Profiler/Sharpener in the West

[OCpuckhead11 0]

Hey Y’all,

Would like to thank this forum and it’s members for all the posts and Knowledge that this Hockey Dad who didn’t know a toe drag from a Mohawk and has been using Modsquad as a resource since my boy first laced em’ up 6 years ago.

 Lurking through archives can’t find anything recent on a recommended competent pro shop non big box sharpener/profiler on west coast or at least west of Rockies. Can’t trust profile or Edge work at local PH after they’ve somehow made edges worse with automated Sparx machine on last few sharpenings…

 Appreciate any guidance or recommendations   
 

Cheers

 

 

 

Edited September 18, 2023 by OCpuckhead11

[VegasHockey 1267]

16 hours ago, OCpuckhead11 said:

Hey Y’all,

Would like to thank this forum and it’s members for all the posts and Knowledge that this Hockey Dad who didn’t know a toe drag from a Mohawk and has been using Modsquad as a resource since my boy first laced em’ up 6 years ago.

 Lurking through archives can’t find anything recent on a recommended competent pro shop non big box sharpener/profiler on west coast or at least west of Rockies. Can’t trust profile or Edge work at local PH after they’ve somehow made edges worse with automated Sparx machine on last few sharpenings…

 Appreciate any guidance or recommendations   
 

Cheers

 

 

 

What area are you specifically? CA? AZ? CO? NV?

[OCpuckhead11 0]

11 minutes ago, VegasHockey said:

What area are you specifically? CA? AZ? CO? NV?

Hey Vegas,

 I’m in Southern California. Going through archives I saw you sold your store and moved onto bigger projects in Hockey world, Congratulations. Your posts in the Prosharp forum gave me a lot of useful information and confidence stepping into world of Profiles earlier this year. Appreciate any direction or suggestions you’d recommend. 

[VegasHockey 1267]

49 minutes ago, OCpuckhead11 said:

Hey Vegas,

 I’m in Southern California. Going through archives I saw you sold your store and moved onto bigger projects in Hockey world, Congratulations. Your posts in the Prosharp forum gave me a lot of useful information and confidence stepping into world of Profiles earlier this year. Appreciate any direction or suggestions you’d recommend. 

Sent you a PM. 

[Monty22 821]

23 hours ago, OCpuckhead11 said:

Hey Y’all,

Would like to thank this forum and it’s members for all the posts and Knowledge that this Hockey Dad who didn’t know a toe drag from a Mohawk and has been using Modsquad as a resource since my boy first laced em’ up 6 years ago.

 Lurking through archives can’t find anything recent on a recommended competent pro shop non big box sharpener/profiler on west coast or at least west of Rockies. Can’t trust profile or Edge work at local PH after they’ve somehow made edges worse with automated Sparx machine on last few sharpenings…

 Appreciate any guidance or recommendations   
 

Cheers

 

 

 

Same issue here on the East coast... I've got several new people asking me to sharpen for them going forward after bad experiences at Pure Hockey. Two of them indicated that when they brought skates back to get "fixed" after a bad sharpening they were even worse than they were. 

Have you considered getting a home sharpener?  If you're looking at mailing out steel for sharpening your buy back will be even quicker.   

 

 

[OCpuckhead11 0]

Hey Monty,

That’s Disappointing and kind of surprising to hear when I considered the smaller market and lack of knowledge out here to be part of the problem after my experience and others I’ve heard in recent months. 
 

Over the years The Sparx home sharpeners  have definitely become more prevalent with probably more than half the Dads on sons current team having one in the garage. I’ve weighed the Pros and cost of getting one myself and when/if my younger one picks game up it would probably make sense for Sharpening.

 As a tradesman and someone that didn’t play the game myself I respect the skill and knowledge of a professional who’s expertise goes beyond a sharp edge, who has pride in their work, an ear to ground in advancements of technique/equipment and ability and joy to discuss the subject. 

 Equipment including steel has gone up every year… just seems to go against common sense to spend what we do on skates and hand investment over to teenager to butcher in between TikTok views… 

Edited September 19, 2023 by OCpuckhead11

[hasoju 1]

Jake at Golden Gate Sharpening is your answer for all things relating to skate sharpening and hockey equipment repair.  Your steel runners can be mailed to/from him pretty cheaply.

He contributes/participates mainly on s2k (GGS's Topics and Posts).

