed the thread with a lengthy post on why there's not a straight-up comparison to be drawn, but I won't.

[Innocent Bystander 5]

I too played basketball, but the equipment just doesn't lend to the necessity for the mind of an engineer. I didn't become involved in hockey until my kids did... I thought they were all going to be basketball players. I am still a fan of the sport, so I certainly meant no disrespect. There is no straight up comparison, and that was my point.

[McDugan 89]

I get it. I just think that there are plenty other opportunities for someone who's a real student of the game [of basketball] to exercise that kind of thinking - just obviously not with gear. But when I think about the hours I spent breaking down and dissecting the movements and learning to execute a true turn-around jump shot after reading a great article about George Gervin...

Anyway, I do agree with you though that the DIY aesthetic and the many ways to explore it are awesome points about hockey. And, if I'm honest with myself, I'm a hopeless gearhead when it comes to just about anything and that's part of what makes hockey appealing - all the dumb little tweaking I can do with my gear is in some ways just as fun as playing, for me.

Like I said, don't want to derail the thread. I love the thought process at work. Even if it turns out ineffective or impractical, it's a great thing to think of and try out. This is how advancements are made.

[MThockeydad 469]

This is nothing compared to motorsports forums.

IMHO 80-grit is too coarse when you already have edges established and you're just touching them up. 80-grit isn't too coarse for power tools, but you'll make grooves if you're using a small piece by hand. 100- or 120-grit would be better...unless you're rehabbing a seriously abused blade.

Sandpaper is not an unusual media for knife sharpening; I definitely understand MaximumRecoil's rationale there.

Try Klingspor for great sandpaper at economical prices. They also have very inexpensive "grab boxes".

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

If you think about it, speed skaters sharpen their own blades. They go for a zero hollow (flat). They have to make certain their stones are flat, as well.

I don't think it is impossible to sharpen by hand tools, it certainly isn't easy.

It's a bit different though with the way they sharpen. Also add to the fact that their steel is MUCH thinner.

[MaximRecoil 7]

IMHO 80-grit is too coarse when you already have edges established and you're just touching them up. 80-grit isn't too coarse for power tools, but you'll make grooves if you're using a small piece by hand. 100- or 120-grit would be better...unless you're rehabbing a seriously abused blade.

I'm going to start with 80-grit because the first blade I try will be a practice blade on a worthless old pair of skates; very rusty and dull as a lima bean. It will be a good test.

[bunnyman666 445]

It's a bit different though with the way they sharpen. Also add to the fact that their steel is MUCH thinner.

I admit to not knowing a whole bunch about speed skates; the only stuff I have learnt is from perusing Scott Van Horn's web site.

[pittu 15]

I admit I read this thread hoping there was a realistic diy method to sharpen my own skates at home. Only because it is so hit and miss getting them done correctly at the rink. There is one guy that can sharpen worth a damn. The other guys its a crapshoot if the blades will match or even have edges when you get them back.

I don't have high hopes for Maxrecoil's device, but the wheels are spinning (figuratively) and that's a good thing. Im an engineer by profession, and this thread has me pondering the possibilities. It may be that a spinning abrasive wheel on a flat steel table is a requisite to getting the job done correctly...

[chanxebyshev 8]

The handheld sharpeners work in my experience. I used to have one of these when I played in high school http://www.thebladedoctor.com/skatefacts.html

It uses a round stone with the ROH you choose. It took about 30 passes each direction to get an edge.

But I was never able to make the edges level with this tool.

I would guess this was partially due to the stone having a plastic housing which might not be a problem with your design.

[moreoutdoor 6]

The handheld sharpeners work in my experience. I used to have one of these when I played in high school http://www.thebladedoctor.com/skatefacts.html

It uses a round stone with the ROH you choose. It took about 30 passes each direction to get an edge.

But I was never able to make the edges level with this tool.

I would guess this was partially due to the stone having a plastic housing which might not be a problem with your design.

if runner wear wasn't so uneven, it might be easier to get an even sharpen. But for most of us, we work some edges harder than others. Depending on which side you stop more often, slight angulations to the skate/ankle, preferences to tight turns and even weight distribution of the body consipre to make some edge wear faster - hence we end up with uneven wear.

