| Sharpening: |
Place the skates in the jig - always the same way.
Be sure that the top of the blades are on the same plain (i.e.,
not one end higher than the other).
If the skates are very dull, use the coarse side of the stone.
Keep the stone square and use short, diagonal strokes for the full
length of the blade until you can feel a slight burr on all four
sides.
Next, still using the coarse side with long, light strokes on
the blades until all the diagonal scratches are gone.
Now go to the fine side of the stone and with long strokes,
polish the blades. |
| Deburring: |
This is probably the most important part of
sharpening. Lay the jig, with the blades attached, on its side.
Run the burr stone a few times back and forth for the entire
length of each side of the blades.
Turn the jig right side up, and with the fine side of the large
stone, apply 4-5 light, back and forth strokes to polish the
blades.
Repeat this procedure (jig on its side to use the burr stone;
back upright to polish) 4-5 times.
Now you can remove the skates from the jig and lay each skate
on its side and debur for the last time.
If you are racing long track, Olympic Style and hundredths of
thousandths of a second mean something, you better make sure
all the burr is removed. |