Figure Skate Sharpening
Sharpening figure skates is more complicated than hockey skates. The extra cost stems from the added equipment and time required to ensure proper contact, protection for your toe pick, and correct blade sharpening. Additionally, figure skate steel usually has a chrome coating you want to maintain during deburring. All of this increases the time required to sharpen each pair of skates.
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When you inspect the bottom of your blade, you might notice a small portion that remains unsharpened. This unsharpened portion, often called a 'Dead Zone' or 'No Skate Zone,' is a normal and expected result of your sharpening.
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It's not a sign of poor workmanship or a damaged blade. In fact, it's a feature that comes about as you protect your drop pick from the sharpening wheel. The size of this unsharpened zone will vary from blade to blade due to different profiles. It's perfectly normal to see different-sized zones depending on the blade brand.
When I sharpen your figure skates for the first time, I will measure the contact point for your blade-specific profile. This ensures that I provide accurate sharpening coverage without jeopardizing your drop pick. Your equipment is in safe hands, and you can be confident that it will be returned to you in the best possible condition. As a result, you will always have a small unsharpened zone on your blades, which is entirely normal and a sign of the care taken during the sharpening process.
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