Skate Sharpening

[D Kent]

I recently purchased a Ving UPP Nordic Skate Sharpening Kit which came with a Zandstra Silicon Carbide sharpening stone.  Does anyone know if the stone is meant to be used with oil, water, or dry?  No instructions on that came with the kit.

Thanks,

Don Kent

[nordicskate]

It's a matter of preference. I'll give you mine; others may disagree.

I start with a dry stone. When grit and metal shavings begin to accumulate on the surface of the stone, I dunk the stone in a jug of water (a gallon milk jug with the top cut off) to rinse the grit off. I avoid oil because it makes a sticky mess.

To keep the surface of the stone smooth and flat, avoid sliding the stone straight forward and back. Instead, slide the stone southeast to northwest (or SSE to NNW) for a dozen strokes or so. Then go southwest to northeast (or SSW to NNE) for a similar number of strokes. Then repeat. This evens out the wear on the stone.

Make sure to sharpen all the way from the tips to the tails of the blades (and vice versa). Just sharpening the midsection will destroy the rocker. Also, after sharpening you'll need to de-burr the edges, and you should have a small deburring stone or deburring device for that purpose. 

To check the sharpness of the edges, use the thumbnail test. With the blade upside down, drag your thumbnail downward across the edge. A microscopic shaving should come off your thumbnail, and you should feel the resistance. Perform this test halfway between the tip and tail (where sharpness is key) on both the left and right sides. Do this before and after sharpening in order to see if you've accomplished anything. (If you do the thumbnail test before sharpening, and your blades are still sharp, then you don't need to sharpen them!)

Best of luck!

Jamie

[Mike Hebb]

It is only intended to  remove the burr along the edge after sharpening and should need no lubricant for this. Only a couple strokes.

https://zandstrasport.nl/en/products/pocket-stone-art-7201/

On 3/4/2023 11:56 AM, D Kent wrote:

Zandstra Silicon Carbide sharpening stone

[Kathy Jones]

I use a single-edge razor tool to remove the burr. It's quick.

You can get one at a hardware store--they're often used for scraping paint off glass.

Kathy

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[Evan Perkins]

Thanks Kathy for that tip about the razor scraper, you had posted it a while ago . I tried it and it really worked well and was super fast. Evan

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