Sparx Skate Sharpener - At home sharpener

[taymag 0]

3 hours ago, SkateWorksPNW said:

The wheel is hitting too high. Lower it. 

Turning the toe to the right fixed most of the problem, I may play around with the height but its at 4, moving it to 3 seemed too far down (maybe if there were a 3.5 setting) but it doesn't really skip anymore with the toe turned right. The LS3 steel has a big heel on it so it makes sense. If you look at my LS3 steel picture and compare it to normal steel its a significantly different shape. Anyway all good for now, thanks

[rh71el2 3]

1) I am cutting both nearly new STEP steel and LS4 which are both tall.  Is it normal for the wheel setting to already be at 6, 7, or 8 (see pic for contact point)?  Even an older worn LS1 blade was at 7 so it doesn't seem logical.  I believe  most videos I see have it at a much lower number closer to 4.  Confused why I'm never that low.  This is where it touches on the toe side on the STEP steel and the setting is 7: https://photos.app.goo.gl/eG6iyDLmLZtis6J37

2) I've always carried the Re-Edger (http://ar-sports.com/the-re-edger/re_edger/) on me for kids' skate emergencies.  Anyone ever use it to fix a chipped Sparx Fire edge temporarily, or is it inadvisable in terms of really ruining the edge requiring more passes?

Edited November 18, 2019 by rh71el2

[VegasHockey 1280]

1 hour ago, rh71el2 said:

1) I am cutting both nearly new STEP steel and LS4 which are both tall.  Is it normal for the wheel setting to already be at 6, 7, or 8 (see pic for contact point)?  Even an older worn LS1 blade was at 7 so it doesn't seem logical.  I believe  most videos I see have it at a much lower number closer to 4.  Confused why I'm never that low.  This is where it touches on the toe side on the STEP steel and the setting is 7: https://photos.app.goo.gl/eG6iyDLmLZtis6J37

2) I've always carried the Re-Edger (http://ar-sports.com/the-re-edger/re_edger/) on me for kids' skate emergencies.  Anyone ever use it to fix a chipped Sparx Fire edge temporarily, or is it inadvisable in terms of really ruining the edge requiring more passes?

1: You don't need to go so high on the toe/heel when you sharpen. You are never skating on those areas of the steel. 

2: You can use it to fix an edge in a pinch, but don't over use it as constant use bends the steel edges inward which will then require more passes to repair. 

[stick9 890]

Yup, way too high. Try dropping it down a few clicks. 

[218hockey 50]

On 11/14/2019 at 2:44 PM, taymag said:

I am getting some wheel "skipping" with my LS3 steel, I would rather not use the goalie risers like some say since it wasn't meant to need them and I feel like a ton of people have to use STEP steel that is also higher (like the LS3 steel). Here is my contact point and a picture showing almost an indentation of 4 passes. Doesn't look ideal but seemed to skate ok, that being said after 10 sharpenings with 4 passes each I would imagine this would ruin my steel and almost give it a large indentation with a point where if skips and transitions to the bottom (from too much pressure on impact I guess). I could always move the contact point down, but I feel like I would be missing important heal and toe sharpening points. Anyone know if I move this contact point down if I am going to suffer on heal/toe sharpness? (PICTURE LINKS BELOW, let me know if there is a way to post them, there doesn't seem to be)

Picture 1

Picture 2 of wheel contact point

Doesn't look too high to me, it's on the steel. I guess that is an issue with the machine that I've found.

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

9 hours ago, SkateWorksPNW said:

1: You don't need to go so high on the toe/heel when you sharpen. You are never skating on those areas of the steel. 

2: You can use it to fix an edge in a pinch, but don't over use it as constant use bends the steel edges inward which will then require more passes to repair. 

So surprised it took that long for someone to actually answer the question correctly.  If you skate on that part of the blade front or back your already on the ground.  Its impossible to skate on either portion.  Lower the wheel and don't waiste the steel.  It only further reduces a good profile you may have. 

[VegasHockey 1280]

8 hours ago, oldtrainerguy28 said:

So surprised it took that long for someone to actually answer the question correctly.  If you skate on that part of the blade front or back your already on the ground.  Its impossible to skate on either portion.  Lower the wheel and don't waiste the steel.  It only further reduces a good profile you may have. 

It blows my mind that people think ALL visible/exposed steel needs to be sharpened. This is how people end up with banana blades. lol

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

12 minutes ago, SkateWorksPNW said:

It blows my mind that people think ALL visible/exposed steel needs to be sharpened. This is how people end up with banana blades. lol

Even more so with the Wanna Be sharpeners at home that read a few things here and there and call themselves experts yet have never actually sharpened a skate in real life. There are some great parents that really do try and do a great job and have only distant access to a real professional. Or maybe their town doesn't really have one.

[VegasHockey 1280]

3 hours ago, oldtrainerguy28 said:

Even more so with the Wanna Be sharpeners at home that read a few things here and there and call themselves experts yet have never actually sharpened a skate in real life. There are some great parents that really do try and do a great job and have only distant access to a real professional. Or maybe their town doesn't really have one.

