Blade Sharpening Information/FAQ

[flo]

Here's an excellent site for technical information. It's important to know that 1/2 inch to one skater is not the same to another. The result depends not only on the size and skill of the skater, but also on the blades themselves. check it out:
http://www.warrensecurity.com/Skating/Skate%20Sharpening%20Information.htm

[JulieN]

As stated in the above link, much of the Q&A came from Chuck Wright's Skate Sharpening page (http://chuck-wright.com/Skating/sharpening.html).

[Casey]

More information here: http://www.iceskatingworld.com/library/articles/skatesharpening.html

[Isk8NYC]

I just found these size/mounting instructions on the MK site and thought this would be useful to others.

http://www.mkblades.com/care/instructions.html


BLADE MOUNTING INSTRUCTIONS


The length of the blade should be heel to toe with a minimum length of 1/4" less than heel to toe of the boot.
Pencil mark the center point of the boot on the heel and tip of the sole. This must be done by eye. Do not necessarily use the toe seam, as occasionally in lasting, the toe seam may be pulled slightly to one side. These pencil marks will be used as reference points when mounting the blade on the boot.
Place the front plate on the front tip of the sole. If the blade is shorter than heel to toe (#1 above) the 1/4" extra boot length should be at the heel and not the toe.
Using the pencil reference points, center the blade runner with the heel reference pencil point and attach one heel screw. If the blade has slotted mounting holes (most do), use the "flat faced" long screw in that hole. This will allow for slight adjustment later.
Place the toe of the blade directly central over your pencil mark reference point and move the blade slightly to the inside (approximately half the blade width). Insert a flat faced short screw into the slot opposite corner from #4 above.
Check the blade for straightness and proper position. If correct, insert a flat faced short screw in the opposite slot of the front plate.
Check again for straightness. If all is correct, insert another flat faced long screw in the remaining slot of the heel plate.
Your temporary mount is now complete. Carefully test the skates for final approval.
Make any necessary minor adjustments, then make a permanent mount.
At this point, carefully remove one screw at a time. Using a drop of clear epoxy glue in the holes, re-insert the screws and tighten. Be careful not to move the blade.
The permanent mount consists of adding the remaining screws with the exception of the one countersunk screw in the toe and heel.
The unused to and heel screws are used as a starting point if another blade change is elected at a later date.
You may use all of the screws. However, the two unused screws aid in replacement and mounting of a different blade in the future.

[peanutskates]

I will only briefly mention the obvious precautions one should take to avoid getting rusty blades:

*Use soakers
*Remove guards after skate session
*Wipe the blades really thoroughly after a session - don't forget around the screws and on the side of the mounting plates.
*When you get home, take off the soakers, turn them inside out to dry them in case they got any moisture in them and leave the skates out to dry... NOT NEXT TO A HEATER THOUGH as this is bad for the blades.

If you are so unfortunate as to get some rust on your blades even after all these precautions - fear not. Let's assume you've noticed the rust in its' early stages:

-Get some bicarbonate of soda and a damp cloth (or a metal/wire sponge works really well)
-put the BoS around the rusty area and also a little on your sponge
-rub the area a little. If the rust is near a screw, use the tip of your sponge or a cotton bud to get in the edges.
-then get another clean half damp/half dry cloth
-remove the BoS with the damp half
-dry the area VERY thoroughly with the dry half
-use a hairdryer to dry little gaps in screws if you have applied the BoS there

However, if you haven't looked at your blades in a while and the rust won't be removed with the above mentioned BoS method:

-try using some sandpaper to sand off the rust (not too much though, or you could ruin the blades)
-if the rust looks REALLY bad and is on the edge of the blade (which is the part sharpened) go to a sharpener's as soon as possible. It MAY still be possible for them to grind off the rust.
-if you can't go to the sharpener's until the next day, put BoS over the area, rub it in a little with a DRY sponge and leave until morning. Then wipe it off.

However, remember that unfortunately, rust can sometimes never be got rid of. For example, you may go and get the visible rust sharpened off, but it can still be in the blade and will just appear again and again. This is the case where:

-you need to get new blades

Remember, check your blades after every session. That way, you can catch rust as soon as it appears, if it does (hopefully not though!)

Being too obsessive about drying and checking your blades is better than not being careful enough and getting rust!

good luck!

[Tiggerwoos]

~Thanks Peanut for the rust tips.

After my skates lying dormant for years, when I started wearing them again a couple of months back I noticed some rust patches, so am going to give the bicarb of soda method a go.:)

[peanutskates]

happy to help...

also, if you know you're not going to be skating for a while for any reason (a while= month and over), put some vaseline on the joints of the blade to the boot, and obviously soakers on the actual blade part.

