Do those handheld blade sharpening/re-edging tools work?

[IslesZoso]

I know there's no substitute for a good machine sharpening at the pro shop, but I'm sometimes pinched for time and can't hit it before the big game.

Anyone use those hand-held sharpening implements like SkateMate or Re-edger? How well do they work in a pinch?

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[shoeshine boy]

the best answer is sort of. I use a Sweet Stick when I really need it. if your edge is shot and you just need to get through the rest of the game they are worth the money. basically they're better than nothing.

 

[Jarick]

Just keep in mind most of them will mess up your hollow, which could be worse than having dull edges. Last week I forgot to take off my soakers and one of my edges was dull from rust, but I still did better than when I tried a Sweet Stick and it completely messed up all four of my edges and I fell down every shift.

 

[Fleuryoutside29]

I'd say they're ok to use in a pinch but I wouldn't make a habit out it. I know some people that use them in between periods and others who absolutely will not use them. I think its a hit or miss thing. Try finding someone who has one and testing it out before you invest in one.

 

[Pog Form]

Just keep in mind most of them will mess up your hollow, which could be worse than having dull edges. Last week I forgot to take off my soakers and one of my edges was dull from rust, but I still did better than when I tried a Sweet Stick and it completely messed up all four of my edges and I fell down every shift.

Yep, I used one once. Never again. It was probably about 6-7 years ago, in the dressing room before a pick-up game, I must've been talking about how I hadn't had my skates sharpened in ages. Anyway, this guy says, "Try this", and I hand him my skates. One, maybe two swipes on each blade was all it took. I couldn't skate at all and fell down pretty much every shift. Had to go get my skates sharpened the next day.

 

[mbeam]

Yep, I used one once. Never again. It was probably about 6-7 years ago, in the dressing room before a pick-up game, I must've been talking about how I hadn't had my skates sharpened in ages. Anyway, this guy says, "Try this", and I hand him my skates. One, maybe two swipes on each blade was all it took. I couldn't skate at all and fell down pretty much every shift. Had to go get my skates sharpened the next day.

Same thing happened to me. My blades went from dull to unskate-able.

 

[Pittsburgh Proud]

I bought one used it once. I felt like I was doing way more harm than good thats for sure.

 

[Triple Deke]

Last month I hadn't sharpened my skates in awhile. So right before our game, my buddy let me borrow 'the stick'. Took a couple of swipes along each blade.
Once I hit the ice, I couldn't dig or ride on my edges. I was pretty useless the whole game.
Lesson learned.

 

[cptjeff]

The ones that carve from the outside of the blade will instantly kill your edge. Unless you need one small nick taken out, don't use stuff like the sweet stick. They're used in the pros yes, so they can clean up a nick until they can get the skate to a sharpener between periods. They are not for resharpening, and they are not meant for such use.

However, the ones that carve from the inside, like the skatemate, will work pretty well.

 

[TBLfan]

ONLY use a honing stone. Never use a sweet stick or skatemate, they ruin your edges and hollow.

 

[rinkrat22]

ONLY use a honing stone. Never use a sweet stick or skatemate, they ruin your edges and hollow.

I second that, run that flat stone down each side and it will get you through your game. dont mess with those other ones.

 

[Ozolinsh_27]

Honing stone, I can live with dull skates but if my edge gets messed its a different story.

Early on when I first started playing organized hockey at 18, and didn't know much about sharpenings at the time -- was at an out of town tournament 4 hrs away from home and their local sharpener couldn't fix a nick in my skate. Felt like a total noob cause it was the biggest tournament around at the time and I was falling around or close to it every other shift.

Lesson learned: always get your skates sharpened by a shop you trust!

 

[frito]

I've used the skatemate before for nicks etc. on mine, my kids and kids on my team. It is a good device to use in a pinch when you have nick etc. that is causing you fall. If I have to use it for some reason I follow it up with a real sharping as soon as possible. I have definitely found it to be worth the money.

 

[shoeshine boy]

I'm not trying to be a smarta** here but are you guys using the Sweet Stick correctly? it has a very specific way you have to run it down the blade or yes, you will mess up your edges. less is more with that thing and you need to be using it at the correct angle as well.
I've used it once or twice in a bad pinch and had teammates use it a couple of times and we haven't experienced these "unskateable edges" that some of you have experienced.

 

[Finnish your Czech]

I'm not trying to be a smarta** here but are you guys using the Sweet Stick correctly? it has a very specific way you have to run it down the blade or yes, you will mess up your edges. less is more with that thing and you need to be using it at the correct angle as well.
I've used it once or twice in a bad pinch and had teammates use it a couple of times and we haven't experienced these "unskateable edges" that some of you have experienced.