There are a TON of those individuals around these parts. It amazes me how many people are suckered, they go to some random dude to get their skates sharpened in his garage by a a self proclaimed guru of skate sharpening who has legitimately no clue about the science and art behind it. I take pride in every sharpening I do, no matter if it's for a kid playing in-house club or a AAA player going to nationals. Anyway, enough of my whining and lamenting..... 

Edited November 19, 2019 by SkateWorksPNW

[IPv6Freely 2092]

That’s why I have a Sparx

[stick9 890]

5 hours ago, IPv6Freely said:

That’s why I have a Sparx

It was more the convince of it for me. 

I've said it many times, the machines biggest weakness is the sack of meat standing in front of it.

[start_today 770]

But, from Taymag’s questions and issues, it sounds like Sparx still has some room for user error, and the chance to think you’re doing it correctly when you’re not. 

[IPv6Freely 2092]

15 hours ago, stick9 said:

It was more the convince of it for me. 

I've said it many times, the machines biggest weakness is the sack of meat standing in front of it.

Yep, for sure!

For many people, they are trying to decide between a Sparx and something like the X01. You see lots of encouragement to go manual, until they do, at which point they apparently become idiots who should be bashed for trying by the god sharpeners because it’s an ART that only THEY know how to do.

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

2 hours ago, IPv6Freely said:

Yep, for sure!

For many people, they are trying to decide between a Sparx and something like the X01. You see lots of encouragement to go manual, until they do, at which point they apparently become idiots who should be bashed for trying by the god sharpeners because it’s an ART that only THEY know how to do.

Wow. God sharpeners?

And actually it is an art. Offended?

Not at all. But when someone like myself that always is looking to improve the way they do things and always is out to help a new sharpener, if it is a parent or an employee kind of a slap to some of us that's for sure. 

Some of the people I have trained are now.

2 in the OHL:

1 Team Canada

1 Team China (Highest paid female EQM in the world) 

I take a ton of pride in my job as a sharpener and educator. You want to bash the guys that have been doing it forever go right ahead.

Oh, wait that's what Sparx did when they started in their very first Ad Campaign. (Use our machine Pro Shops are useless) 

I was hoping to come on this thread now and help educate some of the lesser experienced sharpeners as I have had 3 customers that have ruined their steel with a Sparx machine. 

Seems like the knowledge is not required. 

 

Next time maybe use a little less of a wide brush when painting all the experienced sharpeners on the board. Especially the ones that have been here since DAY 1 and before.  

 

Have an amazing day!!!! 🙂

 

 

[marka 526]

Howdy,

10 minutes ago, oldtrainerguy28 said:

I was hoping to come on this thread now and help educate some of the lesser experienced sharpeners as I have had 3 customers that have ruined their steel with a Sparx machine. 

How'd they do that?

Mark

Edited November 20, 2019 by marka

[Cedarwork 5]

19 minutes ago, marka said:

Howdy,

How'd they do that?

Mark

Curious on this myself. Seems like you’d have to be in left field for quite a number of sharpenings to render the steel useless. 

[IPv6Freely 2092]

1 hour ago, oldtrainerguy28 said:

Wow. God sharpeners?

And actually it is an art. Offended?

Not at all. But when someone like myself that always is looking to improve the way they do things and always is out to help a new sharpener, if it is a parent or an employee kind of a slap to some of us that's for sure. 

Some of the people I have trained are now.

2 in the OHL:

1 Team Canada

1 Team China (Highest paid female EQM in the world) 

I take a ton of pride in my job as a sharpener and educator. You want to bash the guys that have been doing it forever go right ahead.

Oh, wait that's what Sparx did when they started in their very first Ad Campaign. (Use our machine Pro Shops are useless) 

I was hoping to come on this thread now and help educate some of the lesser experienced sharpeners as I have had 3 customers that have ruined their steel with a Sparx machine. 

Seems like the knowledge is not required. 

 

Next time maybe use a little less of a wide brush when painting all the experienced sharpeners on the board. Especially the ones that have been here since DAY 1 and before.  

 

Have an amazing day!!!! 🙂

 

 

LOL

[stick9 890]

19 hours ago, start_today said:

But, from Taymag’s questions and issues, it sounds like Sparx still has some room for user error, and the chance to think you’re doing it correctly when you’re not. 

If you take the time to set it up correctly (that includes ring height) and try and not over think it, it's fairly straight forward and easy to use. Really, the only thing the user needs to do is check the and hone the edges. 

Edited November 20, 2019 by stick9

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

9 hours ago, Cedarwork said:

Curious on this myself. Seems like you’d have to be in left field for quite a number of sharpenings to render the steel useless. 

No idea bu they were destroyed.  2 sets had no toe an heels left. 

[taymag 0]

10 hours ago, Cedarwork said:

Curious on this myself. Seems like you’d have to be in left field for quite a number of sharpenings to render the steel useless. 

