How can one hollow be interpreted in three different ways?

[bunnyman666 445]

I ask for a flat bottom v in a 1/2" equivalent. The first time I got a hollow- it was great. The second time, it was waaaaaay too deep and grabby. I got a sharpening today and it wasn't quite as deep as I liked, and he honed my SB Hyperglides (the shiny ones that don't require honing). I could have gotten over the honing, but my hollow was so freaking shallow!!!!

Consistency in sharpening is hard to achieve unless you use the same person; but even then, I have had the dreaded "Monday" or "Friday before a holiday weekend" quality from normally competent technicians.

Argh!!!!!

[JoshV 20]

You shouldn't have to do this to receive top quality service, but ask to have the wheel re-dressed before your skates are done.

Even if they only did one pair before yours on that wheel.

Drop a couple bucks off as a tip. Make sure you are friendly when you go in.

Like I said, you shouldn't have to do that.

But the reality is that it goes a long way to do so.

[bunnyman666 445]

You shouldn't have to do this to receive top quality service, but ask to have the wheel re-dressed before your skates are done.

Even if they only did one pair before yours on that wheel.

Drop a couple bucks off as a tip. Make sure you are friendly when you go in.

Like I said, you shouldn't have to do that.

But the reality is that it goes a long way to do so.

The last two sharpenings done in this place were sub-par compared to the normally AWESOME service this shoppe provides. I haven't seen the normal bloke, either. I see him the next time, I give him a hug , a few bucks and expect awesome service.

[jimmy 194]

Big Chains have a big turnover and their sharpeners are often kids who come and go like a revolving door. Yup, open in a new location and hire a kid off the street to be the new 'Skate sharpener". These places don't want to pay a good wage to an experienced sharpener so it's hit or miss if they have a "good" guy and if he's there when you show up. Best to find a shop where turnover isn't every 6 months. Hard to find now-a-days.

[bunnyman666 445]

Big Chains have a big turnover and their sharpeners are often kids who come and go like a revolving door. Yup, open in a new location and hire a kid off the street to be the new 'Skate sharpener". These places don't want to pay a good wage to an experienced sharpener so it's hit or miss if they have a "good" guy and if he's there when you show up. Best to find a shop where turnover isn't every 6 months. Hard to find now-a-days.

This even happens in a local rink "pro shoppe", unfortunately. Ack. Mr. Jimmy- do you have the Black Edge for SB 4.0?

[jimmy 194]

This even happens in a local rink "pro shoppe", unfortunately. Ack. Mr. Jimmy- do you have the Black Edge for SB 4.0?

True, personally I believe if you don't have an owner involved, results can be all over the place. Then again, you have owners who only do a "house" cut and prefer to spend their time selling 110 flex pro stocks to 10 year olds.

Yes we have SB4.0 Blacks from RBK, Black edges, not yet. Soon.

[Chadd 916]

I ask for a flat bottom v in a 1/2" equivalent

There are multiple FBVs that "compare" to 1/2".

[bunnyman666 445]

There are multiple FBVs that "compare" to 1/2".

Enlighten me, then. Why did I get one radius that felt great, one that was waaaaaaaaay too deep and one that was sharp, but shallow?

[Monty22 833]

You may have received Three different FBV cuts. Next time you get the one you like, write the info (95/75, 100/75 etc) on the holder in sharpie. You'll likely get more consistent results asking for the same fbv each time instead of a range.

[jsykes 35]

Nothing in FBV is directly equal to ROH, there are only ones that are close. You may have gotten different cuts as was stated. Best thing is to talk to the tech and get one that they believe is close, note what it is, try it, and if you like it, remember the number. If not, go back and try another till you get the one you like, then remember that number so you can give it to them next time to make sure you get the exact same thing. If you do that, and its not to you liking another time, then you can narrow it down to those doing the sharpening being the weak link.

Due to there not being straight equals, we will start with a customer transferring over from ROH and get them one that is close to what they currently use. If they don't like it, we'll do others for free for them till they find the one they like. If they dont like FBV at all, we'll go back to ROH for free in order to make sure the customer gets exactly what they need.

[bunnyman666 445]

You may have received Three different FBV cuts. Next time you get the one you like, write the info (95/75, 100/75 etc) on the holder in sharpie. You'll likely get more consistent results asking for the same fbv each time instead of a range.

That's what I've figured. None of the sharpeners have bothered to tell me the difference.

Nothing in FBV is directly equal to ROH, there are only ones that are close. You may have gotten different cuts as was stated. Best thing is to talk to the tech and get one that they believe is close, note what it is, try it, and if you like it, remember the number. If not, go back and try another till you get the one you like, then remember that number so you can give it to them next time to make sure you get the exact same thing. If you do that, and its not to you liking another time, then you can narrow it down to those doing the sharpening being the weak link.

Due to there not being straight equals, we will start with a customer transferring over from ROH and get them one that is close to what they currently use. If they don't like it, we'll do others for free for them till they find the one they like. If they dont like FBV at all, we'll go back to ROH for free in order to make sure the customer gets exactly what they need.

Wish your shoppe was near me.

:(

[Souldriver 64]

It is getting much warmer much more rapidly. Ice could also be slightly softer.

