Skate sharpening issue

[skates73 3]

Was not sure where to post this but wondering if anyone has experienced freshly sharpened skates where the edges don't seem to "grip" the ice very well?  Not like the edge isnt there but it's just it slides a bit too much and I can't get the grip I want with crossovers.  I am a strong skater too.

Wondering what's happening.  Seems to happen more often than I'd like and with various supposedly "high quality" technicians.  I do seem to find that once in a while it can be "fixed" when I re-profile the skate blade but that seems expensive to do every month or two.  Is it something they're doing or not doing when sharpening or is it something else?  Been something I've noticed in the last few years.    

[Sniper9 530]

After your asking for a specific hollow?

[skates73 3]

6 hours ago, Sniper9 said:

After your asking for a specific hollow?

Yup, I go pretty deep at 7/16".  Unless they completely ignore it and are just lazy keeping the setting at 5/8 or something.

[Sniper9 530]

1 hour ago, skates73 said:

Yup, I go pretty deep at 7/16".  Unless they completely ignore it and are just lazy keeping the setting at 5/8 or something.

Try bringing it elsewhere... It is possible that they are ignoring your request lol. Look at the hollow and see if they burned the steel. Is the sharpener new? Lots of factors but at 7/16 you shouldn't be sliding around like that at all lol

[caveman27 208]

18 hours ago, skates73 said:

Was not sure where to post this but wondering if anyone has experienced freshly sharpened skates where the edges don't seem to "grip" the ice very well?  Not like the edge isnt there but it's just it slides a bit too much and I can't get the grip I want with crossovers.  I am a strong skater too.

Wondering what's happening.  Seems to happen more often than I'd like and with various supposedly "high quality" technicians.  I do seem to find that once in a while it can be "fixed" when I re-profile the skate blade but that seems expensive to do every month or two.  Is it something they're doing or not doing when sharpening or is it something else?  Been something I've noticed in the last few years.    

Yeah. I had a bozo sharpen my skates with 1" ROH. It was actually worse than when I brought them in.

This site used to have sharpening services, unless JR Boucicaut has reopened.

Not everyone likes No Icing Sports in NH, but I send my blades to them. They always do a great job even though it costs more.

Why, I don't trust the local sharpeners. They have one guy who is really good, but there's no guarantee he does your skates. I use the Sparx sharpener at the pro shop a bunch of times until I need to get them sharpened really good (usually if I get a major nick in the blades running into someone or the goal post). 

 

[skates73 3]

5 hours ago, Sniper9 said:

Try bringing it elsewhere... It is possible that they are ignoring your request lol. Look at the hollow and see if they burned the steel. Is the sharpener new? Lots of factors but at 7/16 you shouldn't be sliding around like that at all lol

I have a feeling they just get sloppy and the edges aren't level.  Seems to happen at various sharpeners.  I'd tell them about the issue from the other guy, they do a great job for the first few, then it starts getting sloppy.  The "good ones" generally have a lot of skates to "blast through".  Just not exactly sure what they are doing sloppy.  Best guess is unlevel edges.  

[VegasHockey 1280]

On 10/15/2020 at 5:27 PM, skates73 said:

Was not sure where to post this but wondering if anyone has experienced freshly sharpened skates where the edges don't seem to "grip" the ice very well?  Not like the edge isnt there but it's just it slides a bit too much and I can't get the grip I want with crossovers.  I am a strong skater too.

Wondering what's happening.  Seems to happen more often than I'd like and with various supposedly "high quality" technicians.  I do seem to find that once in a while it can be "fixed" when I re-profile the skate blade but that seems expensive to do every month or two.  Is it something they're doing or not doing when sharpening or is it something else?  Been something I've noticed in the last few years.    

Usually, I see this at busy shops where they get lazy after sharpening and don't properly hone the steel. Buy yourself a hone and also, get yourself an edge checker to make sure it's square.

[skates73 3]

1 hour ago, SkateWorksPNW said:

Usually, I see this at busy shops where they get lazy after sharpening and don't properly hone the steel. Buy yourself a hone and also, get yourself an edge checker to make sure it's square.

Thanks!  I think you might be right about the honing.  I'm not too knowledgeable with the technicalities of sharpening but I assume honing is vastly different than using your hockey stone?  I do onece in a while see the technician doing something in terms of applying some gel or something and "polishing" the steel out with some device.  I assume this is honing.  What is it actually doing to the steel/edges?  Because ya, it might be the difference between why the edges seem to grip and feel good sometimes and feel too "slidey" other times.  Does the steel/edges benefit from a "re-honing" after every skate or two even without sharpening?

[caveman27 208]

2 hours ago, skates73 said:

Thanks!  I think you might be right about the honing.  I'm not too knowledgeable with the technicalities of sharpening but I assume honing is vastly different than using your hockey stone?  I do onece in a while see the technician doing something in terms of applying some gel or something and "polishing" the steel out with some device.  I assume this is honing.  What is it actually doing to the steel/edges?  Because ya, it might be the difference between why the edges seem to grip and feel good sometimes and feel too "slidey" other times.  Does the steel/edges benefit from a "re-honing" after every skate or two even without sharpening?

Honing gets rid of any burrs on the outside edge (since the grinding wheel sharpens out the inner edge) and sharpens the outside edge a bit.

 

Edge checker is a bit pricey and is a specialized tool.

http://www.ssmofnorthamerica.com/product/blade-edge-checker/

But, uneven edges will give you more grip on one edge and less grip on the other, but it sounds like you aren't getting grip on both edges.

[BenBreeg 493]

 Interesting, I just got mine done for the first time at the guy who does all the figure skaters and was recommended by the top skating coach in town.  I actually think I can go down a hollow.  Besides being smooth as butter, they were a bit more grippy so I could see how the opposite could be true.

Watching him sharpen was impressive.  I am no guru but what i know is the sound was quieter than when some guys do it which sounds like me using a grinder on a lawnmower blade, it was consistent the whole length of the blade as was the “spark shower”.  Not sure if those are valid metrics but the results were.

[skates73 3]

15 hours ago, caveman27 said:

Honing gets rid of any burrs on the outside edge (since the grinding wheel sharpens out the inner edge) and sharpens the outside edge a bit.

 

Edge checker is a bit pricey and is a specialized tool.

http://www.ssmofnorthamerica.com/product/blade-edge-checker/

But, uneven edges will give you more grip on one edge and less grip on the other, but it sounds like you aren't getting grip on both edges.

Thanks, ya the general overall grip wasn't up to par.  It's a bad feeling.  Like when I go and warm up with those single leg c-cuts (inside edge-outside edge).  Just can't get the edge to grip on a "bad" sharpen, but maybe the outside edge is usually worse come to think of it.