SHARPENER USE & COMPATIBILITY

How many cycles should I run?

Not sure if you ran enough cycles? Use the Marker Test to quickly check if your skates are fully sharpened—perfect for when your edges feel dull or you're switching grinding rings.

Why is it necessary to adjust height?

The grinding ring height needs to be adjusted because steel comes in many different heights (not talking about thickness). Some steel is taller than typical steel so that players can make lower/tighter turns without the skate boot hitting the ice.

Why doesn't the grinding ring produce sparks?

The most significant factor is the grinding ring used by Sparx. Our grinding ring is made with a completely different material than a traditional grinding wheel. We're using a synthetic diamond abrasive. This different abrasive material results in a

Does your sharpener do cross-grinding?

The cross-grind rings are only compatible with our PS100 and PS200 commercial model sharpeners. To sharpen new steel, damaged steel or change hollows, we recommend using whichever Grinding Ring you prefer and sharpening 10 cycles. We recommend usin

What is the largest skate the Sparx can sharpen?

The Sparx Sharpener will fit up to a size adult 13 in a player skate - max goalie skate size is size 11, although we have been able to successfully sharpen some styles of size 12 goalie skates. For figure skates, it is somewhere in the neighborhood o

Which direction should the skate face?

Both ways will work. We previously advised toe to the left because it is typically easier to judge your contact point on the heel than it is on the toe. But, with most skates we see demoing in the field, their toes have been worn down so much we need

How to adjust Grinding Ring height

Turning the toe to the right will allow you to sharpen a little higher on the toe without causing an over-current error. Most hockey player skates are somewhere between a 5 and 7 for the height setting. One way to figure out where the grinding wheel

How often do I need to replace the air filter?

You will need to replace your air filter approximately every 4 Grinding Rings. The air filter button will illuminate to let you know when it needs to be changed.

Can you sharpen coated steel?

Yes, the Sparx sharpener does a great job of sharpening coated steel blades. Please note, a traditional honing stone will scratch the coating on coated steel, so we recommend using a rubberized stone and a leather strop to deburr. We offer both the r

Goalie Skates

The Sparx sharpener does a great job of sharpening goalie skates! If your goalie skates have a cowling, you will need to install goalie risers to sharpen your skates - they come included in the box. If you have the new cowling-free style of goalie sk

Figure Skates

We offer the Figure Skate Adapter - Sparx Sharpener 2/Sparx Sharpener 3. This Figure Skate Adaptor is compatible with the Sparx Sharpener 2 and 3. With the Figure Skate Adapter in place, Sparx can sharpen most traditional, flat-sided blades. Sparx

Carbonlite Steel

The Sparx Sharpener can sharpen Carbonlite steel with excellent results. Just make sure to clamp onto the steel portion of the blade, not the carbon section, due to the blade’s construction (a combination of steel and carbon fiber with a rib down the

Flare Blades

Yes, we can sharpen this type of steel. Just make sure that you clamp the blade on the flat part of the steel before the steel begins to flare. Due to the taper of Flare blades they are not compatible with our original Edge Checker or Sparx BEAM™. Pl

Speed Skates

Unfortunately, we cannot sharpen speed skates.

Fly-X Blades

Bauer Fly-X blades are compatible with the Sparx Sharpener. To utilize our standard blade holder for this type of steel it's important to note that while the blade holder may only slightly secure the steel and might not feel very tight, as long as t

Figure Skate Compatibility

With the figure skate adapter in place, Sparx can sharpen most traditional, flat-sided blades. Sparx is not compatible with the multiple-piece, side-honed, tapered, or parabolic blades often used in competitive skating. The Figure Skate Adapter - Sp

Goalie/Sled Blade Holder

If you have extra sets of goalie steel we offer two versions of a Goalie Blade Holder. A version for 3mm steel, and a wide version for 4mm steel. These blade holders can make sharpening extra sets of goalie steel much more convenient!. For more inf

Can the Sparx Sharpener Profile a Skate?

Our machine does not profile skates. However, it maintains the skate's profile throughout the lifespan of the steel due to its consistent pressure during sharpening.

Hit Higher on the Toe

To achieve a high contact point on the toe without causing the sharpener to throw an over-current error, we recommend sharpening toe right. This method takes into account the rotation direction of the grinding wheel. When the wheel spins counterclock