[ibreakhearts66]

i just thought i'd quickly discuss something one of those sites said. one was talking about how people have a hard time stopping after getting their skates sharpened and said that you SHOULD be able to stop afterwards. I couldn't imagine that being true, as I have had the typical experience of not being about to stop after having my blades sharpened. Well, I finally found a great sharpener and it's true. You should be able to stop after getting your skates sharpened. The only really difference you should feel is in the security of the edge. I know it seems impossible, but its true!

[Query]

>put some vaseline on the joints of the
>blade to the boot

Vaseline has plasticizers designed to break down the bonds that hold skin together, which is similar to leather. Might reduce the lifetime of your boot soles a little.

The classic way to retard rusting of steel, like blades and mounting screws, is to coat it with a very thin coat of light oil between uses.

I've got my theories on blade mounting at
http://mgrunes.com/boots/BootBlade.html
complete with links to many web sites on mounting blades.

I just bought new blades from a reputable boot technician who didn't charge to mount them, so I let him. He is at a rink, so could adjust the mount after watching me skate, several times in the course of a few minutes, and he did a good job. If you want to do it yourself, expect to spend a fair bit of time getting it right. Only makes sense to do it yourself if the expert gets it wrong - e.g., you are still out of balance, something scrapes or doesn't go straight, or something hurts.

[Skate@Delaware]

I recently came across this website and thought this (extremely in-depth) article was interesting (warning-involves the use of higher math, which may cause headaches and frustration!!!!):
http://www.iceskateology.com/Skateology/Blade_Geometry.html

[Query]

I had a bunch of email exchanges with the site designer.

Notice that the site you just cited ignores the "sweet spot" or "spin rocker" variance - the place near the ball of the foot where the rocker changes on most modern blades, as shipped by the factory, to make it easier to spin there. As near as I can tell, he doesn't believe in that, and he sells machines that are designed to create a constant rocker.

He really, really did not like the idea of the instructions "Pro-Filer" hand sharpeners come with, that you should create a lip or burr which is pushed to vertical to create a thin edge which digs into the ice, making it seem sharper. He claims that would just slow you down and would be very inefficient.

He is an engineer, and has done some engineering studies of skating he will happily sell you, though I don't personally agree with some of the physics he presents. Interesting, though, if you are into that sort of thing. I don't know of many other sources of technical (i.e., physics) analysis of skating; he is pretty unique.

Some of his machine sharpeners are relatively inexpensive, as such things go, but still fairly high for the non-professional.

[Skate@Delaware]

I had a bunch of email exchanges with the site designer.

Notice that the site you just cited ignores the "sweet spot" or "spin rocker" variance - the place near the ball of the foot where the rocker changes on most modern blades, as shipped by the factory, to make it easier to spin there. As near as I can tell, he doesn't believe in that, and he sells machines that are designed to create a constant rocker.

He really, really did not like the idea of the instructions "Pro-Filer" hand sharpeners come with, that you should create a lip or burr which is pushed to vertical to create a thin edge which digs into the ice, making it seem sharper. He claims that would just slow you down and would be very inefficient.

He is an engineer, and has done some engineering studies of skating he will happily sell you, though I don't personally agree with some of the physics he presents. Interesting, though, if you are into that sort of thing. I don't know of many other sources of technical (i.e., physics) analysis of skating; he is pretty unique.

Some of his machine sharpeners are relatively inexpensive, as such things go, but still fairly high for the non-professional.
The constant rocker idea is very interesting, more like a hockey skate. I skated in hockey skates and was actually able to spin forever in them vs. figure skates where it's so much harder to maintain the sweet spot (and not having a toe-pick forced me to wait until I curved all the way around). Does our sport make it that much more difficult for us on purpose? As for the pro-filer, I hone the sides to remove the burr so it's a moot point for me. He is sending me his blade mounting guide, I'll review it and see if it's any different than what everyone else says (i.e. using your eyeball measurement, mount the blade centered on the sole of the boot etc). I was watching a commercial for Dr. Scholls insoles and there was a device you stand on (I believe some variation of this has been around for 80 years) that measures the pressure on different areas of your foot. It "recommends" an insole for you based on that. Why can't we have something that is more scientific for mounting blades other than...mount the blade, skate, move it until the skater can actually 'skate' and do stuff? Ok enough griping. ;)

[Skate@Delaware]

I agree with the top analogy. I'm amazed that they can stay upright for such a long time, tho, being so "top heavy" hahaha! Physics at it's best!

My son has the newer hockey skates and the rocker is constant from toe to heel (cost me some $$$$); whereas figure skate rockers are just under the ball of the foot and it gradually flattens out (even on the 7' rockered blades). The width of most hockey blades are the same as most figure skates (interesting). Goalie blades are flat, geared for their type of skating (altho some goalies skate on regular skates). Perhaps the newer figure blades (the parabolic) are easier to spin on? I have no experience with them.

Rather than hog up the "blade sharpening" segment let's move to a new thread.