Portable, hand-held skate blade polishing device and method of polishing a skate blade

Abstract

A device for preparing a skate blade for use polishes a bottom surface of a skate blade to improve the glidability of the skate. The device includes a polishing surface for polishing the skate blade, blade guides having an opening therebetween for supporting the skate blade while the skate blade is being polished by the polishing surface, and a frame for holding the polishing surface and the blade guides. To polish a skate blade, a polishing compound is applied to the polishing surface, the skate blade is placed in the opening of the blade guides such that the bottom surface of the skate blade contacts the polishing surface, and the skate blade is slid against the polishing surface, while applying a downward force to press the skate blade against the polishing surface, until the bottom surface of the skate obtains a desired polished state.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A device for preparing a skate blade for use, comprising: 
 a polishing surface for polishing a bottom blade surface of the skate blade;    a pair of blade guides having an opening therebetween for supporting the skate blade while the bottom blade surface of the skate blade is being polished by the polishing surface; and    a frame for holding the polishing surface and the blade guides.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one set screw for adjusting a width of the opening of the blade guides.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of blade guides define at least one access port for applying a polishing compound onto the polishing surface.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the blade guides comprise a phenolic material.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the polishing surface comprises a felt woven material with a polyurethane impregnation.  
     
     
         6 . A method of preparing a skate blade for use, comprising: 
 providing a skate blade polishing device having a polishing surface for polishing a bottom blade surface of the skate blade, and blade guides having an opening therebetween for supporting the skate blade;    applying a polishing compound to the polishing surface;    placing the skate blade in an opening of the blade guides such that the bottom blade surface of the skate blade contacts the polishing surface; and    while applying a downward force to press the bottom blade surface of the skate blade against the polishing surface, sliding the skate blade against the polishing surface until the bottom blade surface of the skate blade obtains a desired polished state.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising applying a quantity of a lubricant to the polishing surface prior to sliding the skate blade against the polishing surface.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein sliding the skate blade against the polishing surface comprises sliding the skate blade back and forth along the polishing surface  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein a rate of sliding the skate blade against the polishing surface is 6 to 8 complete strokes per 5 seconds of time, one complete stroke being a slide up and back.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , further including adjusting a width of the opening of the blade guides wherein the skate blade is placed.