Sparx Skate Sharpener - At home sharpener

[BenBreeg 493]

6 hours ago, Leif said:

• Over time the sharpener destroys the profile on the blades. One set of mine ended up looking like goalie skates. 
• Many sharpeners don’t dress the wheel before sharpening a pair of blades. 
• One sharpener I know didn’t set the skate height properly, resulting in only half the blade sharpened. 

My guy is only opened on weekdays by appt only and is over 1/3 hour away.  But this weekend my son accidentally stepped on concrete and we had to have the guy at the rink do them on Sunday.

it took him several minutes to pull himself away from the football game and even acknowledge me. Then he just grabbed the skates, didn’t dress the wheel, did about 5 passes, and handed them to me without level checking.

the fact that they were ok was pure chance, not skill.

it might be time to get a Sparx for me.

[marka 526]

Howdy,

20 hours ago, Leif said:

As I understand it the pressure is applied by a spring act9ng to push the wheel against the blade. Presumably they program the machine to lift the wheel higher before the cut starts, which increases the pressure applied by the spring as it is extended further. Just a guess. 

The home machine doesn't have any ability to automatically adjust the ring height.  AFAIK (which could be wrong), the pro machine is the same.

It makes sense that they can detect that a cross grind ring is installed and modify the travel speed of the carriage / whatever.  But I don't understand how they could increase the pressure.

Mark

[marka 526]

Double post

Edited October 20, 2023 by marka

[mojo122 535]

Could be related to the travel speed. All I know is that even when I’m nowhere near the machines I can tell when steel is being cross ground.  

[IPv6Freely 2092]

haha its a pretty distinct sound, thats for sure. I still use mine when the post damage is beyond what a normal sharpening will be able to fix. 

[Giltis 116]

I've heard of some guys who get 1" rings for their Sparx as a way to do a pseudo-Crossgrind.

Anyone else done this?

[mojo122 535]

No...I skate on an inch hollow.  

[stick9 890]

10 hours ago, Giltis said:

I've heard of some guys who get 1" rings for their Sparx as a way to do a pseudo-Crossgrind.

Anyone else done this?

Yeah, I've done that a time or two. It works ok.

[marka 526]

Howdy,

My ES100 lately has been clicking / popping as the carriage travels back to the home position.  Its most noticeable if you open / close the door, so the carriage is traveling without the wheel spinning (I think, at least?).  But it does ocassional pop/click once or twice during a sharpening as well.  Lately its gotten bad enough that occasionally it does this, doesn't quite get to the home position, then throws a 3-6-10 code (I think it is) for carriage limit switch not found or whatever its called.

My guess is that the travel ways or whatever for the carriage are gunked up a bit.  I tried vacuuming and then blowing the machine out, no change.  Being a gen 1, it doesn't tip up so I can't really see up there very well.  Any tips / tricks on how to get access to look at (and probably clean) the actual travel rails / whatever the carriage rides on?

Mark

[Giltis 116]

I've been hearing from some Sparx FB groups that they are being told that there's an unforeseen delay with the manufacturing, does anyone else have clarity on the issue? It is Facebook so it's full of FUD and I won't really believe it without checking.

[shoot_the_goalie 281]

A side question for Sparx owners.  How many of you actually travel with a Sparx on the road (via airplane)?  And if you do, do you use the soft case or the hard case?  As a personal consumer, I imagine it's way easier to travel with a couple sets of sharpened backup steel than lugging the machine around.  (I do have an ES100 - which I imagine is not nearly as portable as the newer gen machines)

[IPv6Freely 2092]

They have an airline specific travel case available for the gen2 and gen3. I'm not sure about the gen1. Its travel case was a pelican though so maybe it would be okay? Probably worth asking them 

[shoot_the_goalie 281]

I'm more curious about real world experience in traveling on planes with a Sparx.  Do people do it with frequency, or find that they only do it when they know they're going to be sharpening for a team, etc.  I know even if I had a case for my gen 1, I doubt I would actually travel with it that much.  Wondering if the smaller form factor on the gen 2 & 3 makes those who own it more apt to fly with it.

 

[stick9 890]

13 minutes ago, shoot_the_goalie said:

I'm more curious about real world experience in traveling on planes with a Sparx.  Do people do it with frequency, or find that they only do it when they know they're going to be sharpening for a team, etc.  I know even if I had a case for my gen 1, I doubt I would actually travel with it that much.  Wondering if the smaller form factor on the gen 2 & 3 makes those who own it more apt to fly with it.