I was told the issue I was having is "normal". While it may be, it is digging into my steel and I cant imagine it is going to go well but I wont know for a while. I don't think it transitions well on STEP or LS3 (any taller steel). That being said, take that with a grain of salt since I have only done a few sharpenings and am not trying to badmouth the company, the product seems solid, I just don't know that the transition when it hits tall steel is as flawless (you can see the minor dent with 1 sharpening on my old post a week or so ago). I want the Sparx to work more than you know, we have a huge wait to get sharpenings at the rink and it literally takes an hour+ extra on game day going early (thats assuming you even get a good sharpening). I am going to keep updating in here. Between answers here and answers from the company I have heard move the wheel down and move the wheel up, basically trial and error which sucks since I may ruin brand new steel but I'm willing to figure it out

[Leif 161]

I use mine on Bauer LS5, no problems at all. Yes it misses a bit of the heel and toe, but they are not the areas I skate on. Having perfect sharpens every session is amazing. 

[diddidcl 0]

I have been using my Sparx to Step, LS3, Massive and now Tydan which are all tall blades.

My STEP blades lost too much of heel and toe getting square-shaped.

I have been using the machine toe facing right from the beginning of the use.

Maybe I am hitting too high on the toe, but otherwise, the toe gets a little bump on the top or square-shaped.

Do I need to use the goalie risers for tall blades?

I have been worried about my blade's shape getting weirder all the time.

Edited November 21, 2019 by diddidcl

[stick9 890]

6 hours ago, taymag said:

I was told the issue I was having is "normal". While it may be, it is digging into my steel and I cant imagine it is going to go well but I wont know for a while. I don't think it transitions well on STEP or LS3 (any taller steel). That being said, take that with a grain of salt since I have only done a few sharpenings and am not trying to badmouth the company, the product seems solid, I just don't know that the transition when it hits tall steel is as flawless (you can see the minor dent with 1 sharpening on my old post a week or so ago). I want the Sparx to work more than you know, we have a huge wait to get sharpenings at the rink and it literally takes an hour+ extra on game day going early (thats assuming you even get a good sharpening). I am going to keep updating in here. Between answers here and answers from the company I have heard move the wheel down and move the wheel up, basically trial and error which sucks since I may ruin brand new steel but I'm willing to figure it out

This goes back to my point. It's not the machine, it's not the steel, it's the user. The ring is set to high, period.

I've had mine for over a year now. Ive sharpened, LS3, LS4, Step & Tydan without issue. 

When I first got the Tydan, I had the same problem. The height I had set for my somewhat worn LS4 & and Step was too high. The ring actually stopped and errored out. All I did was drop the ring height by a click...maybe two. Problem solved.

Put the steel in and manually bring the ring across until it makes contact. If the middle of the ring makes contact with the the vertical portion of the toe, then it's set too high.

Again, this is not the machine. It's a user adjustable setting. When set properly the machine functions as intended. 

[colins 246]

9 hours ago, taymag said:

I was told the issue I was having is "normal". While it may be, it is digging into my steel and I cant imagine it is going to go well but I wont know for a while. I don't think it transitions well on STEP or LS3 (any taller steel). That being said, take that with a grain of salt since I have only done a few sharpenings and am not trying to badmouth the company, the product seems solid, I just don't know that the transition when it hits tall steel is as flawless (you can see the minor dent with 1 sharpening on my old post a week or so ago). I want the Sparx to work more than you know, we have a huge wait to get sharpenings at the rink and it literally takes an hour+ extra on game day going early (thats assuming you even get a good sharpening). I am going to keep updating in here. Between answers here and answers from the company I have heard move the wheel down and move the wheel up, basically trial and error which sucks since I may ruin brand new steel but I'm willing to figure it out

 

The Sparx was calibrated for the majority of steel in the wild when it was created a few years ago. And not just for new steel either, for the average partially worn cheap short steel in 90% of skates out there. It's pretty adjustable to any situation with the height adjustments it provides.

That said, the answer for tall (LS3/4/Step/etc) brand new steel is simple - use the risers.

I don't know why some folks seem to have an aversion for using the risers. Use the risers, or move the skates up higher in the clamp (don't bottom them out on the holders) and you make tall steel look just like 'average' steel to the machine and your problems go away.

 

colins

 

[colins 246]

Just now, colins said:

 

The Sparx was calibrated for the majority of steel in the wild when it was created a few years ago. And not just for new steel either, for the average partially worn cheap short steel in 90% of skates out there. It's pretty adjustable to any situation with the height adjustments it provides.

That said, the answer for tall (LS3/4/Step/etc) brand new steel is simple - use the risers.

I don't know why some folks seem to have an aversion for using the risers. Use the risers, or move the skates up higher in the clamp (don't bottom them out on the holders) and you make tall steel look just like 'average' steel to the machine and your problems go away.

 

colins

 

 

The ring should not be dragging, stuttering or stalling at any point across the length of the profile. If it is, there's too much pressure/drag being encountered.

Use the risers and adjust the height until you get a nice smooth consistent sound (pitch) from the ring the entire length of the profile. I've been sharpening that way with my Sparx for three years now, my profiles are perfect and so are my Step and LS3/LS5 steel.