How often do you sharpen?

[bunnyman666]

I ask because it seems that most of my customers are skating on butter knives by the time I get them. I have to run the sharpener ten times to get a good edge. I know if I had the model of Sparx that has the cross-grinder, I would run less.

However- I come from the school that says to sharpen at intervals. I have noticed even when getting a conventional sharpening that it takes less to get a flat edge when cross-grinding (yes- I love to watch) if you sharpen before you need it. 

I have even noticed that old enough edges actually get somewhat rounded when skated on for long periods of time. I dunno- I defer to my cutting tools guidelines- it takes more metal off to get a blunt blade sharp than it does to touch it up. Heck- I run two passes after every ice session now and I love my edges.  I know that in comparing horrendously blunted edges can take up to 15 passes on the Sparx. Yes- in seven weeks, I have done 14 passes, for example, but then the edge nicks also get mitigated quicker. Also- there is less work hardening because the machine isn’t heating up the blade from all of the contact. 

What about you lot?

[raucebyalien]

Approx every 10 (1hr) skates, although at the start of the year I went down from 3/8 to 7/16 and I found that I don't tend to notice the bluntness creeping in as much now - last time I got them done I'd had about 15 skates on them (yep...I'm anal enough to keep track  ). 

[bunnyman666]

3 minutes ago, raucebyalien said:

Approx every 10 (1hr) skates, although at the start of the year I went down from 3/8 to 7/16 and I found that I don't tend to notice the bluntness creeping in as much now - last time I got them done I'd had about 15 skates on them (yep...I'm anal enough to keep track  ). 

Nothing wrong with keeping track. 

I am a reformed “I love dull skates” guy. When I learnt about different hollows and that I was getting the wrong one, it all made sense as to why I need to sharpen more often. 

10 hours isn’t bad. Most likely they start to feel blunt but not so bad that they feel rounded, right?

[Punisher Goalie]

I guess I run against the grain on this but I hate sharp skates. I get a 1” hollow and I want to feel as little bite as possible. My technique is prob crap, but when I have any strong edge I feel completely “stuck”. Can’t t-push without rolling my ankle and falling lol. 

I also realize this makes no sense because as a smaller dude (145ish lbs) I “should” want a deeper hollow. 

[Matt30]

Every 8-10 games. I like my skates to be fairly sharp. I usually get a 1/2" hollow

[bunnyman666]

13 minutes ago, Punisher Goalie said:

I guess I run against the grain on this but I hate sharp skates. I get a 1” hollow and I want to feel as little bite as possible. My technique is prob crap, but when I have any strong edge I feel completely “stuck”. Can’t t-push without rolling my ankle and falling lol. 

I also realize this makes no sense because as a smaller dude (145ish lbs) I “should” want a deeper hollow. 

Cross-cut may actually work well for you. That’s how goal skates used to be done...

[bunnyman666]

5 minutes ago, Matt30 said:

Every 8-10 games. I like my skates to be fairly sharp. I usually get a 1/2" hollow

1/2” is sharp, but hey- it works well for you! It’s not really that odd of an edge at all. I usually get 1/2” on player skates, but I think I could play goal on that.

[Znowleopard]

Once every 3 months playing twice a week, honestly it's because I'm sceard that they will fuck up my blades so I get them sharpened in Germany, but might buy a nother set of blades and take the risk

[bunnyman666]

4 hours ago, Znowleopard said:

Once every 3 months playing twice a week, honestly it's because I'm sceard that they will fuck up my blades so I get them sharpened in Germany, but might buy a nother set of blades and take the risk

Could you send the second set to be sharpened? 

[loki1416]

Wow, I feel bad now after reading all your replies. I get mine done every 4-6 skates (1hr sessions). Sometimes bump it up if I hit blade to post a lot or really hard. This weekend I did 12hrs of ice with no sharpening in between and they still feel "okay" but I can feel the edges being down. Was at a new rink and didn't know the pro-shop guy so (and I mean nothing against him) didn't trust him to do it right. Will be dropping them off tomorrow for a sharpening at my home rink.

[bunnyman666]

1 hour ago, loki1416 said:

Wow, I feel bad now after reading all your replies. I get mine done every 4-6 skates (1hr sessions). Sometimes bump it up if I hit blade to post a lot or really hard. This weekend I did 12hrs of ice with no sharpening in between and they still feel "okay" but I can feel the edges being down. Was at a new rink and didn't know the pro-shop guy so (and I mean nothing against him) didn't trust him to do it right. Will be dropping them off tomorrow for a sharpening at my home rink.

No need to feel judged!

I am trying to figure out how to not sound preachy about telling my customers to sharpen before they need it!

4-6 isn’t bad at all. I used to sharpen mine every 6 hours on ice when someone else did them.

[Mroy31]

I go by feel, as soon as I notice the edge dulling (less bite in my pushes, sliding out a bit in my shuffles etc.) which averages about every 4-5 weeks when playing twice a week, or sooner if I get a bad nick. Just moved to 1/2" from 5/8" but will probably keep a similar interval after reading your advice. 

[daffy]

My old Bauer cowlings i sharpened every 3 skates to 3/8".  Switched to Vaughn with step steel, now every 5 skates ar 7/16".

[old but slow]

Used to sharpen 1-2 per 4 month season. Since obtaining the Sparx, ccm player skates are done every other skate (more if needed) bauer 1s get a couple passes every use. Both get 5/8 flat bottom except for the coldest months/rinks, then I'll change the players to 1/2 flat bottom.

