The following is a step by step description of the process
that I normally go through for the sharpening of a pair of skates.
-
Inspect the Blade
Check the blade
for nicks and stripped edges. Also check the skate for defective/missing rivets or
cracked blade holders and steel.
-
Hone the Edges of the Blade
Remove
minor pieces of debris caused by nicks and stripped edges. Wipe
clean. In the case of Black Edge steel, a regular hand hone is not to be
used before or after sharpening as this can cause the carbon coating
to be removed or damaged. These blades only require to be wiped
clean. Honing with a leather strop or a "gummy" stone is acceptable.
-
Mount the Skate in the Holder
The skate is clamped into the holder with the heel to the left (My machines
all have clockwise rotating wheels).
This allows for the imperfections in the blade finish to be pointing to the
rear.
-
Adjust the Skate Holder Height
Adjust the height of the skate holder based upon the thickness of the skate blade.
Height adjustment is required to assure that the center of the blade is aligned
to the center of the curvature of the grinding wheel. This is
done using a height comparator tool, which has been calibrated for the
grinding wheel on the particular machine used to sharpen the skates.
-
Dress the Grinding Wheel
Dress the wheel for the desired radius of hollow or other form
dressing such as the flat bottom dressing types.
This should be done in accordance with the customer's request.
Choices may be discussed if the skater is unsure.
-
Sharpen the Skate
Clean uniform passes are made from heel to toe, following the existing contour of the blade.
The number of passes required may depend upon the condition of the
blade. More passes are needed if the blade requires repair of badly nicked
or stripped edges. If the blade edges are very uneven,
additional passes may be necessary to get them level.
Apply a light coat of blade dressing directly to the blade prior to the final
pass. The dressing allows for a slow final pass, which gives the
blade a
smoother finish and will further reduce the friction
between the blade and the ice. Note: If the blades
are severely damaged by pitting or rust, it may be necessary to cross
grind the blade prior to normal sharpening. This is not normally
required and should only be done in extreme cases.
-
Hone the Edges of the Blade
Wipe the blade to remove
any excess blade dressing. Hone each side of the blade to remove
any burrs caused by the rollover of the steel in the sharpening process. Wipe
clean. Again, note the restrictions mentioned previously for
honing of black steel coated blades.
-
Inspect the Blade
Check the edges
of the blade
for any remaining burrs along the edge; visually check the blade
finish for smoothness, and check the edges for sharpness.
-
Check for Level Edges on the Blade
Using an edge check level gage,
verify that the edges are level.
