Skate blade sharpening system with alignment visualization and adjustment

A method of aligning a grinding wheel to a sharpening position in a skate blade sharpening system, the sharpening position being occupied by a skate blade during sharpening, comprising:

• visually observing an area in which first and second visual reference features of the skate blade sharpening system are located, the first visual reference feature having a first predetermined location relative to a centerline of the skate blade position, the second visual reference feature being carried by a motor arm that also carries the grinding wheel, and the second visual reference feature having a second predetermined location relative to a centerline of the grinding wheel, the motor arm being movable transversely by an adjustment mechanism to vary a relative position between the grinding wheel and the skate blade position;
• and
• operating the adjustment mechanism while visually observing to bring the first visual reference feature into alignment with the second visual reference feature, thereby bringing the grinding wheel into an aligned position in which the centerline of the grinding wheel is aligned with the centerline of the skate blade position.