The commercial grade motorized sharpeners shouldn;t have this issue. They should be able to grind 'square', regardless of the runner condition.

Unless the hand sharpener/stone/abrasive is quite rigid, even the slight pressure of the hand can warp the sharpen. That's why I think a wood dowel base, certainly a plastic tube would bend under pressure and make for an uneven sharpen. I think one either needs a solid abrasive stone or something with no flex, like a metal cylinder/plug core.

I'm looking at the pro-filer - seems to have a rigid holder, but what the 'stone' looks like is less obvious...

[MThockeydad 469]

Only because it is so hit and miss getting them done correctly at the rink. There is one guy that can sharpen worth a damn. The other guys its a crapshoot if the blades will match or even have edges when you get them back.

It's your money. Can't you request that guy? Tell the guy you've requested him because he does a great job. Fill out the sharpening slip and put his name on it. Tell the other guys he does something special for your skates (even though the "special" is "do a good job".)

[romdj 26]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLZ00yeq6to

I know it's for speed skates, but it's definitely a good place to start from if you're serious about all this.

[shmulibaby 0]

I was wondering if the OP or anyone gave this method a shot? It sounds compelling and none of the criticisms sounded too discouraging.

[laserrobottime 148]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLZ00yeq6to

I know it's for speed skates, but it's definitely a good place to start from if you're serious about all this.

Speed skates don't have a radius on the bottom, they're flat.

[wetwilly17 6]

I use the pro-filer skate sharpeners from Edge Specialties. It works great if you are unable to get consistent sharpenings from a pro shop or just want to DIY on a budget. However, it is only for sharpening. Anytime I get blade damage, I'll go to a professional sharpener. Use their standard diamond filer for initial sharpening. I also purchased their honing filer also for a nice finish - I don't think they advertise this but I highly recommend it. You need to use honing oil with it. Finish the job with a quality side stone.

Although my blade will feel sharp (using the thumbnail method), I never got quite as much bite as with a good professional sharpening. I just compensated by moving to the next smaller 1/16" ROH. It does take a little bit of skill / thought to do it properly but it is by no means rocket science. If you decide to give it a shot, PM me if you want some pointers.

[shmulibaby 0]

Thanks. Here's what I'm thinking...I'm going to get a dowel that's the exact ROH of my current blade (5/8") and see if it naturally registers and sits in the blade's hollow. If Im feeling confident, Im just going to wrap some sandpaper around it and see if I can follow the center of the blade along its entire length. Otherwise, yeah I guess the profiler it is. As the OP correctly noted, you don't need perfection when sharpening - if its sharp its sharp. Thanks.

[vinprun71 61]

Thanks. Here's what I'm thinking...I'm going to get a dowel that's the exact ROH of my current blade (5/8") and see if it naturally registers and sits in the blade's hollow. If Im feeling confident, Im just going to wrap some sandpaper around it and see if I can follow the center of the blade along its entire length. Otherwise, yeah I guess the profiler it is. As the OP correctly noted, you don't need perfection when sharpening - if its sharp its sharp. Thanks.

Sharp is sharp, but uneven is uneven. If one edge isn't the same height as the other, you're going to have issues skating properly and getting the performance you're probably looking for.

[shmulibaby 0]

True and I agree (and its prob best to use an old beater skate to test it first). But the thing about hand sharpening compared to machine sharpening is that you remove a fraction of as much metal per stroke so your error is miniscule unless you really go to town. Admittedly, it's all theory at this point but it all hinges on how well the dowel is seated in the hollow. If it's well seated and one can confidently stroke the blade while maintaining contact with both edges, I suspect freehand honing is not unimaginable. Again, just theory at this point, but if anyone has freehand sharpened a hollow ground chisel, the concept isnt terribly different...at least I dont think. Hope to report back with my findings whether successful or not.

[romdj 26]

So @MaximRecoil, any news about sharpening by hand? I'm very curious to hear how it actually went and learn from your experience!