Could someone with experience please tell me how to sharpen the blades on Ice Skates?

Question

Does anyone here sharpen the blades on their Ice Skates themselves? If so, could you please tell me how you go about doing this and what you need?

Answer 1

Honestly, I do not have experience sharpening my own blades . . . and I do have to agree with everyone about getting a pro to sharpen the blades for you.  Most skaters don't want to risk making an expensive (and unsafe) mistake.  BUT as you said, that's not what you are asking.  

I know someone who has something like what you've shown in your link.  As it says on that ad, it doesn't replace machine sharpening . . . that still needs to be done every now and then.  I see my friend pulling out a hand-held sharpener at times and he says that allows him to hold out longer in between machine sharpenings.  It's for maintaining a blade sharpening, that is, if you know what you're doing.  He's obviously comfortable using it - and maybe some other skaters are too as there are many companies marketing them, but generally these hand held sharpeners are not recommended.    

What kind of skates do you have?  There is a difference in sharpening hockey and figure skates  . . . as well as speed skates.  I assume you do not have speed skates . . . many speed skaters do sharpen their own blades and there's tons of info online about that.    

I found this article on "How to Sharpen Ice Skates" which may help with your question.  It tells you what you need and sort of how to do it (they basically tell you get a machine and take classes - which makes sense).  It even says blade sharpening is a job for precision machinery and try not to sharpen your blades with hand held devices.    

http://www.ehow.com/how_2062011_sharpen-...

Otherwise, here are some links if you still want to use the hand held sharpener . . . remember these are the companies that make them so of course they would recommend them.

Skate Sharpening: what, when, where

(more about machine sharpening with a specific system)

http://www.skateny.com/sharpening/

Demo for Redi-edge hockey skate sharpener

http://www.redi-edgeice.com/indivkit-use...

Using The Sweet Stick Skate Sharpener

http://www.americanhockeycenter.com/skat...

Techinical tips on this "universal" SkateMate sharpener

http://www.skatemate.com/hints.html

The Pro-Filer Skate Sharpener

http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~schneidw/skat...

How to use the Blade Doctor

http://www.thebladedoctor.com/howtouse.h...

Good luck!

Answer 2

get someone else to do it. if you sharpen them wrong, it can be HORRID. 0_0 ACK! If you want to do them yourself, get a really skilled person to help you learn.

Answer 3

unless your tought by  a professional.. just dont, you can s***w up way to many things, especially a figure skate, if its a figure skate. never ever do it your self.. EVER!! lol pay the 10 bucks ( thats what it is here) and get them sharpened professionally. you can tear and edge by your self or knick it or bend the blade.

Answer 4

Yeah I would avoid that unless u r trained.

Answer 5

WOAH! Do NOT try to sharpen skates by yourself you can damage your skates! Take it to a professional make sure it's not just some kid from the pro shop ask for the person with the most experience. It's not expensive maybe about $8-$10or $12 and you can come back and pick it up in 2 or 3 days depending on the popularity of the person who does it.

Answer 6

usually they have skate sharpeners at skate shops

and if not

you know what they say

steal sharpens steal!