Simple Skate Holder for Use with Pro-Filer (or Other Hand Sharpener)

[tstop4me]

(a) This thread is a spin-off from a previous thread:  (http://skatingforums.com/index.php?topic=8360.0); see Reply #10 – 12.

(b) This post describes a simple skate holder for use with a Pro-Filer (http://www.pro-filer.com/) or other hand sharpener. Typically, an operator uses one hand to hold the boot on a bench while he uses the other hand to work the sharpener; see, e.g., (http://www.afterness.com/skating/profiler.html) or (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9QOu05sIyI). In practice, this method is awkward; a device to hold the skate firmly to a bench would be preferable.  Commercially available lasts or clamps are discussed in the thread cited in (a).

(c) Described below is a simple skate holder I've made from scrap pieces of wood and standard fasteners.  No specialized tools or supplies are needed; just common handsaws, files, screwdrivers, electric drill, sandpaper, and wood glue.

(d) The skate holder is designed to be used in conjunction with a standard bench vise; one with a swivel base is preferable.  The skate holder clamps onto the blade, and holds the boot and blade in a horizontal position.  This configuration provides more rigidity, and requires less vertical clearance, than holding the boot in a vertical position.  The skate holder is in turn clamped in the bench vise.  The entire skate holder can be readily released from the bench vise and flipped (left-to-right or front-to-back) to even out the sharpening, without the need to remove the skate from the skate holder.

(e) Description of figures.

Pix1.  Pix1 shows a front view of the skate holder.  It comprises two assemblies (Assembly-1, Assembly-2) coupled by two sets of fasteners (Fastener-1, Fastener-2).  Assembly-1 comprises a Backboard-1 and a Clampbar-1, which is attached to the Backboard-1 with wood screws and wood glue (see details below).  Backboard-1 is fabricated from a sheet of plywood; Clampbar-1 is fabricated from a strip of wood.  Clampbar-1 has a Notch-1, which provides clearance for the spin rocker of a blade (see details below). Assembly-2 is similar to Assembly-1. No dimensions are given; they should be adjusted for particular blades.  Figures below will show a boot and blade for reference.

Pix2.  Pix2 shows a close-up view of Fastener-1.  Fastener-1 comprises a screw, a washer, and a wingnut.  In this instance, the screw is a 1/4-20 X 2-3/4" long round-head machine screw.  Through holes are drilled through the Clampbars, and the screw is inserted through the through holes.  The blade is inserted in the adjustable gap between the Clampbars.  The wingnut is tightened to clamp the blade (see details below).  Fastener-2 is similar to Fastener-1.

Pix3.  Pix3 shows an end view of the skate holder clamped in a bench vise.  As shown, Backboard-2 is clamped in the bench vise.  The skate holder can be flipped, and Backboard-1 can be clamped in the bench vise (see details below).

Pix4.  Pix4 shows a front view of the skate holder clamped in the bench vise.

Pix5.  Pix5 shows a back view of the skate holder clamped in the bench vise.

Pix6.  Pix6 shows a front view of the skate holder clamped in the bench vise.  Also shown is the blade held by the Clampbars.  The spin rocker is positioned between the Notches.  The blade is inserted from the back (see details below).

Pix7.  Pix7 shows how Clampbar-2 is attached to Backboard-2.  S1 – S3 indicate buried wood screws that attach Clampbar-2 to Backboard-2.  The screw heads were recessed and covered with epoxy; the epoxy was then sanded flat and smooth.  Wood glue is also applied to the joint between Clampbar-2 and Backboard-2 before screw attachment.  Also shown are the Through Holes (T1, T2) for the Fasteners.  Clampbar-1 is attached to Backboard-1 in a similar fashion.

Pix8.  Pix8 shows an overhead view of a skate clamped in the skate holder.  In this instance, the boot is a left boot, Backboard-2 is clamped in the bench vise, and the inside edge of the blade is facing up.  The blade shown is the Paramount version of the Wilson Gold Seal.  The Notches in the Clampbars provide clearance for the spin rocker.

Pix9.  Pix9 shows an end view of Pix8.

Pix10.  Pix10 is similar to Pix8, except the skate holder has been flipped such that Backboard-1 is clamped in the bench vise.  The outside edge of the blade is now facing up.  Flipping orientation of the blade during hand sharpening helps to maintain even edges.

Pix11.  Pix11 shows an end view of Pix10.

[Bill_S]

I love it!

Thanks for the detailed description and photos. It makes it straightforward to build one.

How long have you been using yours?

[tstop4me]

I love it!

Thanks for the detailed description and photos. It makes it straightforward to build one.

How long have you been using yours?

Just about a year.  I decided to work on a skate holder after I worked out a more robust tape method.

[Query]

Why do you feel this is needed?