This.

I've got a buddy on my team who is a perfectionist with that, and whenever someone needs right before the game or in between periods they never complain about, and they seem to be fine.

 

[rinkrat22]

the sweet stick works good... too good. holy**** does it make for sharp edges. and I skate on a 3/8ths at 210lbs.

 

[Pog Form]

I'm not trying to be a smarta** here but are you guys using the Sweet Stick correctly? it has a very specific way you have to run it down the blade or yes, you will mess up your edges. less is more with that thing and you need to be using it at the correct angle as well.
I've used it once or twice in a bad pinch and had teammates use it a couple of times and we haven't experienced these "unskateable edges" that some of you have experienced.

Because someone else did it for me, I'm not sure, but the experience I had (which may well have been from the guy not using it properly) was enough to scare me away for good.

 

[ChiTownHawks]

I'm not trying to be a smarta** here but are you guys using the Sweet Stick correctly? it has a very specific way you have to run it down the blade or yes, you will mess up your edges. less is more with that thing and you need to be using it at the correct angle as well.
I've used it once or twice in a bad pinch and had teammates use it a couple of times and we haven't experienced these "unskateable edges" that some of you have experienced.

The sweet stick does have directions and it is not fool proof, but read the directions once and you should be fine. I am wondering if people are putting too much pressure on it and that is what is destroying the edges. I use the sweet stick before every skate unless I have just gotten them sharpened. Two light swipes down the blade from front to back with the stick held at an angle and I am good to go. I skate 3 times a week so I need something like this so I am not getting my skates sharpened once a week.

I'm glad there are at least a couple people who have had good experiences b/c for a minute I thought I was going crazy. Honestly something like this would not be on the market if it destroyed your blades every time it was used.

 

[DevsFan84]

I have a sweet stick. I use it mostly to deburr the skates as it is a keychain and easier to have around than a stone... but I have used and done the sharpening/"refreshing" whatever they call it on my own and other people's skates with good results.

 

[canuck44]

I think once you use that sweet stick stuff, when it's time to sharpen the shop has to cross-grind your runners before sharpening again

 

[shoeshine boy]

I don't think this is true at all if you use it sparingly and correctly. when I've had to use it a simple regular sharpening is the only thing I've needed afterwards.

 

[TBLfan]

Using it correctly it rolls the edges in, that is not good for your edges. The skatemate sands your hollow, unevenly to a 1/2" regardless of how you use it.

It's simply impossible to be that accurate with a hand-held tool but then again most people are skating on crappy sharpenings anyway. You guys that don't think it ruins your blades simply don't understand how microscopic changes can change the feel on your skates... but of course if you've never had a great steak before you'd never know how crappy your McDonald's hamburger is.

 

[cptjeff]

Using it correctly it rolls the edges in, that is not good for your edges. The skatemate sands your hollow, unevenly to a 1/2" regardless of how you use it.

It's simply impossible to be that accurate with a hand-held tool but then again most people are skating on crappy sharpenings anyway. You guys that don't think it ruins your blades simply don't understand how microscopic changes can change the feel on your skates... but of course if you've never had a great steak before you'd never know how crappy your McDonald's hamburger is.

Nobody's claiming these things are better than or as good as a real sharpening. And I won't dispute the sweet stick. But I'm a pretty damn good skater, and the skate mate doesn't make my blade feel that much worse in any meaningful way.

Course, I use a 1/2" hollow, so it might work better for me because of that.

 

[TBLfan]

Nobody's claiming these things are better than or as good as a real sharpening. And I won't dispute the sweet stick. But I'm a pretty damn good skater, and the skate mate doesn't make my blade feel that much worse in any meaningful way.

Course, I use a 1/2" hollow, so it might work better for me because of that.

Using it still ruins the evenness on your edges, if your edges are even straight to begin with... which is unlikely considering how many bad sharpeners there are out there. Including a certain mail order "expert" that many rave about.

If you think the likelihood of taking a piece of sandpaper rolled over a cardboard tube, in a little hand-held device with little plastic gears can possibly not unbalance your edges, so be it. I'm sure your Powerbalance bracelet works well too.

 

[canuck44]

Using it still ruins the evenness on your edges, if your edges are even straight to begin with... which is unlikely considering how many bad sharpeners there are out there. Including a certain mail order "expert" that many rave about.

If you think the likelihood of taking a piece of sandpaper rolled over a cardboard tube, in a little hand-held device with little plastic gears can possibly not unbalance your edges, so be it. I'm sure your Powerbalance bracelet works well too.

That's why you gotta ask to check the level on the runners if you don't trust the sharpener