 

There are a number of pro teams who use them. I assume they travel with them. If you pack it right and you have the right case, it should be fine. I'd definitely check the alignment on setup. The glass door would worry me a bit. I might look to replace it with plexi.

[shoot_the_goalie 281]

1 minute ago, stick9 said:

There are a number of pro teams who use them. I assume they travel with them. If you pack it right and you have the right case, it should be fine. I'd definitely check the alignment on setup. The glass door would worry me a bit. I might look to replace it with plexi.

Sure.  I'm not trying to find out if you can travel with it.  I'm asking more if any consumer users travel with it a lot, especially gen 2 & 3.  Or if any users are like, traveling with it is more of a hassle, so let me just bring extra sets of sharpened steel instead....

[Leif 161]

13 hours ago, stick9 said:

There are a number of pro teams who use them. I assume they travel with them. If you pack it right and you have the right case, it should be fine. I'd definitely check the alignment on setup. The glass door would worry me a bit. I might look to replace it with plexi.

I know someone who had one at the side of a patch of synthetic ice. The glass took several direct puck hits. It's not delicate, but it is glass.

[Giltis 116]

So my Sparx gen 3 is here and the machine is incredible. I tried the BEAM, but the machine didn't need any adjusting. I've done about 8 pairs of skates/blades now and all are within .001 of an inch or perfect. Four have hit the ice so far and they all have reported perfect feeling edges. I came home after a game one night saw that I had a super minor nick from a post, did one pass and then played the next night.  

I've had a few issues figuring out how to deburr properly and everyone does it differently but I think I have my technique down. I may introduce Chromium Oxide for the last step, I dunno though, probably overkill.

• Wipe down the blade with towel
• Run the gummy/regular stone flat along the side
• Leather block at an angle
• Leather block flat along the blade
• Wipe down the blade with leather chamois

[stick9 890]

10 hours ago, Giltis said:

 

• Wipe down the blade with towel
• Run the gummy/regular stone flat along the side
• Leather block at an angle
• Leather block flat along the blade
• Wipe down the blade with leather chamois

Pretty much what I do. I tilt the gummy stone just a bit on coated blades.

[VegasHockey 1280]

17 hours ago, stick9 said:

Pretty much what I do. I tilt the gummy stone just a bit on coated blades.

This is the best finishing stone money can buy: https://amzn.to/3G0W0d1 

This is a great stone for removing damage to the blade, and then doing a final pass: https://amzn.to/3SE36fb

Both of those stones will not damage coated steel, assuming you use the ceramic side. The diamond side is going for removing significant damage on steel. 

[Giltis 116]

So this is what I'm using to sharpen loose blades
https://ca.sparxhockey.com/collections/accessories-es300/products/universal-blade-holder
 

I'm not a huge fan of it, it's a bit flimsy and kinda hard to get my blade to sit properly. Are there any other choices for True Shift blade? I know VT Sharp sells an incredible looking one, but they're in EU and the cost/shipping is just too much.

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

I use it and it works just fine. 

[shoeshine boy 242]

my Beam arrived today. loving it!

[krisdrum 233]

On 10/29/2023 at 11:06 PM, shoot_the_goalie said:

Sure.  I'm not trying to find out if you can travel with it.  I'm asking more if any consumer users travel with it a lot, especially gen 2 & 3.  Or if any users are like, traveling with it is more of a hassle, so let me just bring extra sets of sharpened steel instead....

Our team manager travels with his.  He usually drives, so not apples to apples of what you are asking. This is for a Bantam AAA team that this year will travel as far west as Detroit, as far south as Florida and as far north as Massachusetts.  

[stick9 890]

15 hours ago, beerleaguecaptain said:

I use it and it works just fine. 

You use the commercial version linked or the black plastic one with the twist lock clasp? 

I use the twist lock version. It's ok. I never get the feeling the blade is seated properly even though I know it's the clamp that aligns everything. It's the one aspect I don't care for. 

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

On 11/21/2023 at 11:55 AM, stick9 said:

You use the commercial version linked or the black plastic one with the twist lock clasp? 

I use the twist lock version. It's ok. I never get the feeling the blade is seated properly even though I know it's the clamp that aligns everything. It's the one aspect I don't care for. 

I use the back plastic one.  Yes it feels a bit chincy but I just don't over think it.  Always comes out level.