Skate Sharpeners in South Florida

[skatespin]

Does anyone know of any good skate sharpeners currently working in the South Florida area? I and a lot of other skaters used to go to Tim Burt at the Coral Springs rink even though that was not our club rink, but he stopped working there months ago. I think I saw that he now works at a rink in Tampa, FL, but that is a very far drive (over 4 hours).

The skate sharpeners in my area are younger/less experienced and I've heard a lot of mixed stuff. I have used one of them a few times, because I had to and I would not use them again if I can avoid it. My last sharpening was decent because I was out of state and got it done there. I don't want to mail my skates to someone else because that seems so expensive and problematic.

I know less about the rinks in West Palm Beach/Lake Worth, and I was thinking that they must have someone that the skaters at those rinks use, but I don't really know any skaters or coaches at those rinks for me to ask.

If there is a good sharpener up there, the rinks are about 45 min/1 hour away with no traffic so it wouldn't be the end of the world to go skate up there once a month and get my blades sharpened by someone who won't wreck my gold seals. Also, if there is someone in Miami or Broward that would work as well.

If anyone has any info, it would be very appreciated!

[AgnesNitt]

I don't know about sharpeners in FLA, but Tim Burt seems to move from rink to rink a bit (search on skatingforums, people have been looking for him after moves since 2004). He's regarded as such a superior sharpener it would be nice if someone could post where he's lighted this time.

[skatespin]

I know he worked in the VA/DC area prior to coming to Florida, I think he was at Ashburn Ice House. That's a good rink, I skated there when I was living in the area for a few months. Now I believe he is at the Ice Sports Forum in Tampa, FL (I think its the home rink of the Tampa Bay Lightning). That's what I've heard at least, it could probably be easily verified with a call to the pro-shop, but it's at least four hours away, so I don't see myself going there unless I was in the area for some reason.

[alan]

But who is sharpening in Coral Springs now?

[davincisop]

I know Randy Davis is at Space Coast Ice Arena. I've heard a few things recently that worry me that he might possibly be retiring soon (getting older and his skills might be going) but he is someone I trusted for years to take care of my skates until I was at RDV. Now we all just send our skates with Brian Kader.

https://www.facebook.com/thebladeguy/