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The Pro Shop / Re: Pro-Filer Redirects to Wissota
« Last post by tstop4me on February 19, 2024, 09:05:54 PM »No need for calipers. A ruler will do. Thanks.
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I will later take measurements of the thickness of my old Matrix I blades. Near the bottom of the blades, they were ground a little thinner than the rest of the runner - and in a way that pre-scratched them there - which I don't understand since they were Stainless 440 (440C??) alloy blades. It's hard to tell if any additional scratches I create could possibly matter. But measurements of the old Matrix I blades won't do anyone much good - people bought out Jackson Ultima's remaining stock rather quickly (I think a few weeks or less) after they stopped making them, and it's very hard to find them or the chassis for sale over the Internet.
I'm largely unconcerned with cosmetic issues too. A few people on this forum have claimed they can tell they are slower with scratched blade sides, so maybe it isn't just cosmetic. Intuitively, it makes sense, if you consider boats in water, and studded tires on ice - but those are a lot different. Without objective measurements under conditions similar to figure skating, it's hard to tell.
In my case, I'm personally certain that getting stronger would make much more difference than minor scratches.
A few people on this forum have claimed they can tell they are slower with scratched blade sides, so maybe it isn't just cosmetic.According to my understanding in this thread we have talked about chromed areas scratching, but I might have understood wrongly. If scratches in the chrome affects to the skating, problems is in the mental side. What I mean is that if your focus in in the wrong things, you may have problems.
Another issue, now that I think of it - I'm not sure the entire 2" length of the abrasive cylinder ("stone") is in contact with the blade - it seems like the rocker curvature would confine it to one short length of contact at a time. Does that mean a shorter tool would do as well?
Holding the blade with the edges down, and pushing up with the sharpener would likely reduce the number of particles that get in between the chassis and polished surfaces, but I don't think it would eliminate them...
Not if the tool is UNDER the blade. E.g., if you hold the tool with a vice, as I think Bill_S once suggested, or maybe in your hand, though holding it underneath with my hand makes it a little harder to center it.
As I've said before, I have no trained tool skills, but have to learn from my mistakes. So I have indeed made some scratches. I had to learn to lubricate the sides of the blade, by wetting them - which helps.