 Poster: A snowHead
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HI All.
Until a few months ago I used to be one of the Imaging Specialists for Olympus microscopy division (UK + MEA) and I've just seen a post on something I always meant to do for a laugh.
I was going to stick my skis under my own microscope but someone has taken it to the extreme and stuck ski edges under a LEXT confocal materials measurement system.
There are some interesting results
http://www.slideshare.net/OlympusIMS/evaluating-the-sharpness-of-ski-edges-with-digital-microscopy?sf43244063=1
You may need a Linkedin account to access it. But the slide summary is in the text.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@GlasgowCyclops, An interesting article. It is good to see all that time spent with diamond files and stones was worth while 
Now someone just needs to develop a handheld device you just run along your edges, and it performs a wireless transfer the data/image to your smartphone / tablet / laptop etc.
I didn't appear to need Linkedin to view the slides, but I have one so there may have been some auto log on going on.
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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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@GlasgowCyclops,
Agreed it is very interesting, being techie would have been nice to see diff between diamond stone and say a ceramic, ( I have a set of diamond stones for finishing but always keep looking at getting a set of ceramic stones, so info would have been nice ).
@PowderAdict,
How about a handheld that not only scans but calculates the best finish and does it in one go 
Yes I know lazy but hey anything that can max slope time is worth considering.
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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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Thanks for the link, made some interesting reading.
I'm a bit of an mechanical/manufacturing/quality engineering nut and I have been trying to quantify or measure the "sharpness" of a ski edge. (I service my own skis)
Here goes my pure theory:- (ignoring the actual angles debate...)
1) If you machine/grind/diamond file the base, then the sides you will get a raised edge facing south. i.e. digging into the snow Slide 14
2) If you do the sides then the base, you will get a raised edge sticking out. Slide 13
OK, this is a fact of life, you will get a burr or hanging edge in one direction. Almost unavoidable.
There is lots of advice on the interwebnet about using a gummy stone to remove said burrs or hanging edges.
My experience can tell the size of a non-sharp edge, 0.001" or 0.005" or 0.01mm or 0.25mm and all points inbetween.
(From the linked presentation, the worn ski edge is about 0.06mm (192-128=63 micron or 0.063mm)
My question, to the skiing massive put there;
What is the edge radius of a sharp ski?
Do we need it like Slide 15, sticking out 0.06mm (147-88=60 micron or 0.060mm) or..................
Here's to an interesting discussion
Paul
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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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fab ski geekery, great article. next step is to review edges filed, diamond then ceramic stoned. base first then side then "demurred" etc. I was surprised how much burr there was, love to see then do this review on skis serviced by a world cup tech....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I finish mine with a 1500 grit diamond file, wonder how smooth that really is.
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@sonflowerinwales, For a top race tune I deburr my base angle first with a stone, then metal file the side edges, then diamond file the base to knock off the burr and then finish the sides with 200, 400, 600 diamonds and finally a ceramic finishing stone.
Lots of people say to never touch the base but all the very good racers I know all diamond their bases at every tune and they seem to get very sharp edges....
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| skimottaret wrote: |
| Lots of people say to never touch the base but all the very good racers I know all diamond their bases at every tune and they seem to get very sharp edges.... |
Hehehe pretty funny to read these polishing stories, especially when noone in World cup actually does that, even for DH
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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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@primoz, Really? I have had tuning sessions with two ex WC athletes and they definitely advocated polishing either with diamonds or fine grit sandpaper.
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WC athletes in general hardly know which side of ski should be waxed Ok this was joke in case someone didn't get it, but thing is, they prepared their skis for last time, once they were something like 12, if their dad didn't do this job for them. There's big percentage of guys in WC who were never in their life preparing their skis. And yes, I wasn't joking about this what I wrote before. It's fine with me if you don't believe me, but it's easy to check with guys who are really doing this stuff for living (WC service guys).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@primoz It isn't that I don't believe you I am just surprised is all. Not sure it is that easy to check with a WC service tech to ask the question of though  I would be amazed if SG or DH ski edges aren't polished... I was watching some WC skiers in Saas Fee and their techs were using ceramics...
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