 Poster: A snowHead
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Now if we were to be talking ice hockey skates, I could bore you guys for hours on the differences between angles and radius etc. However I know next to nothing about ski edges and want to learn. I have ground my own skate edges for twenty plus years as I know what I like and know that I can use them strait after a grind.
I'm not a spring chicken and only relatively recently learned to ski, although I have to admit that 40 years of hockey was a pretty good base for experience. I would say that I was intermediate maybe getting to good intermediate and want to make the best of what time I can get between now and arthritis 
So can anyone help with the explanations on edge angles, Radius' etc
I have Volkl Tigershark 175's that I bought second hand from a good skier. He was my height, and being younger a bit heavier with muscle bulk as opposed to just weight.
I am 82kg and 183cms (6'-1" and 12.5 stones in old money)
I would be grateful for all insite into this.
I have also purchased a Toko Ergo Tuner Pro which I intend to learn how to use correctly, hence the questions.
Kind regards to you all.
Nigel
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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1 deg base angle and 2 degree side angle job done...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Nige03, hi and welcome! According to Jon's comprehensive list: http://www.jonsskituning.co.uk/content/view/31/41/ the default for Volkl is a base edge angle of 1 degree and side edge angle of 2 degrees, but you should check it before tuning. This should be fine for recreational use, though you could increase the side edge angle to 3 degrees if you want to.
The radius is to do with the side cut of the ski and is probably written on them somewhere. It is the size of the circle you would get if you put them on edge and moved them around a central point, like using a compass at school.
Skiing is generally pretty easy to get the hang of for skaters, as there's a fair bit of crossover. Get some decent lessons and you'll be fine.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Scarlet, on the grounds that - apart from a similar dynamic balance and a familiarity with sliding around - skiing is a rubbish basis for skating, I don't see how the opposite would work well.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hi Scarlet
Balance definitely
Bent knees for power in skating, absorbing bumps and driving the edges seems to be very similar. Stopping was very easy for me. I had to learn how to snowplough as opposed to a parallel stop which I could do from the outset. The edges work pretty much the same as far as I can see however, I know I have a lot to learn and I am enjoying learning.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Tue 28-04-15 12:47; edited 1 time in total
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Thanks for all your replys and welcomes. I really appreciate them  . Anything else that can be added to help me please add, links etc.
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If buying new skis you don't really want to do much with them. If you have a base edge tuner you could get it to a uniform 1 degree but as the link I put up says all skis come with some sort of angle which is all you really need afaik. You may want to increase the edge angle to a 2 or 3 depending on how hard you drive the ski.
If buying used it's slightly more tricky because you can't be sure how they have been maintained. The article suggests you have a base grind to get them set just right or you use a base edge tool. Personally I have up to now opted for cheapskate option of wrapping something around the file to create some sort of edge. You then just get your side edges to your required angle.
When I first started DIY servicing I set the side angle to 1 and both me and the missus found it was nowhere near enough on hard compact snow. So I went up to 2 and now 3. But we are advanced skiers using all mountain skis so we really need that grippy edge.
When buying skis I haven't taken a great deal of notice of the radius. I have always skied all mountain skis. One thing I look out for is stiffness. Even though I'm an advance skier and I am tall and light framed so I can't drive a real stiff ski. I have stepped up to a wider ski recently as manufacturing technology means they can still cut doing fairly short radius turns whilst giving that extra float in powder and extra beef in crud. I don't do much park so don't need any whizz for that.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Layne, the article states that you should always get a base grind if the skis aren't new, which sounds like overkill to me. Second hand skis still may only have had a few days' use, rather than be totally trashed.
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| Scarlet wrote: |
| @Layne, the article states that you should always get a base grind if the skis aren't new, which sounds like overkill to me. Second hand skis still may only have had a few days' use, rather than be totally trashed. |
It doesn't. It says:
if used treat the skis or snowboard to a base grind at your local quality workshop.
But if you are tuning your own equipment, a good quality (i.e. NOT plastic!) base file guide will allow you to set a perfect base edge angle.
IF you cannot afford a base file guide....
So 3 options.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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There is absolutely nothing wrong with a plastic base edge guide & any retailer touting a metal base guide as superior is on the make. A base edge guide is merely an accurate way of shimming up the end of the cutting tool (alu-oxide/metal file/diamond file etc) to a consistent angle. It's the stiffness/quality of the cutting tool used in the guide that's important as if that flexes then the angle then cut will vary.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@spyderjon, Too true. I have used the plastic base angle guides for almost 10 years; if you are pressuring a quality file (metal or diamond) in the guide then as you say, all the guide is doing is acting as a shim 
For the record, I set all my skis from SL to fat powder to 1 degree base and 3 degrees edge angle. I found the grip on ice and hardback to be much improved. BUT... if you skid all your turns then you may find the enhanced grip to be a little aggressive.
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FAQ
he tuned my 