SKATE SHARPENING TOOL

Abstract

A skate sharpening tool for ice hockey and figure skating applications comprises a housing having a plurality of grooves configured to hold grinding rods in predetermined positions. The plurality of grinding rods are held within the grooves and positioned at an angle of 0.3 to 1 degree off from a skate blade reference plane, for smaller diameter rods to achieve the cutting effect of larger diameter rods. The grinding rods include at least a first rod for roughing operations with diamond grit, a second rod for smoothing operations with finer abrasives, and a third rod for polishing operations comprising porous material such as wood for diamond paste adhesion. A plurality of clamping screws adjust tightness of the tool onto skate blades of varying thickness. The off-angle positioning allows the tool to create multiple blade profiles and Radius of Hollow configurations while maintaining manageable tool size.

Claims

1. A skate sharpening tool comprising: a housing having a plurality of grooves configured to hold grinding rods in predetermined positions; a plurality of grinding rods held within the grooves, wherein said grinding rods are positioned at an angle of 0.3 to 1 degree off from a skate blade reference plane; wherein the plurality of grinding rods comprises at least a first rod for roughing operations, a second rod for smoothing operations, and a third rod for polishing operations; and a plurality of clamping screws for adjusting tightness of the tool onto a skate blade.

2. The skate sharpening tool of claim 1, wherein the housing is constructed from a rigid material selected from the group consisting of nylon plastic, metal, and fiber materials.

3. The skate sharpening tool of claim 1, wherein the grinding rods are arranged in a circular pattern within said housing to enable sequential access to each grinding rod during the sharpening process.

4. The skate sharpening tool of claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of grinding rods have a base material of metal and include diamond grit or abrasives applied using a Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) process.

5. The skate sharpening tool of claim 1, wherein the third rod for polishing operations comprises a porous material configured to retain diamond grinding paste on its surface.

6. The skate sharpening tool of claim 5, wherein the porous material is wood having adhesion properties suitable for retaining diamond paste.

7. The skate sharpening tool of claim 1, wherein the off-angle positioning of grinding rods enables smaller diameter rods to achieve the cutting effect of larger diameter rods.

8. The skate sharpening tool of claim 1, wherein the tool is adjustable to accommodate different skate blade thicknesses through the plurality of clamping screws.

9. The skate sharpening tool of claim 1, wherein different combinations of angles and diameters of said plurality of grinding rods create multiple blade profiles, including radius of hollow (ROH) configurations ranging from 7/16 inch to inch.

10. A method for sharpening a skate blade using a skate sharpening tool, comprising: placing the skate sharpening tool over the skate blade by aligning the skate blade through one of the insertion spaces of the housing, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of grooves that hold a plurality of grinding rods arranged in a circular pattern; wherein the grinding rods are positioned at angles between 0.3 to 1 degree off from a reference plane of the skate blade for effective hollow sharpening profile greater than the rod diameter; and adjusting the tightness of the tool onto the skate blade using a plurality of clamping screws to secure the tool in position during sharpening; performing a roughing process on the skate blade, followed by a smoothing process, and subsequently performing a polishing process to restore and refine the blade edge.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the roughing process comprising: cleaning the blade to remove dirt and rust from the edge of the blade; inserting the blade into the groove corresponding to a designated roughing rod; securing the tool to the blade using the clamping screws; moving the tool from one end of the blade to the other while applying pressure toward the blade; rolling the tool off the blade ends every three strokes to ensure even sharpening near the toe and heel; and repeating until a burr is formed on a side edge of the blade detectable by fingernail.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the smoothing process comprising: using the groove corresponding to a second grinding rod after the burr is formed; moving the tool in the same forward-and-back manner as the roughing process; and continuing until scratch marks are eliminated and a smoother blade surface is achieved, while retaining the burr.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the polishing process comprising: using the groove that holds a porous polishing rod; applying a diamond paste polishing compound to the blade edge; moving the tool back and forth under slight pressure until the blade surface turns black, indicating effective polishing; wiping and reapplying compound until the desired polish level is achieved; and removing the burr by placing a rectangular polishing stone on the side of the blade and pushing it toward the flat face of the blade.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the grinding rods are rotated during the roughing process to prevent clogging and maintain effectiveness.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the polishing compound is applied in pea-sized amounts and spread across the blade edge before tool movement.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the burr removal comprises placing the polishing stone parallel to the blade and moving the polishing stone from front to back.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein for skates having a rolled edge from die cutting, the polishing stone is placed at a slight angle during burr removal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The present invention is clearly understandable to those of ordinary skill in the art when descriptions of exemplary embodiments thereof are read with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] FIGS. 1 to 3 are perspective views of a skate sharpening tool according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] FIGS. 4A and 4B show a plurality of grooves of the tool of FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0020] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the housing of FIGS. 1 to 3 holding a plurality rods at a slight angle.

