In this article we will talk about skate sharpening machines presented on Aliexpress.
Every sports equipment needs careful maintenance and preparation. How the athlete will perform directly depends on this. In this case, the sharpening is important for the skates. And this is necessary not only for professionals, but also for those who like to ride. It is fashionable to purchase a special machine for Aliexpress at a favorable cost.
Skate sharpening machine for Aliexpress: catalog, photo
Skates are very popular today not only in professional sports, but also among lovers of skating. To use one pair of skates for a long time, you need to spend them periodically. The very first devices were somewhat primitive, but with the development of technology, they have also changed. Modern skate sharpeners consist of a rotating grinding disc and two diamonds, capable of working on any surface.
Today, electronic models of devices are very popular, allowing you to perform some settings and use skates based on their parameters. On some machines, the program is able to save and reproduce these parameters again.
The main purpose of the machine is to make ice skating comfortable and fast. Stability on ice depends on how well they are sharpened. Today, manufacturers are actively creating universal devices, as well as highly specialized ones, capable of working with only one type of blade.
It is worth noting that each type of skate has its own sharpening characteristics, and therefore you should choose a machine based on what products you plan to work with.
As a rule, skate sharpeners have:
- Holder holding the blade with screws
- Metal dust suction device
- Abrasive discs and diamond wheel
- Swivel arm for smooth glide on the tool blade
How to make a do-it-yourself skate sharpener?
A ready-made skate sharpener is not so cheap, so not all novice athletes can afford such a purchase. In this case, you can buy a used unit or make it yourself.
Such machines will allow you to manually sharpen skates with a stone. This is a very simple piece of equipment, suitable for beginners and professional hobbyists. How to make the machine yourself correctly, you can watch the video.
Video: Homemade skate sharpener
Skate sharpener on Aliexpress: sale, discounts, free shipping
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Do not forget the possibility of getting cashback. It is provided through special services. We talked about the most popular ones.
Skates do not require much maintenance. The main rules are to dry them after use, sharpen them in time and make sure that the blades do not rust. This requires a special skate sharpener. To sharpen them, it is not enough to use a sharpening machine; a U-shaped groove is turned on the blade.
There are several reasons to sharpen your skates regularly:
- the athlete gains confidence and a sense of resilience on the ice;
- well-sharpened blades help control the balance on the ice;
- sharp blades help to perform rotations, accelerate and perform elements;
- sliding becomes smoother;
- a dull blade increases the risk of injury.
Devices and tools
Consider what devices are there for sharpening skates with your own hands:
- Abrasive touchstone - a slingshot for skates with a plastic handle. Prompt dressing of the blades. The tool removes burrs left after sharpening. The movements are carried out smoothly, without pressure, so as not to cut off the groove. For best results, it is recommended to use a lubricant or to wet the blades with running water. It is only ruled by the blades, not sharpened.
- Bar - an abrasive material for dressing the blade after sharpening.
- Edge Again is a hand-held portable skate sharpener.
Than sharpening is better
Which device to use for sharpening skates, each owner of the equipment decides independently. A home procedure or a hand-held skate sharpener will not replace a professional one, especially for serious sports.
Sharpening machines
The most popular skate sharpeners are nordway and ProSharp, they have been proven. Instructions on how to use the Nordway machine:
- Switch on the machine.
- When the motion of the circle becomes stationary, place the blade against the circle, pointing it to the left, against the disc, along the edge.
- Repeat the procedure three times, adjusting the shape of the edge.
- Correct the movement of the support bar if necessary.
If you have not had experience with such devices, first try to conduct an experiment on an old pair.
Expendable materials
Additional accessories expand the capabilities of the machine:
- vice - they can be universal, for any pair, or professional ones can be selected for a specific sport;
- diamond discs for sharpening inventory, they differ in color and diameter;
- adapters from a larger diameter to a smaller one;
- diamond pencils for the groove;
- donkeys, for deburring.
Specificity
Skate sharpening has its own characteristics. Before the process, it is specified where exactly the athlete will play - on artificial or natural ice, weight category, riding style. When playing hockey, an important parameter is the place of the striker, goalkeeper or defender in the team.
The depth of the groove is adjustable depending on the use of the inventory:
- in figure skating, it reaches 5-6 mm;
- for hockey - 20mm;
- for speed skating - 45mm.
If there are burrs in your inventory, sharpening is optional.