Quote

Golden Gate Sharpening is a hockey skate sharpening, service, and repair shop in Northern California. My private shop serves the Sacramento, Bay Area, and Reno/Tahoe regions. I also accept mail orders from anywhere in the United States and Canada. I offer expert skate sharpening and profiling, skate and equipment repairs/rebuilds, Marsblade/roller hockey skate conversions, jersey repairs, skate baking/stretching/punching, and more. All services are done by appointment only. NOTE: My shop is not a hockey store. I do not sell skates, equipment, parts, or accessories. I only provide services.

 

[pgeorgan 73]

On 9/17/2023 at 9:24 PM, OCpuckhead11 said:

after they’ve somehow made edges worse with automated Sparx machine on last few sharpenings…

Sounds like user error on the part of the person operating the Sparx. 

[OCpuckhead11 0]

1 hour ago, pgeorgan said:

Sounds like user error on the part of the person operating the Sparx. 

Exactamundo

[noupf 42]

22 hours ago, pgeorgan said:

Sounds like user error on the part of the person operating the Sparx. 

I'm genuinely curious if half the kids or even adults who operate these things check for calibration each day.  My theory ( which has no statistical backing, but i have managed hundreds of kids and young adults in my career ) tells me they either don't check, can't eyeball it properly or simply dont care....

[pgeorgan 73]

3 minutes ago, noupf said:

I'm genuinely curious if half the kids or even adults who operate these things check for calibration each day.  My theory ( which has no statistical backing, but i have managed hundreds of kids and young adults in my career ) tells me they either don't check, can't eyeball it properly or simply dont care....

B) Don't care

Edited September 20, 2023 by pgeorgan

[VegasHockey 1267]

On 9/18/2023 at 7:20 PM, hasoju said:

Jake at Golden Gate Sharpening is your answer for all things relating to skate sharpening and hockey equipment repair.  Your steel runners can be mailed to/from him pretty cheaply.

He contributes/participates mainly on s2k (GGS's Topics and Posts).

 

Golden Gate is good.

Glen at Storeyline Hockey is also fantastic https://www.storeylinehockey.com, and he has an engineering background in aeronautics, everything with him is all about tolerances. 

Otherwise, on the West Coast (CA, OR, WA, NV, UT, AZ, I would not let anyone else touch my steel. They either don't give level edges, burn it, round off the heel or toe, wreck the profile., or do one skate with 20 passes and the other with 10 passes, changing the height between blades. 

 

[start_today 757]

On 9/20/2023 at 10:45 AM, pgeorgan said:

B) Don't care

I assume for a lot of shops that have Sparx the person who buys it and implements it goes all in all the “super duper easy!!!” marketing lingo, then just plug it in, maybe calibrate it once, never clean it, and train people with “put the skate in the skate hole and press the button. Rub that rock on it when you’re done. If you get an error message, turn it off and on until it goes. Don’t forget we increased the price of sharpenings $2.”

[OCpuckhead11 0]

Thanks guys appreciate recommendations. I’m gonna be in San Jose this weekend so I’ll reach out to Jake at GG based on your reviews. Some other good options came in inbox for Mail in options.

Hopefully thread stays active for any other Craftsman on Left Coast to be acknowledged and help save that wasteland of damaged steel out here and receive the business of those who appreciate skill. 
 

Edited September 21, 2023 by OCpuckhead11

[hasoju 1]

Stay far away from Bay Area Hockey Repair. His negative reviews on Google from the past year are spot on.

[pgeorgan 73]

2 hours ago, start_today said:

I assume for a lot of shops that have Sparx the person who buys it and implements it goes all in all the “super duper easy!!!” marketing lingo, then just plug it in, maybe calibrate it once, never clean it, and train people with “put the skate in the skate hole and press the button. Rub that rock on it when you’re done. If you get an error message, turn it off and on until it goes. Don’t forget we increased the price of sharpenings $2.”

If the machine is in a stationary environment like at a Pro Shop, it won't really need more than one adjustment. To be fair to Sparx, it is quite easy to operate. But of course, if the operator doesn't care about their job (and they likely don't), the end result might be disappointing. 

[OCpuckhead11 0]

1 hour ago, hasoju said:

Stay far away from Bay Area Hockey Repair. His negative reviews on Google from the past year are spot on.

Thanks will Do. Disappointing as it seems they used to be reputable establishment with history of good quality.

 

 

Edited September 21, 2023 by OCpuckhead11

[OCpuckhead11 0]

1 hour ago, pgeorgan said:

If the machine is in a stationary environment like at a Pro Shop, it won't really need more than one adjustment. To be fair to Sparx, it is quite easy to operate. But of course, if the operator doesn't care about their job (and they likely don't), the end result might be disappointing. 

Lack of care or pride in work seems to be main problem these days…