[0021] FIG. 6 is a schematic view depicting the Radius of Hollow between a grinding rod and a skate blade.

[0022] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the FIG. 2.

[0023] FIG. 8 is a schematic view depicting the movement of tool of FIGS. 1 to 3 from one end of a skate blade to the other end of the skate blade.

[0024] FIG. 9 is a schematic view depicting burr formation on a skate blade and removal of the burr using a polishing stone.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Terms such as plurality, about, approximately, and similar expressions should be given their ordinary meaning as understood by those skilled in the art. Directional terms such as longitudinal, perpendicular, and parallel are relative terms intended to describe general orientations rather than precise geometric relationships unless specifically noted.

[0026] Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, singular terms such as a, an, and the should be construed to include plural forms, and plural terms should be construed to include singular forms. For example, a grinding rod may refer to one or more grinding rods where appropriate.

[0027] Terms such as comprising, including, containing, and having are open-ended and should be interpreted to mean including but not limited to. These terms do not exclude the presence of additional elements, components, or method steps not specifically enumerated.

[0028] Relational terms such as first, second, upper, lower, front, rear, left, right, top, bottom, and similar designations are used for convenience of description and do not necessarily imply any particular spatial orientation, sequence, or hierarchy unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0029] The use of alternative language such as or, either, and alternatively should be understood to encompass all possible combinations and permutations unless the context clearly indicates mutual exclusivity. For example, metal or plastic includes metal, plastic, or combinations thereof.

[0030] The present invention provides a skate sharpening tool comprising a housing with multiple grinding rods positioned at specific angles to enable a three-stage sharpening process: roughing, smoothing, and polishing. The tool is adjustable to accommodate different blade thicknesses and can create various blade profiles through the strategic positioning of grinding rods at off-angles from the blade reference plane. Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a skate sharpening tool 100 is disclosed according to an embodiment of the present invention. The tool comprises a housing 101 constructed from rigid materials such as nylon plastic, metal, or fiber materials to provide necessary structural integrity. According to an exemplary embodiment, the housing 101 contains a plurality of grooves 102 configured to hold a plurality of grinding rods 103A, 103B, and 103C in predetermined positions that optimize the sharpening process. The housing material provides sufficient structural integrity to maintain rod positioning during sharpening operations while remaining lightweight and cost-effective. In some aspects, the housing 101 may also be constructed from fiber materials or any other rigid material that provides necessary rigidity to the tool 100.

[0031] As illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the grinding rods 103A, 103B, and 103C are arranged in a circular pattern within the housing, with each rod designated for specific operations. The plurality of grinding rods 103 are held in position in the housing 101 in a circular pattern to enable three distinct steps of sharpening process. This arrangement includes: a first rod 103A for roughing operations (R); a second rod 103B for smoothening operations (S); and a third rod 103C for polishing operations (P). The circular pattern allows sequential access to each grinding stage while maintaining optimal rod positioning for effective material removal and surface finishing.

[0032] This arrangement enables sequential access to each grinding stage while maintaining proper rod positioning. Referring to FIG. 5, the grinding rods 103 are positioned at a slight angle of 0.3 to 1 degree off from the skate blade reference plane, wherein the off-angle configuration allows the grinding rods 103A, 103B, and 103C to cut a larger effective diameter than their actual physical diameter, as demonstrated in FIG. 6 showing the Radius of Hollow relationship between the grinding rod and a skate blade 106. The slight angle may vary in different embodiments of the invention. Appropriate angular positioning allows the grinding rods 103 to cut a larger diameter than the diameter of the grinding rod 103 which is required for the skate blade. The angle positioning enables significantly smaller diameters than may otherwise allow, ensuring the tool 100 size is manageable and the cost reasonable. Different angles can be implemented to create various blade profiles, such as using a larger angle than 0.50 degree to achieve an effective diameter that matches a Radius of Hollow ROH of 2 instead of a ROH 7/16.