Signs that inventory needs sharpening
How to know when it's time to sharpen your skates:
- there is no groove on the blade, or it is covered with rust;
- when a turn is made, the blades go to the side;
- runners slide during pushing off.
How to carry out the procedure at home
You will need:
- A vise for clamping the dies, otherwise the skate will slip.
- A file is a round file. With its help, the groove becomes even.
- A block with a hole in the width of the blade.
How to sharpen:
- Place the inventory horizontally in a vise. On top, put on a block with a file inside.
- File a recess with a file. Move it to the sides until the groove becomes noticeable.
- Continue the procedure until a sharp edge appears.
Now sanding is in progress: wrap the file with sandpaper, run it over the blade without touching the edge.
Methods
There are two methods of sharpening: straight and under the chute. Skates go on sale sharpened directly. But in practice, this method does not justify itself. Although high speed is achieved and there is the possibility of hard braking, maneuverability is reduced to naught.
Sharpening under the chute develops an equal straight line speed, makes movements maneuverable, but braking is difficult. It is preferred by hockey players and figure skating athletes.
FTB - sharpening. Used on European ice, rarely used in Russia. European matches are played on artificial ice, so the emphasis is not on speed but on blade grip.
How to distinguish sharpened inventory
Let's take a look at a few of the visual signs of a sharpened inventory. A sharpened pair of skates has a groove inside. The lateral ribs are sharp and of equal thickness. They will help you to do the job professionally in the palaces of sports.
Russian and foreign manufacturers offer a wide range of skate sharpening machines. The offered models have a full range of properties and qualities for correct and reliable sharpening. Such a machine has a high price on the market. The average cost fluctuates around one hundred thousand rubles. The minimum price for a grinding wheel is 1650 rubles. Not everyone can afford to buy such a device. The way out is simple - do it yourself.
Required elements for sharpening
In order for the sharpening to turn out to be of high quality, and the device did not fail during the first start-up, you must use:
- 2 pipes made of aluminum or brass, with a diameter of 25 mm (one with an inner diameter of 25 mm, the other with the same outer diameter);
- whetstone 25 mm;
- fixing bolts M6;
- drill;
- locksmith vice;
- flat file;
- hacksaw for cutting metal;
- metal ruler;
- abrasive grinding wheel;
- diamond pencil.
The abrasive wheel together with the diamond pencil are consumables. What circles do skates sharpen in? For a particular machine, a suitable abrasive grinding wheel is selected. They are of three types, depending on the hardness:
- soft-hard;
- medium hardness;
- solid.
Skate discs are available in 3 colors: white, blue, pink. The color of the circle is irrelevant. When choosing, 6 main parameters are important:
- disk hardness;
- granularity (coarse or fine);
- the size;
- compliance of the circle with the fastening parameters of the machine;
- price;
- abrasive wheel color.
The function of diamond pencils is reduced to dressing abrasive discs. A separate material has its own parameters:
- firmness;
- length;
- diameter.
Not every element is suitable for every unit. The individual material corresponds to the specific type of grinding wheel. For the price, diamond pencils are 2-6 times more expensive than abrasive discs.
Assembly instructions for the unit
Grinding machines at home are assembled according to the scheme:
- a pipe with a large diameter is clamped in a vice;
- a slot is made along it with a hacksaw having narrow blades;
- the required slot width is 3 mm, its structure is even;
- 2 fragments of 10 mm are sawn off from a pipe of a smaller size (2 plugs are obtained);
- 2 plugs together with a grindstone are inserted into a large pipe;
- a drill is drilled across a large pipe between the stone and the plug;
- the whole structure is tightened with a screw;
- the structure of the device is regulated by a file;
- the stone must go beyond the plugs;
- the plugs are sanded with a file with mandatory measurements with a metal ruler;
- so that sharpening does not lead to crumbling of the stone, it is strengthened with superglue;
- the body of the resulting apparatus is covered with silicone for plumbing needs.
Cost of materials for devices
There are many models of skate sharpeners on the market. Bosch and ProSharp devices are in demand. Such devices are suitable for sharpening figured, hockey skates. The devices provide uniform movement of the carriage, are characterized by precise sharpening of the grooves. Their possibilities are wide. With the help of the aggregates, it is possible to sharpen the blades with a turn in automatic mode. The price of the machines fluctuates in the range of 79-125 thousand rubles.
Modern sports are high-tech. The result often depends not only on the training of the athlete, but also on the condition of his equipment. The quality of the sharpening affects the stability, friction reduction, speed and agility of the athlete. With the help of special machines, skates are sharpened for skaters, figure skaters and hockey players. There is equipment that allows you to sharpen all types of skates, as well as specialized equipment, for example, only for hockey skates.