If the Pro-Filer gap size is correct, there is very little play, so the tool will center properly on the blade anyway, no matter what angle the boot is held at, and I see no reason not to hand-hold the boot - though I admit I do sometimes brace it between my knees while sitting on a bench, to speed things up a bit.

Are you trying to use the tool with a blade that is too narrow, so there is too much play? But putting it in a holder isn't going to completely compensate for this problem.

If the gap size is too large, tape on each side of the blade can make it right.

[tstop4me]

Why do you feel this is needed?

If the Pro-Filer gap size is correct, there is very little play, so the tool will center properly on the blade anyway, no matter what angle the boot is held at, and I see no reason not to hand-hold the boot - though I admit I do sometimes brace it between my knees while sitting on a bench, to speed things up a bit.

Are you trying to use the tool with a blade that is too narrow, so there is too much play? But putting it in a holder isn't going to completely compensate for this problem.

If the gap size is too large, tape on each side of the blade can make it right.

(1) If you're happy holding the boot by hand or between your knees, that's fine:  no need for a special jig.

(2) I do use tape to control the gap thickness.

(3) The motivation behind this thread was referenced in (a) of my first post in this thread.  Bill was considering purchasing a holder of some sort for use with a Pro-Filer, and PBHE actually sells a commercial holder for use with their hand-operated blade polisher.  So there are some people who have a need for such a unit.  For people like Bill who have the proper power woodworking tools, making a variant of the unit I described would be trivial; it would be far less expensive than the commercial units (and, I suspect, more effective; though to be fair, I've never used the commercial units, only seen the website descriptions).

(4) A boot is inherently squishy.  When I hold it by hand, it squirms, and it makes it more difficult to get smooth strokes with the Pro-Filer, and more likely to snag the tape.  By clamping the blade rigidly, I greatly reduce these problems.  Also, even with a controlled gap, you get more uniform edges by flipping the orientation of the blade every X strokes to reduce operator bias.  If you hand hold the boot in a vertical position, you need to flip the boot front-to-back (the picks point away from you some of the time, and towards you some of the time).  I prefer to keep the picks pointing away from me all the time [I prefer to start at the picks, and pull the Pro-filer towards the tail], so I clamp the blade horizontally and flip it left-to-right.  Anyway, that's how I do it.  I make no claim that it's superior to other methods.

[Bill_S]

Query: The advantage for me is mostly one of convenience. When sharpening, I need to lay the boot down between passes in order to wipe and rotate the stone, then add another drop of oil to it. Then I need to pick up the boot again in my left hand to start the next pass.

I've been doing it that way for years with absolutely no problem. I thought that it would convenient to have the boot remain in one position while I fiddled with the sharpener between passes.

[tstop4me]

The advantage for me is mostly one of convenience. When sharpening, I need to lay the boot down between passes in order to wipe and rotate the stone, then add another drop of oil to it. Then I need to pick up the boot again in my left hand to start the next pass.

I've been doing it that way for years with absolutely no problem. I thought that it would convenient to have the boot remain in one position while I fiddled with the sharpener between passes.

If you want to maintain vertical orientation of the blade, you can simply clamp the skate holder to the edge of the bench, with the boot hanging off to the side.  Shown below is a C-clamp arrangement; but if you have a pro bench with a built-in horizontal vise, that would be a cinch.  With two backboards, you can flip the blade front-to-back.  If you don't need to flip, you can get by with one backboard.

[Bill_S]

I use the vertical orientation, although I have not tried the horizontal position that you use. I'd probably use it mounted to a bench as shown above just because that's what I am used to.

Last night I was laying in bed thinking about toggle clamps, and other "improvements". It's fun to dream, but probably wouldn't save significant time over what you show.

One thing that I will do is to bandsaw a curve on the outside edge of the clamp surface to match the blade profile. That's simple to do with a bandsaw, and probably easier to do than make the notch.

[tstop4me]

I use the vertical orientation, although I have not tried the horizontal position that you use. I'd probably use it mounted to a bench as shown above just because that's what I am used to.

Last night I was laying in bed thinking about toggle clamps, and other "improvements". It's fun to dream, but probably wouldn't save significant time over what you show.

One thing that I will do is to bandsaw a curve on the outside edge of the clamp surface to match the blade profile. That's simple to do with a bandsaw, and probably easier to do than make the notch.

Yeah, there are other simplifications you can do, if you have the right tools.  I used separate pieces for the clampbars and backboards only because I already had pieces with finished sides available for the clampbars (black walnut rails from an old Nordic Track X-Country ski exerciser; I just had to cut the rails to length and do the detail work).  In your shop, since you have equipment for precision finishing, you could make the backboard and clampbar from a single sheet of wood; no joining needed, and far more elegant.