[0033] According to an embodiment, the base material of two of the plurality of grinding rods 103 is metal, providing the structural foundation for abrasive attachment. The metal base ensures durability and dimensional stability during grinding operations while providing adequate strength for the forces encountered in blade sharpening.

[0034] In certain aspect, the tool 100 includes a plurality of clamping screws 104, as shown in FIG. 7, that enable adjustment of tool tightness on skate blades 106 of varying thickness, thereby allowing a single tool to accommodate different types of skates, providing versatility for multiple users with different equipment specifications.

[0035] In one aspect, the first grinding rod 103A and the second grinding rod 103B comprise a metal substrate base with abrasive material applied using a Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) process, or equivalent industrial methods. These processes ensure firm cohesion between the abrasive particles and the rod body, providing durability, extended abrasive life, and consistent material removal during sharpening. The first grinding rod 103A is primarily used during the roughing process. It is positioned at a precise angle relative to the skate blade reference plane (between approximately 0.3 to 1) to generate a hollow profile that is wider than the rod diameter. During operation, the tool 100 is mounted to the blade 106, as shown in FIG. 8, using clamping screws 104, which are tightened via a T-handle tool or similar mechanism to apply sufficient pressure for controlled engagement without impeding tool movement. The tool 100 is then smoothly rolled from the heel to the toe of the blade while the first rod 103A abrasively engages the hollow. Every third stroke, the tool 100 is intentionally rolled off both ends of the blade 106 by lifting slightly, ensuring material removal reaches the blade 106 extremities and avoiding undesired rounding. To prevent clogging from metal debris, the grinding rod 103A should be periodically rotated either by twisting the tool or manually turning the rod between strokes, exposing fresh abrasive surface. The roughing stage continues until a continuous burr forms along both sides of the blade, indicating that adequate metal removal has occurred.

[0036] In a specific aspect, the second grinding rod 103B, configured for smoothing operations, is composed of a finer-grit abrasive material bonded to a similar metal substrate. After burr formation, the user reorients or rotates the tool 100 to engage the smoothing side (S), maintaining the blade 106 in the same position. In one aspect, the smoothing process follows the same motion pattern as roughing but utilizes the finer abrasive of rod 103B to eliminate roughing marks and surface scratches. The smoothing process aims to produce a uniform, satin-like finish along the blade hollow without disturbing the burr formed earlier. Care must be taken during smoothing to avoid contact with the blade sidewalls to preserve burr integrity. In an exemplary embodiment, upon achieving a consistent surface texture, the tool 100 is repositioned to engage the third rod 103C for polishing operations. Rod 103C is composed of a porous substrate, such as wood or equivalent material, optimized to retain diamond paste. A small quantity of diamond polishing compound is applied to the blade edge, and the tool is moved back and forth with moderate pressure, allowing the compound to penetrate and refresh the polishing interface. As polishing continues, the blade surface develops a characteristic blackened appearance from fine metal particle suspension, indicating active polishing. This residue is wiped away and the cycle is repeated multiple times (e.g., 3-5) until a mirror-like finish is achieved across the blade hollow. After polishing, all residue is removed using appropriate solvents. Finally, as shown in FIG. 9, a rectangular polishing stone is used to remove the burr by placing it against the blade side and pressing inward toward the flat face while moving along the blade length. This operation cleanly shears away the burr, completing the sharpening process and restoring sharp, clean edges.

[0037] In another embodiment, the tool 100 may utilize only two of the three steps. Using the off-angle design housing, a user may use only the steps of roughing and smoothing, thereby providing a sharpening process for applications where full three-stage processing is not required. Alternatively, the tool 100 can be configured for only the smoothing and polishing stages, such that the product may have a wider appeal to many users and have lower starting price points. This configuration is suitable for maintenance sharpening of blades in good condition. The two-stage configurations enable the product to have wider appeal to many users and provide lower starting price points while maintaining the fundamental off-angle design advantages and professional sharpening capabilities.

