(1) Yeah, getting proper sharpening for figure skates is a real pain. Even in major metro areas in the States, the demand for good sharpeners often far outstrips the supply. Costs mount up quickly if you skate frequently, or if you have two or more skaters in the family. Even if cost is not an issue, inconvenience and timely scheduling often are. In the shops I’ve done business with, there’s usually only one guy that does decent work on figure skates. If he’s out for whatever reason, you’re out of luck until he returns. Even if you have access to another decent sharpener in the area, the results will probably feel different, due to differences in machines and operator technique.
(2) For hand sharpening, there is the Pro-Filer, which I, and several other forum members here, use. Info can be found on their website:
http://www.pro-filer.com/profiler/. Bill_S has a good write-up on his website:
http://www.afterness.com/skating/profiler.html. The unit works well on parallel blades (although the instructions state they can be used on parabolic blades). The price is US$79.95. You’ll need to contact the company for shipping charges to Canada; I believe you could be hit with customs as well; so get a good estimate of the total cost. I once saw an ad for a Canadian distributor, but I can’t find it now.
A few considerations:
(a) The stock guide block has a throat opening of 0.170 in. You then need to allow for a layer of tape on each side of the blade plus clearance for sliding the guide block. That effectively means that the maximum permissable thickness of the blade is 0.164 in. The unit uses the sides of the blade as guides. For good results, the thickness of the blade should be uniform within 0.003 in (that is, the difference between the maximum and minimum values should be 0.003 or less) along the full length of the blade (pick to heel). So if you consider this option, first check your blades with an accurate micrometer or caliper.
(b) Unlike standard shop power sharpeners, Pro-Filers do not have the capability for varying the radius of hollow (ROH) with a single unit. Each kit has a fixed ROH. For figure skates, you can get kits with the following ROH values: 1/2”, 7/16”, 3/8”, 5/16”. Note: As discussed in a recent post (
http://skatingforums.com/index.php?topic=7339.0), however, the kits for 3/8” and 7/16” are in fact identical except for the label. Further note that the actual ROH will depend on the blade geometry and the operator skill. With the 3/8”|7/16” kit, my actual ROH varies from 7/16” to 1/2”.
(c) If you decide to go the Pro-Filer route, there are several of us here that can provide you with helpful hints on how to get good results. It’s best to practice on old blades first. But, since the removal rate is slow, it’s not likely that you will damage blades beyond repair by a decent skate tech (if you can find one, that is). Just be warned that there is a learning curve; not a simple matter of unboxing the kit and going at it.
(3) Here’s a recent post concerning home power sharpeners in the US$1000 – 2000 range:
http://skatingforums.com/index.php?topic=7239.0. In my area, the cost for sharpening figure skates runs US$20-30. If you sharpen monthly (and especially with two or more skaters in the family or group pool), the price is reasonable. But, requires space, power, and operator skill. And, if you goof, you can destroy your blades in one shot.