Abstract: A guide assembly for an ice skate sharpener cooperates with a template of a desired contour of a skate blade to control the relative disposition of a sharpening wheel and a skate blade. The guide assembly comprises a base and a carriage slidably mounted on the base so as to be moveable, relative to said base, along a predefined path. A support is provided for connection to a skateholder. The support is connected to the carriage to permit movement of a skateholder in a direction normal to the path. The support inhibits relative movement between the carriage and a skateholder in a direction parallel to said path. A follower connected between the skateholder and template, control movement of the skateholder in a direction normal to the path as the carriage is moved along said predefined path. The skateholder therefore follow the contour of the template.

Abstract: A sharpening apparatus (16) for a blade-like cutting implement. The sharpening apparatus has an elongate body (18) and a cutting edge extending widthwise across one end of the body (11) at a predetermined angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the body (11). The cutting edge is formed by an inclined face formed on one side face of the body. The apparatus includes a cradle (26) for holding a blade-like implement to be sharpened and a mounting body for mounting the cradle (26) relative to a grinding surface. The cradle is mounted on a pair of guide rails (22, 24) for movement along a rectilinear path, the cradle including first and second rail followers slidably connected to a first and second of the guide rails respectively. The cradle (26) includes a seat for locating the blade-like implement at a reselected reference position on the cradle (26) such that the cutting edge of the implement to be sharpened is located parallel to said rectilinear path.

Abstract: A device and method for contouring and sharpening an ice skate blade. The device uses a fixture for holding the ice skate. The fixture employs retractable depending cam rollers to be guided by cam templates recessed into the top surface of the table of the machine. The cam templates are coverable when not in use, thus increasing the usefulness of the top surface of the table. The grinding wheel is movable into and away from the fixture. One of the cam rollers is mounted to an eccentric wheel for pitching the ice skate blade in relation to the grinding wheel. The method comprises the steps of clamping a skate into the fixture, retractably depending or lowering the cam rollers to engage the cam templates in the table of the machine, adjusting the cam roller by operating the eccentric to achieve the desired pitch, moving the grinding wheel to the fixture holding the ice skate and contouring or sharpening the ice skate.