[bunnyman666 445]

It is getting much warmer much more rapidly. Ice could also be slightly softer.

I am not discounting that in the least. I sharpen every 20-25 hours on ice, less if I get nicks in the runner or step on the one area of the bench that the rubber has worn through. The sharpening before this last one took an entire session of snow plow and hockey stops to get feeling better. I had a lesson with my power skating instructor and it was no fun. This hollow is so shallow that I am getting no bite. Just a bit frustrating, that's all.

[stick9 896]

I've had similar issues in the past at local shops. I believe it's laziness and inexperience on the part of the sharpener. Now, I drive about an hour each way to get my skates sharpened. I could get them done locally, but I hate what I get when I have them done locally. Seems crazy, I know, but at least I know it's consistent.

Maybe get to know the guy that was doing a good job and ask for him when you bring your skates in. Might help to ask him what he was doing on that first 1/2" hollow.

Maybe I am nuts, but I prefer Blackston FBV to Blademaster. You'd think it would be the same, but I notice a difference.

[bunnyman666 445]

I had a girl that did a FANTASTIC job. Then the guy who did most of my sharpenings. The last two just weren't good.

Like I said before- the good guy will get a hug, a few bucks and I will get their business card and commit the name to memory.

[kovalchuk71 212]

Enlighten me, then. Why did I get one radius that felt great, one that was waaaaaaaaay too deep and one that was sharp, but shallow?

You may have received Three different FBV cuts. Next time you get the one you like, write the info (95/75, 100/75 etc) on the holder in sharpie. You'll likely get more consistent results asking for the same fbv each time instead of a range.

Agreed. It sounds like the sharpener did not redress the wheel to your preferred hollow, and just buzzed them up on whatever the wheel was at. We call that being LAZY.

JoshV is correct. Ask them to redress the wheel to make sure if it is at the correct hollow. If they sigh and roll their eyes, take your skates and give your money to someone that will do a good job.

[bunnyman666 445]

Agreed. It sounds like the sharpener did not redress the wheel to your preferred hollow, and just buzzed them up on whatever the wheel was at. We call that being LAZY.

JoshV is correct. Ask them to redress the wheel to make sure if it is at the correct hollow. If they sigh and roll their eyes, take your skates and give your money to someone that will do a good job.

I don't disagree.

[Chadd 916]

while I agree that the issue most likely lies with the person doing the sharpening, this chart has three different hollows that are "similar" to 1/2". Depending on which hollow the person or store has, different sharpeners could very well consider different hollows to be equal to 1/2"

http://www.blackstonesport.com/FBV_Comparison_Chart.pdf

[bunnyman666 445]

while I agree that the issue most likely lies with the person doing the sharpening, this chart has three different hollows that are "similar" to 1/2". Depending on which hollow the person or store has, different sharpeners could very well consider different hollows to be equal to 1/2"

http://www.blackstonesport.com/FBV_Comparison_Chart.pdf

That was what I was looking for- thanks!!! However, this was three distinct hollows from ONE SHOPPE!!!

I am frustrated that my sharpenings became very inconsistent.

[bunnyman666 445]

Interesting thing- unless I was hallucinating, I swore that I read that leather blocks are the only thing to be used for honing the burrs off of HyperGlide runners. I got an e mail from the offending store's manager claiming that CCM says you're supposed to use a stone on the runners after a sharpening.

Did I hallucinate this?

[chippa13 1844]

The point remains that you could have had different people running the sharpenings. One may have given you the closer to 1/2" on the grip side and another may have given you closer to 1/2" on the glide side. Heck, it could even have been the same person who picked one setting off the chart one time and a different setting off the chart the next time.

[bunnyman666 445]

The point remains that you could have had different people running the sharpenings. One may have given you the closer to 1/2" on the grip side and another may have given you closer to 1/2" on the glide side. Heck, it could even have been the same person who picked one setting off the chart one time and a different setting off the chart the next time.

It was three different people. I have had the proverbial 1/2" FBV feel relatively the same, however from two different shoppes. It's just the one before this one was grabby and this last one was not quite deep enough, plus they honed my HyperGlide with a stone, not a leather block.

[mojo122 538]

Great googly moogly!

[bunnyman666 445]

My review:

The last two times I have had sharpening services, I have had two entirely different hollows. I ask for 1/2" FBV, and the sharpening before was too deep. This past sharpening was too shallow. And my formerly shiny Hyper Glide runners were rubbed with a honing stone, which is not required with these runners and makes ugly scratches on them. I am scared that if I get black coated blades and have these techs sharpen them, they will be scratched, as well. I don't know where the guy who normally sharpens my skates has been, but the last two times I had service wasn't good. I still like your store, but am reluctant to use it's sharpening services.

Response:

Thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback regarding your recent experiences at xxxxxxxxx. I understand your frustration with the sharpening and it disappoints me as well. I will look into this matter and make corrections where necessary.

I also understand your apprehension with the coating on the steel and the scratches from honing. CCM has assured us, that while some of the aesthetics are lost, that steel needs to be honed to lose the burrs. You are correct on the Black steel that those do not and should not be honed...