[0038] In an embodiment, the tool 100 includes space 105 to place blade 106, providing proper positioning and alignment during sharpening operations. This space is configured to accommodate standard skate blade geometries while maintaining optimal grinding rod contact. In some aspects, the housing 100 incorporates markings for roughing side (R), smoothening side (S), and polishing side (P) for user identification. These markings may be specified with an indication for identification by a user, ensuring proper tool orientation during each stage of the sharpening process.

[0039] The three stage process including roughing, smoothing, and polishing of the tool 100 not only resharpens the blade edge but also refines the hollow of the blade while allowing it to restore severely damaged blades to a like-new condition. This capability extends the tool's utility beyond basic maintenance sharpening.

[0040] According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for sharpening a skate blade using a skate sharpening tool is disclosed. The skate sharpening tool used is the tool disclosed in preceding embodiments. The skate sharpening tool 100 comprising a housing 101 constructed from rigid materials such as nylon, metal, or fiber, containing a plurality of grooves 102 that hold grinding rods 103A, 103B, and 103C in a circular pattern at angles of 0.3 to 1 degree off from the blade reference plane, wherein the first rod 103A serves the roughing side (R) with metal base material and diamond grit applied via Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) process, the second rod 103B serves the smoothening side (S) with similar construction but finer abrasives, and the third rod 103C serves the polishing side (P) comprising porous material such as wood for diamond paste adhesion, along with a plurality of clamping screws 104 for adjustable tightness accommodation of varying blade thicknesses, a T-handle tool may be utilized for securing the tool to the blade 106, space 105 for blade placement, a rectangular polishing stone for burr removal, diamond paste polishing compound, and wiping means for cleaning, all working together to enable the three-stage sharpening process of roughing, smoothing, and polishing while creating and subsequently removing burrs to achieve razor-sharp blade edges. The method of sharpening comprises three process including roughing process, smoothing process and polishing process.

[0041] In roughing process, the method involves thorough cleaning of a skate blade 106 to remove accumulated dirt, rust, ice residue, and oxidation that may interfere with the sharpening process. A lint-free cloth or specialized blade cleaning solution is applied to the entire blade surface, with particular attention to the cutting edge where material buildup commonly occurs. The blade is wiped in a longitudinal direction from heel to toe to avoid cross-contamination of debris. In one embodiment, the skate sharpening tool 100 is oriented with the roughing side (R) clearly identified through housing markings. The skate blade 106 is inserted into the corresponding groove 102 associated with the first grinding rod 103A. The blade 106 must be positioned so that its longitudinal axis aligns with the groove centreline for consistent contact across the entire blade length.

[0042] Using the plurality of clamping screws 104, the tool 100 is secured to the blade with sufficient tightness to prevent slippage while allowing smooth movement along the blade length. The clamping force is adjusted using a T-handle tool or similar mechanism to achieve optimal pressuretight enough to maintain consistent contact but not so tight as to restrict tool movement or cause blade damage. Then, the tool 100 is moved from the heel end of the blade 106 to the toe end in a smooth. During this stroke, the grinding rod 103A contacts the blade hollow, thereby removing metal through abrasive action. Every third stroke, the tool 100 must be deliberately rolled off both ends of the blade to ensure material removal extends to the blade extremities. The rolling action prevents the formation of rounded blade ends that would compromise skating performance. The rolling motion involves lifting the tool slightly at each blade end and allowing it to follow the blade contour completely. During the roughing process, the first grinding rod 103A should be periodically rotated to prevent clogging of the abrasive surface with metal particles. The rotation can be achieved by slightly twisting the tool during strokes or by manually rotating the rod between stroke sequences. Fresh abrasive surface contact maintains optimal cutting efficiency. The roughing process continues with repeated strokes until a distinct burr forms along the side edges of the blade. Burr formation is critical as it confirms that the hollow has been properly established.

[0043] In smoothing process, upon achieving proper burr formation, the tool 100 is repositioned to utilize the smoothing side (S) corresponding to the second grinding rod 103B. The blade 106 remains in position while the tool 100 is rotated or adjusted to engage the finer abrasive rod designed for surface refinement. Using identical motion patterns established during roughing, the tool 100 is moved along the blade length with the second grinding rod 103B in contact with the blade hollow. According to an embodiment, the smoothing process specifically targets the removal of scratch marks and tool marks left by the roughing operation. Visual inspection of the blade hollow should show progressive elimination of coarse scratches, replaced by finer surface texture. The process continues until the blade hollow exhibits a uniform, satin-like finish free from visible roughing marks. Throughout the smoothing stage, the burr created during roughing must be deliberately preserved. The smoothing action should not extend to the blade sides where the burr exists. This requires the tool control to maintain contact only with the blade hollow while avoiding the side edges. The smoothing process is complete when the blade hollow demonstrates consistent surface quality along its entire length, with scratch patterns uniform in direction and depth.

