Jump to content
Slate Blackcurrant Watermelon Strawberry Orange Banana Apple Emerald Chocolate Marble
Slate Blackcurrant Watermelon Strawberry Orange Banana Apple Emerald Chocolate Marble

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

marka

Why are skate sharpeners so expensive?

Recommended Posts

Howdy,

There must be something I'm missing.

How come skate sharpeners are so expensive? I'm seeing between $700 to $2000 for single wheel machines that look to be setup for home / portable use.

It seems like these machines should be fairly basic... A motor drives a horizontal grinding disc, with a flat reference plane underneath and a holder that clamps the blade of the skate in the appropriate position. Plus a diamond dressing tool with an adjustable radius.

Is the cost just a factor of very limited demand? I'm used to stuff like mini-lathes / mini-mills in the $500 range and those look a LOT more complicated. Basic bench grinders are $50 or less.

So... What am I missing?

Mark

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Howdy,

The low volume makes sense. But I still run into stuff like this...

Something like this costs around $500:

7x10_index.jpg

"non-chinese / tuned up" versions are maybe double that?

I'm just surprised there's not enough market for someone to make a basic single wheel sharpener & holder for $500 or so. The Sparx sharpener at $800 seems a little more in line, but it also seems a lot more complicated than it needs to be with a motorized carriage.

It is what it is, it was just surprising to me. And, of course, I've also never actually sharpened a skate, so I expect I don't know what I don't know. :-)

Mark

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My bet is there are more woodworkers in North America than skate sharpeners. Bigger pool of end users to sell those mini lathes to than a skate sharpenening machine. Yup, simple economics I guess.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

the X02 goes for $1300 on blackstone's site right now........sick deal if you ask me.

and the X01 is going for $699 now (used to be $979). Even sicker deal, if you're only doing a limited amount of sharpenings per week.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

anybody used a x01 and x02?? i have a 02 and feel that it is too heavy/bulky for a portable and consider going down to a 01 ...as it uses the same wheel there should not be a major difference !!??

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have an X-01 that I pack up and take with me to all of the adult tournaments that I play in as well as any tournaments and over nighters that my Squirt team travels to. I don't find it to be too heavy or burden and I can unhook it from my ventilation system and unbolt it from my sharpening bench fairly quickly. It can be cumbersome to pack in my vehicle with all of the other gear but that's because of the plastic tote that I pack it in. I use this plastic tote from Home Depot http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-20-Gal-Storage-Tote-17200553/204774811and because of its size, I have given some serious thought to just purchasing the case that Blackstone sells for it but $150 is a lot to spend on just a case but it is nice because you can just remove the lid and start sharpening. Not that it is that big of an issue but I wish the X series would utilize a 7" wheel like the other sharpeners but then it would be that much bigger to pack up.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My sharpener fits very well in the tote, width wise it is snug and almost perfect and length there is a few inches to spare. I take a bungee cord and strap the holder to the table top on one end of the sharpener so that it can't come in contact with my wheel. I then take the accessory box from Blackstone and wedge it on the back side of the sharpener and to the right of the motor. It fits snug in that little area and also helps to keep the sharpener from any movement. Everything else gets packed around or under the table. Really the only place where there is too much space is in the height of the tote. If it was half as tall it would fit nicely. This is the only reason I have given the X-01 case some thought just so it doesn't take up as much room height wise. Plus with the tote, I have to take the sharpener out and find a place to set it up, where with the Blackstone case you can just remove the lid and start sharpening.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have an X-01 that I pack up and take with me to all of the adult tournaments that I play in as well as any tournaments and over nighters that my Squirt team travels to. I don't find it to be too heavy or burden and I can unhook it from my ventilation system and unbolt it from my sharpening bench fairly quickly. It can be cumbersome to pack in my vehicle with all of the other gear but that's because of the plastic tote that I pack it in. I use this plastic tote from Home Depot http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-20-Gal-Storage-Tote-17200553/204774811and because of its size, I have given some serious thought to just purchasing the case that Blackstone sells for it but $150 is a lot to spend on just a case but it is nice because you can just remove the lid and start sharpening. Not that it is that big of an issue but I wish the X series would utilize a 7" wheel like the other sharpeners but then it would be that much bigger to pack up.

$150 for a case is a bargain compared to what Blademaster charges. The 850 portable (with holder) is $1095CAN... the carrying case is another $1095CAN. I ended up building myself one out of 5/8" plywood. Including all the parts, screws, etc, it came to about $60 and a couple hours of my time.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That is ridiculous what Blademaster charges, I'd never spend that for a case. I have sat down several times and put on paper some plans to build a case but I've never followed through with it. My idea was to build a case where the base that the machine is bolted to, is raised to allow a storage compartment below the machine. I was wanting the storage compartment large enough to house the holder and keep it secure while in transit as well as storing other miscellaneous items. The front would be on hinges and drop down to gain access to the holder and compartment and the lid would lift off, giving access to the sharpener. The base or floor for the sharpener would be recessed enough so that the table top is just a little higher than flush with the sides of the box.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Sounds like a good idea as long as it will fit in your car as well. Keep the height into consideration as well. You don't want to make the sharpening table level too high where it's uncomfortable for you to sharpen.

My carrying box just houses my machine. I'm not crazy at woodworking so I use a separate 53L Rubbermaid tote for my holder and supplies.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well this went way off topic. Ive got motors that I would bet are just as good as blackstones x-02. I don't understand why there arent more homemade sharpeners either.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

To make a sharpner, one would have to be mechanically inclined. I am pretty sure, everyone who is, has thought of this and looked up parts and costed things out. I did that, and I figured that it is not worth it for me, but if I had a child who plays a couple of times a week, I would have thought different. As for what percentage of skaters is mechanically inclined, it is probably not that high and percentage of those who are, can afford and justify something like sparx.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I could buy a sparx, or blackstone and I still might. I just like the challenge of building things myself. Im on it. Give me a year and itll be done. Lol. Got kids and work too. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That's one less year in your kid's career that you could have been sharpening his skates and one more year of out of pocket expense to sharpen his skates. Factor that into your total costs for final expenses. Just sayin'. Good luck and look forward to seeing your final product.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I tried to rationalize how I "needed" my own sharpener, but in the end I couldn't justify the cost at retail price. As a one player household, for me it makes more to have a second set of runners.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 3/20/2017 at 5:51 AM, DarkStar50 said:

That's one less year in your kid's career that you could have been sharpening his skates and one more year of out of pocket expense to sharpen his skates. Factor that into your total costs for final expenses. Just sayin'. Good luck and look forward to seeing your final product.

My daughter does not yet skate. She is too young. I can buy any machine out there if I wanted to. I like making things myself.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...