Machine design
The skate sharpener has a fairly simple design. The main elements of which:
- electric motor;
- frame;
- blade fixation plate;
- paw holder;
- holder-frame;
- diamonds for round and flat surfaces;
- cam clamp;
- protective box;
- connector for connecting a vacuum cleaner.
The skate creates a flat surface on the blade and forms a groove along the axis. The difference between universal and specialized devices in the form of a retainer. The holder must hold both ice hockey and figure skates equally firmly. For this, a screw fixing is provided.
To prevent dust from scattering around the workshop, it is removed with any vacuum cleaner connected to a special connector.
The device is supplied with a pair of diamond pencils of various shapes. The first creates a special rounded profile of the edge of the circle that forms the groove. Another pencil forms the rectangular edge of the circle for sharpening a flat surface. There are machine models on which you can pre-grind the blade profile with subsequent sharpening.
Sharpening stages
Sharpening skates correctly takes skill. Learning to do this is pretty straightforward. Sharpening takes place in several stages.
- The edge of the sharpening wheel must be brought to the required shape, for this there is a diamond pencil. Its type is chosen depending on what shape of the edge is needed.
- The ridge is fixed in the “paw”. Its blade is fixed by a clamp cam mechanism. It slides into the clamp on the right, forward with the bow. The retainer is located near the toe. Thanks to the paw, the blade is set parallel to the plane of the disc. The paw, on the other hand, holds the skate on the weight, freeing the hands of the master.
- Adjustment of the reference plane. This is where the blade is placed during processing. The level of the insert in relation to the grinding wheel determines the location of the groove on the blade. Sometimes the blades are slightly bent, then the bar is replaced by rollers (they are usually included in the complete set of machines of all models). The roller can be used to adjust the position of the boot and sharpen curved skates with sufficient precision. Good and straight blades are preferable to clamp with a bar that allows absolutely clear alignment of the tool and blade.
Sharpening process
- Turn on the skate sharpener;
- When the movement of the circle reaches a stationary mode, we apply the blade to the circle and slowly move the skate to the left against the movement of the disk along its edge;
- We repeat the movement 2-3 times, correct the shape of the groove and the position of the blade;
- If necessary, we will once again correct the position of the support bar.
It is advisable to spend the first sharpening experience on old blades, which are not a pity. You can practice on a metal strip of suitable thickness. Most often, it is enough to sharpen only 3 - 4 pairs to confidently cope with this task.
Consumables and accessories for machine tools
Skate sharpening machines are equipped with a minimum set for work. You can expand their capabilities using additional devices:
- holders. They can be universal for hockey skates, including goalkeepers, speed skating and figure skates. And they can be specialized, only for one kind of sport;
- sharpening discs. They vary in color and wear resistance. The size of the discs must correspond to the model of the machine. The outer diameter of the discs is usually 150 mm, the inner diameter is 38 mm;
- adapters for a circle from a larger diameter to a smaller one;
- diamond pencils for groove and plane;
- whetstones for removing metal burrs from blades after sharpening.
Some machines are additionally supplied with templates to facilitate the sharpening of profiles.
Sharpening blades on a specialized machine in the video:
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Excellent game or skating performance is only possible with a properly sharpened blade. The ability to perform sliding, stopping, curly details, stability depends on the quality of the sharpening. This issue is very serious. But what types and methods are there? Is a hand-held skate sharpener suitable? What are the standard grooves?
Circumstances indicating that it is time to sharpen:
- sports shoes were recently purchased and do not have a characteristic groove;
- at the moment of acceleration, slippage increases;
- on the turn, the blade rips to the side, as it were.
Sharpening types
There are only three most common types:
- Standard. Sharpen in the form of a semicircle, the channel is rounded, inside. The size of the groove is individual, it corresponds to the athlete's body weight, the quality of the ice, for the hockey player - the playing location, for figure skating - will there be jumps or not.
- Channel-Z. It has two grooves: a semicircular one, and a square one in it. How much the radius should be is selected according to the same parameters as the standard one, but with a lower coefficient. The inner second chute does not create resistance without maneuver, but only helps during manipulations on the roller.
- FBV. The channel of the gutter is trapezoidal. The superiority of this type in hard adhesion to ice and good stability. The disadvantage is very fast wear.