[0044] In polishing step, the method involves adjusting the tool 100 to engage the polishing side (P) utilizing the third grinding rod 103C, which comprises porous material optimized for diamond paste retention. The rod 103C, typically made of wood or similar porous substrate, provides the foundation for mirror polishing operations. For instance, a pea-sized amount (approximately 2-3 mm diameter) of diamond paste polishing compound is applied directly to the blade edge. The tool is moved back and forth along the blade length with moderate pressure while the diamond paste creates polishing action between the porous rod 103C and the blade surface. The paste penetrates the porous rod material, creating a continuously refreshed polishing surface.

[0045] As polishing progresses, the blade surface begins to exhibit a characteristic blackening effect caused by fine metal particles suspended in the diamond paste. In one aspect, the blackening indicates active polishing action and proper paste distribution. When blackening appears uniform across the blade hollow, the first polishing cycle is complete. In one aspect, the blackened compound is wiped away using a clean, lint-free cloth, revealing the polished surface underneath. Fresh diamond paste is applied and the polishing process repeated. Multiple cycles (typically 3-5) may be necessary to achieve desired mirror finish quality. The polishing process continues until the blade hollow achieves mirror-like reflectivity with minimal surface imperfections visible under normal lighting conditions.

[0046] In one aspect, the method involves thoroughly removing all diamond paste residue from the blade surface using appropriate solvents or cleaning agents. Complete compound removal is essential to prevent contamination during subsequent use and to reveal the true quality of the polished surface.

[0047] In an exemplary embodiment, the method further includes utilizing a polishing stone with appropriate grit for burr removal. The stone dimensions should provide adequate surface area for controlled contact with the blade side while allowing precise manipulation. The polishing stone is placed against the side of the blade edge, positioned parallel to the blade's flat face. The stone orientation must be controlled appropriately to avoid damage to the newly polished hollow while effectively removing the burr. Once placed in appropriate position, the stone is pushed toward the flat face of the blade using controlled pressure while moving from the blade heel to toe. This motion shears away the burr material while preserving the sharp edge geometry. The process is repeated on both sides of the blade to ensure complete burr removal.

[0048] For skates with rolled edges from die-cutting manufacturing processes, the polishing stone may be positioned at a slight angle to the blade face, such that effective burr removal is achieved while accommodating the rolled edge geometry. The edge should demonstrate consistent sharpness along its entire length with no residual burr material.

[0049] In specific embodiment, based on skating requirements and user preferences, specific grinding rod angle and diameter combinations are selected. For example, angles exceeding 0.5 degrees with standard rod diameters can create Radius of Hollow (ROH) instead of the standard 7/16 ROH. In some aspects, the housing 101 is adjusted or alternative grinding rods are installed to achieve the desired profile geometry.

[0050] The foregoing detailed description and embodiments are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. While specific materials, dimensions, angles, and processes have been described, it should be understood that these represent preferred embodiments and that various modifications, substitutions, and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. The described embodiments are exemplary in nature and are not exhaustive of all possible configurations within the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that numerous variations and modifications of the described embodiments are possible while remaining within the inventive concept disclosed herein.

[0051] References to specific materials such as nylon, metal, fiber, and wood should be understood as exemplary rather than limiting. Other materials having similar properties and characteristics may be substituted without departing from the invention. Similarly, specific dimensional ranges, angles, and measurements provided are illustrative of preferred embodiments but should not be construed as absolute limitations.

[0052] Further, the described sharpening processes and operational sequences represent preferred methods of practicing the invention. Alternative process sequences, modified operational parameters, and variations in technique may be employed while achieving substantially the same results through substantially the same means.

[0053] The scope of the invention is to be determined solely by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the specific embodiments described in the detailed description. The detailed description serves to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the invention but should not be used to limit the scope of protection sought in the claims.