Sh!t-@ss bauer steel/sharpening question

[Griff 2]

So it's been years since I've sharpened a large volume of skates at once, mostly just 1-4 pair a week in exchange for 6-packs. 

This week I sharpened all of our associations new loaner skates for our mite/learn to play program so the kids would start on good, level, edges. These are cheap skates with cheap steel. The CCM ones were fine. The bauer ones just ate through wheels. Not all of the bauer models seemed to do it but I tore through the rest of the wheel on my machine, toasted another used wheel, and finally got through them on a 3rd wheel. All the wheels were blademaster mx-ruby wheels. It was to the point where I was having to dress a wheel multiple times per skate.

Looking at shop guys or anyone who sharpens at volume for some guidance. Is this an isolated incident? Is there a blademaster wheel that copes with this cheap steel better? I now need to order wheels so if there's one I can throw in with my normal every other year order for these cheap youth skates I'd love to know what it is. 

Thanks for any help. 

[Buzz_LightBeer 969]

If it was cheap/old/rusty/dull steel my advice would’ve been to first do each pair on as shallow of a hollow as your dresser will do, 1.5” or so will work. Then once the working edge is clean I’d circle back and do them at whatever hollow you would finish them at. Should save you a ton of headaches and wasted wheel in the future. 
 

if they’re super rusty, a dab of thread cutting oil on the rust should loosen it up a bit before putting them on the wheel. 
 

might not be the worst idea to keep a more aggressive grit wheel on hand as well

 

-Edit, I just reread that they were new, definitely take off the factory edge as I stated and put the working hollow on in a second go around-

Edited October 19, 2021 by Buzz_LightBeer

[mickz 107]

How fresh is the diamond on your quill?

[VegasHockey 1280]

18 hours ago, Buzz_LightBeer said:

If it was cheap/old/rusty/dull steel my advice would’ve been to first do each pair on as shallow of a hollow as your dresser will do, 1.5” or so will work. Then once the working edge is clean I’d circle back and do them at whatever hollow you would finish them at. Should save you a ton of headaches and wasted wheel in the future. 
 

if they’re super rusty, a dab of thread cutting oil on the rust should loosen it up a bit before putting them on the wheel. 
 

might not be the worst idea to keep a more aggressive grit wheel on hand as well

 

-Edit, I just reread that they were new, definitely take off the factory edge as I stated and put the working hollow on in a second go around-

+1

[Griff 2]

Thanks for the responses.

The diamond wasn't new, but it wasn't bad either, I switched that out as well to get through it. I'm still not exactly sure what was going on. Like I mentioned I had no issue whatsoever with the CCM skates and some of the Bauer's but this batch of youth x40's just ate wheels. Didn't matter if I'd already gotten a hollow in it and the factory coating was gone, just fucking ate them. Looking at the Blademaster price list and the wheels I realize that two of the wheels were 08mxruby and one was a 08ruby. 

I will most likely sharpen all of these skates again and then some before our 2nd mite session starts in January. Since I have to buy wheels now does anyone have a specific recommendation? Green, purple, ruby? Or just stick with my normal MXRuby and plan on buying a couple extra?

[Buzz_LightBeer 969]

41 minutes ago, Griff said:

I'm still not exactly sure what was going on.
Didn't matter if I'd already gotten a hollow in it and the factory coating was gone, just fucking ate them.

Some of the newer CCM youth skates come pre sharpened, that may be the difference you were noticing. 
 

what’s going on is your wheel was getting gummed up by the factory coating, regardless of whether you’d “gotten a hollow” or not. Either cross grind them or use the 1.5” hollow method and your headaches will go away. 
 

Ruby or blue wheels seem to be the most popular for this application. No sense buying too end wheels for what you’re doing on rental skates 

[mickz 107]

12 hours ago, Griff said:

Thanks for the responses.

The diamond wasn't new, but it wasn't bad either, I switched that out as well to get through it. I'm still not exactly sure what was going on. Like I mentioned I had no issue whatsoever with the CCM skates and some of the Bauer's but this batch of youth x40's just ate wheels. Didn't matter if I'd already gotten a hollow in it and the factory coating was gone, just fucking ate them. Looking at the Blademaster price list and the wheels I realize that two of the wheels were 08mxruby and one was a 08ruby. 

I will most likely sharpen all of these skates again and then some before our 2nd mite session starts in January. Since I have to buy wheels now does anyone have a specific recommendation? Green, purple, ruby? Or just stick with my normal MXRuby and plan on buying a couple extra?

I have the Blademaster Green on my portable machine for my own skates.  If I'm doing volume rentals I've been using ruby and blue wheels from Nash.