I was lucky enough to order 2 cross grind rings before they stopped selling  them for the original machine. Really makes life easier when sharpening for others who either neglect their edges or have had piss poor sharpenings in the past. 

[Znowleopard]

13 hours ago, bunnyman666 said:

Could you send the second set to be sharpened? 

Probably, havnt really considered that

[Kapz]

9 hours ago, old but slow said:

Used to sharpen 1-2 per 4 month season. Since obtaining the Sparx, ccm player skates are done every other skate (more if needed) bauer 1s get a couple passes every use. Both get 5/8 flat bottom except for the coldest months/rinks, then I'll change the players to 1/2 flat bottom.

I was lucky enough to order 2 cross grind rings before they stopped selling  them for the original machine. Really makes life easier when sharpening for others who either neglect their edges or have had piss poor sharpenings in the past. 

Is there a big difference in feel between flat bottom and regular?

[beansbats]

I touch the steel up after every skate.  My sharpener sits next to my gear, so why not

-steve

[bunnyman666]

1 hour ago, Kapz said:

Is there a big difference in feel between flat bottom and regular?

To me, it is the glide of one hollow down.

[bunnyman666]

28 minutes ago, beansbats said:

I touch the steel up after every skate.  My sharpener sits next to my gear, so why not

-steve

Exactly.

[bunnyman666]

10 hours ago, old but slow said:

Used to sharpen 1-2 per 4 month season. Since obtaining the Sparx, ccm player skates are done every other skate (more if needed) bauer 1s get a couple passes every use. Both get 5/8 flat bottom except for the coldest months/rinks, then I'll change the players to 1/2 flat bottom.

I was lucky enough to order 2 cross grind rings before they stopped selling  them for the original machine. Really makes life easier when sharpening for others who either neglect their edges or have had piss poor sharpenings in the past. 

The new commercial machines have the cross-grind wheel.

[bunnyman666]

@daffy @Mroy31

Thanks for your answers. Doesn’t sound like your edges are too badly off on your intervals. 

[coopaloop1234]

1/2" every 3-6 skates.

Just depends on the quality of the original cut, ice conditions (summer/winter) and how much abuse my edges have taken.

[IPv6Freely]

3 hours ago, Kapz said:

Is there a big difference in feel between flat bottom and regular?

For skaters there absolutely is. I don't find any difference as a goalie, but glide isn't as important as good edges. 

On 5/6/2018 at 7:33 AM, bunnyman666 said:

I ask because it seems that most of my customers are skating on butter knives by the time I get them. I have to run the sharpener ten times to get a good edge. I know if I had the model of Sparx that has the cross-grinder, I would run less.

Two things. First, you can get a cross-grinding wheel for any Sparx. At least, you could before. They told me they've discontinued the cross-grind ring until they make some adjustments. Second, I don't understand what cross-grinding has to do with anything, unless you're saying that they come in with blades so bad it's not worth it to try to get them back to normal.

Anyway, I make two passes on my Sparx before every skate just to touch them up. I just moved from 1/2 to 3/8 recently and love the push I get. Took a while to get used to skating around though.

And as for people who don't like freshly sharpened skates, like the people who get their skates sharpened and immediately start running their skate blade across the bench door sill: you're on the wrong hollow, then. A fresh sharpening should be a great feeling and should be the peak of performance. If it's not, then you should look at trying a new hollow. 

[bunnyman666]

1 minute ago, IPv6Freely said:

For skaters there absolutely is. I don't find any difference as a goalie, but glide isn't as important as good edges. 

Two things. First, you can get a cross-grinding wheel for any Sparx. At least, you could before. They told me they've discontinued the cross-grind ring until they make some adjustments. Second, I don't understand what cross-grinding has to do with anything, unless you're saying that they come in with blades so bad it's not worth it to try to get them back to normal.

Anyway, I make two passes on my Sparx before every skate just to touch them up. I just moved from 1/2 to 3/8 recently and love the push I get. Took a while to get used to skating around though.

And as for people who don't like freshly sharpened skates, like the people who get their skates sharpened and immediately start running their skate blade across the bench door sill: you're on the wrong hollow, then. A fresh sharpening should be a great feeling and should be the peak of performance. If it's not, then you should look at trying a new hollow. 

Yeah- I probably would use the cross grinder only on the worst of worse cases. I am hoping that I can get one someday, as it would make quicker work from the worst of worst cases. There was only one case where I was really wanting that cross-grinder. It was the ugliest pair of runners I have EVER seen. Just bad, I am telling you!

[coopaloop1234]

19 minutes ago, IPv6Freely said:

And as for people who don't like freshly sharpened skates, like the people who get their skates sharpened and immediately start running their skate blade across the bench door sill: you're on the wrong hollow, then. A fresh sharpening should be a great feeling and should be the peak of performance. If it's not, then you should look at trying a new hollow. 

Eh.

I generally stick with 1/2" and hate the immediate feeling of the skate. I'll scrape them up a but on the ice and by the end of the first period they're more or less fine.

I've experimented with larger and shallower hollows. Going shallower just feels like I'm skating on butter and the sharpen doesn't last as long and obviously going deeper just makes me scenario worse.

Unless you have an alternative to my situation, I don't think "you're at the wrong hollow" is necessarily correct in all situations. (though it's probably still a pretty common solution)