Preparation
- the tool for working on the composition must be harder than the runners;
- the thickness of the ribs after should be uniform;
- the goal is to maintain the primary configuration;
- sharpening occurs at an angle of 90 degrees.
Ways to sharpen
The easiest way is to sharpen the edge with the help of a professional on special equipment. But sometimes you need to learn how to use a skate sharpener with your own hands.
At home
You can sharpen the edge of sports equipment yourself in several ways.
Using a file
For work, you will need a round file of the required diameter, a block of wood for sharpening U-shaped skates, a vice. The file is manually inserted into the wood, clamped in a vice. The block is installed at the front, and the contours of the gutter are outlined by moving backward. The notch is sharpened to the required depth, after which all burrs are removed with a file.
Using a grinding wheel
Required tool: grinder with a grinding wheel, the width of the groove itself, clamps. The ridge is fixed, the contours of the intended groove are drawn. They start working from the front, adjusting the depth.
Manual sharpening
The world famous companies Decathlon and Nordway have created additional accessories designed for setting, sharpening, and removing rust on skates. Due to their compact size, they are convenient to use and always carry with you. Nordway's skate sharpener uses plastic and whetstone, while Decathlon uses ceramic materials.
Dies
Dice for sharpening skates - a device for home sharpening "for a straight line" (used in Russian ball hockey).
Rapid resuscitation devices
There are times when, instead of accelerating, there is slipping on the ice and "jumping out" of the intended trajectory. This is usually due to a blunt blade. The following will help you quickly solve the problem:
- a touchstone for skates - removes burrs;
- skate slingshot - restores blocked edges of the gutter.
On the machine
Of course, nothing can replace the machine dot. There is more than one option made for this purpose. The most popular and economical option is SZK-1. It is used in ice hockey and figure skating skates.
There is an option to make a homemade machine from a converted electric plane. To do this, you need to replace the knife in the power tool with an emery disc for sharpening skates.
Attention! It is not necessary to sharpen the rib too often. Each blade has its own limitations, which means that a regular sharpening process will shorten the life of the point.
Hockey Standard Groove Table
Important requirements for sharpening
In correct sharpening, the following mistakes must be avoided:
- The differently made inner and outer part of the blade disturbs the ice balance and balance.
- The amount of steel removed is not the same in all areas. Leads to a loss of balance and the blade will lose support.
- The profile and radius of the gutter are incorrect. Leads to poor ride quality and loss of control.
Important conditions:
- The sharpening of the blades should move forward using European style, providing reduced friction and improved ride quality.
- High speed is obtained by combining different profile and groove radii.
- Each specific sharpening is used for a specific riding style. For example, a binary chute was introduced specifically for the "butterfly", which requires good grip on ice, urgent movement in different directions, and a change in vertical positions. Sliding movements are achieved by different sharpening in the place of the toe or heel and in the middle (there the sharpening is dumber, and sharper at the edges).
- Excessively aggressive sharpening in the toe area is dangerous for reverse motion.
Finishing skates until ready
In order to ultimately achieve the sharpness and the desired radius, the blade must be processed to the end. There are several variations:
- All burrs are removed with a special abrasive bar.
- The polishing stone destroys all particles left over from grinding.
- Rough lapping stone grinds at the desired angle of the edge of the blade. If you use a special oil, then the friction force of the blade on the ice and the mass of the stuck snow will decrease.
Checking the work done
You can evaluate the correctness of sharpened blades as follows:
- Inspection. The edges of the blade should be symmetrical, without chipping or chipping.
- We carry out a small thin piece of plastic with the same force in different areas and then examine the trail. With the formation of the same depth on all parts of the track, the skate is sharpened correctly and efficiently.
- When exhibiting on the ice, they must stand upright, without leaning to the side. This speaks of good sharpening.
- The owner should put on shoes, step on the ice surface and check how the blade behaves during the jolts. If there is no slippage, ready to play.
Pros of well-sharpened skates:
- balancing and maximum control of the leg;
- the sliding process becomes faster and better;
- improved acceleration and intense rotation;
- confidence in ice movements;
- getting pleasure from riding.
Attention! For a longer preservation of the sharpness of the skates, it is advisable to use the covers when walking on a hard surface (floor, steps in the staircase, asphalt).
Ignoring wear and deformation will not only reduce speed, but can also be dangerous. Timely sharpening of skates can be carried out in or on professional equipment. The main thing is that sharpening can improve not only the physical form of an athlete, but also give him confidence in his own abilities.
