 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm sure this has been extensively covered elsewhere, but these topics seem to become very tecnhnical and complicated very quickly, so apologies for any duplication.
My son (10) skis on plastic every week, does a little racing, and has up until now been either rubbing dry wax on his skis (slopeside) or clamping them into the B&D workbench, spreading wax and wielding the iron over them, so I think he's got the waxing angle covered ... but his edges seem to get very blunt very quickly, and I'm thinking that maybe it's time he moved on to the full mullarkey ...
Can anyone tell me in words which I (a female strictly non-kithead with no interest in tools) will understand, what he needs to do, and with what? and is this something an enthusiastic 10-year old should be let loose on or is he likely to damage himself, the house or his skis (or all 3)? 
(oh, and he needs new skis too - 140s - anything suitable out there and surplus to requirements?).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I'd say he at least needs a tool to keep the outside bit of his edges sharp. But this is a tool on its own, to make it work you also need "stones" (these are like industrial strength emery paper) and sort of polishes and sharpens.
If he wanted to he could also get a tool that sharpens the bottom bit of the edges - the same stones will fit into this tool - but these edges tend not to need doing as frequently.
At ten, you might not want him to get a file (which also fits into the tools) onto the metal as they can damage the edges if not done right.
If he can wax his skis then the sharpening is dead easy.
BTW, the better tools have fixed angles built into them - so you need to decide what angles you need. I'd suggest a 2* angle on the side bits and 1* on the bottom bits.
Does this make sense?
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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veeeight, will there be many other ten year olds on those courses?
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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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Maybe not 10 year olds, but I have seen 15 year olds
(if you don't ask you don't get)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Start him off with one of the pocket edge tools with fixed angles as suggested above (ideally you need to know what the factory edge angles are on his skis) Make sure it only has a fine file in it, as some come with quite course files which will quickly remove his edges. If he is using his skis on plastic the edges will go very quickly so I would suggest that you start off by having them professionally sharpened then regularly using the pocket edge tool should be enough to keep some degree of edge on the skis without him doing any major damage. Once he has the hang of it there are lots of other items available and if you do a search on here under ski servicing it will bring up several in depth threads.
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marc gledhill, just about comprehensible, thanks!
veeeight, he's got his first week's race camp coming up so I think I'll leave it till after that. In the meantime I'll investigate the pocket tool suggestion, thanks everyone. And hadn't really conisdered this as a career option! - may come in useful when he realises he spent his schooldays daydreaming about being a racer when he grows up!! 
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umm ... how do I find out what the edge angles of his skis are? and where can you buy the pocket sharpener thingies?
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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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What ski's does he have?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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thanks very much for all the advice ... I've never dared look in the 'tools' section of Bartlett's before, and it seems my apprehension was well founded - page after page of mysterious pieces of engineering ... is this the sort of thing? http://www.skibartlett.com/product_details.asp?intID=208 (hopes that turns into a link  )
ski, good point about over enthusiastic sharpening - I'll have to warn him.
marc gledhill, I distinctly said I WASN'T a kithead !!!! I don't know ... ex-rental salomon somethings for plastic, rossignol something elses rather better for snow. It's the plastic ones that are getting the weekly battering. I will look at them and ring Bartletts, presumably they may know.
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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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poma, That's the sort of thing..although you would be much better off with one of these...http://www.skibartlett.com/product_details.asp?intID=213.. and a file.
Give them a ring, or visit...
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He really doesn't want to be concerned about angles at this stage. If will be enough for him to get a good edge first and not do too much too soon.
And it isn't in the ski slopes interest to have too many sharp edges as it will shave the mat and reduce the life etc...can't see that being too popular...!!
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You know it makes sense.
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Do ppl rate those little toko pocket tools - the yellow grey foldout ones? I've found that they are handy for edge touching up whilst on holiday.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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poma, All this fuss about edge angles is pointless. Unless you're a WC skier you can't turn a pair of skis on a hanging edge (less than 90 deg). Get a simple tool with a 90 deg edge angle that holds the file. done. No probs, no hassle!
Plasticv does wear out your edges much more quickly than snow.
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Poster: A snowHead
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easiski, I can't believe you just said that 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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easiski, bug, mine are 89* so I've had it. 
Most of the club skiiers I've spoken to use 87*, but I've shied away from that so far.
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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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easiski, just a minute, if there's a base bevel on that ski he'd be running at 91*+?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| marc gledhill wrote: |
| easiski, just a minute, if there's a base bevel on that ski he'd be running at 91*+? |
Shouldn't that be 89?
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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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rob@rar.org.uk, nope - if the edge is 90* from horizontal and the base (say) 1* up from horizontal then the angle between the two edges is 91*.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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marc gledhill, yes, you're right! 3D visualisation is a bit tricky for me to manage this morning 
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Wouldn't want to be buying these 2nd hand skis then...!!
I'm with Easiski on this, too much obsessing on this subject IMV
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I knew this would happen ...
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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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