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Advice on ski tuning

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
First post - here goes. I've (finally) bought new skis, having relied on rentals for years since moving to the UK from Canada. Back in the day (a LONG time ago) I used to tune my own skis, but I don't have the kit anymore. The skis are straight from the factory: the bases are a bit dry, and the edges are not as sharp as I'd like. Next ski trip is 10 days away. Option 1 is try to find somewhere in London that can turn around skis in that time; option 2 is to try them as is, and see how they go; option 3 is to try to order a file guide and some wax off amazon prime and hope ski tuning practices haven't changed much in the past 15 years! Any advice gratefully received.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Hi Kitty,

In this case The Piste Office is your friend snowHead
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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?
KittyWillis wrote:
The skis are straight from the factory: the bases are a bit dry, and the edges are not as sharp as I'd like.


That sounds surprising to me, straight from the factory and edges not sharp ?
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Well, possibly not straight from the factory. They were delivered from France. It may be that I have high sharpness expectations (I'm an ex-racer); they aren't completely dull, but fingernail test not yielding much.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Thanks very much Marc - I'll check out the link.
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KittyWillis wrote:
Well, possibly not straight from the factory. They were delivered from France. It may be that I have high sharpness expectations (I'm an ex-racer); they aren't completely dull, but fingernail test not yielding much.


An ex-racer that doesn't know about basic ski-prep? Interesting...
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Whenever I've bought new kit I've just used it out of the box for a week before doing a basic sharpen and waxing.

However, it sounds like you aren't happy with the out of the box condition and will be doing your own servicing anyway. So I would get the basic kit ordered and get them how you want them. 10 days to turn that around is fine although I am guessing you don't have a bench and vices so you will have to make do with what you have. I started with beer crates!
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@Lilledonmarco - I suspect things may have changed significantly since my very long ago racing days, but maybe not.

@Layne - I've now managed to track down someone with a file guide, and maybe I can re-purpose my travel iron without setting off the fire alarms in my flat! It looks like I can order the rest. Now for some online tutorial watching....
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Quote:


An ex-racer that doesn't know about basic ski-prep? Interesting...



Lots of racers ex or otherwise don't do their own prep and know little about it. Not really interesting...

@kittywillis

Waxing is easy. Set the iron at its lowest heat that allows you to melt the wax but not make it smoke. Start at the lowest heat and see how it goes, Different waxes I. E harder or softer need more or less heat. Watch a few videos to get all the details of course. For doing the edges on new skis you will only need a medium or fine diamond file so make sure that's what you have tracked down and make sure the guide has the same angle as your skis currently do else you will not improve it, again a few videos will give you more detail
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
geeo wrote:
Quote:


An ex-racer that doesn't know about basic ski-prep? Interesting...



Lots of racers ex or otherwise don't do their own prep and know little about it. Not really interesting...


Actually, its very unusual - as long as we are talking about skiing on snow. To be an ex-racer, that usually means that they have been skiing in a club since they were kids. In my sons club, all kids from around 12 are responsible for waxing, and general maintenence of their own skis.

But, whatever.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Layne wrote:
Whenever I've bought new kit I've just used it out of the box for a week before doing a basic sharpen and waxing


Yeah I used my K2s straight from delivery and they put up with a week in Austria without much trouble. Pretty good considering that the first half of the week was mostly hardpack artificial stuff. Could probably have done with a bit of wax on them in an ideal world, but didn't cause a big issue by not (if that makes sense).
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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.
Where are you going for your ski trip? Why not try them as is and get them done in the resort if you think they need it. Depending where you are going it can be quite reasonable getting them done in the resort Very Happy
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So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Lilledonmarco wrote:
geeo wrote:
Quote:


An ex-racer that doesn't know about basic ski-prep? Interesting...



Lots of racers ex or otherwise don't do their own prep and know little about it. Not really interesting...


Actually, its very unusual - as long as we are talking about skiing on snow. To be an ex-racer, that usually means that they have been skiing in a club since they were kids. In my sons club, all kids from around 12 are responsible for waxing, and general maintenence of their own skis.

But, whatever.

The OP said Back in the day (a LONG time ago) I used to tune my own skis - presumably when she was a racer. I don't see anywhere she says she knows nothing about ski-prep.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Johnor, off to Les Menuires, which I haven't been to before.

I seem to have (unintentionally) started some debate about knowledge of ski tuning amongst racers. Yes, @Lilledonmarco, we too were responsible for tuning our own skis from about 11 onwards. I have the scars on my knuckles to prove it. My parents wouldn't let us use the blow torch for petex-ing (sp?), but that was about it. But it has been a very long time since I was 11, and I was slightly wary of ruining my shiny new skis with my out-dated knowledge!

Thanks all, for the helpful suggestions.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@KittyWillis, Ski tuning hasn't changed, anything you used to do is still valid.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@KittyWillis, don't worry about setting off a debate. Every thread topic on snowheads is at threat of descending into a debate on something else...and it's only a matter of time before it ends up in an argument about helmets or backpacks Very Happy


Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 16-02-17 18:05; edited 1 time in total
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@KittyWillis, When I said I was surprised that skis had arrived brand new with edges not sharp, I genuinely was, nothing more than that. As others have said above I would normally expect to use new "ordinary" skis as they are, except for waxing of course. Maybe I have just been lucky. Smile
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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?
SnoodlesMcFlude wrote:
@KittyWillis, don't worry about setting of a debate. Every thread topic on snowheads is at threat if descending into a debate on something else...and it's only a matter of one before it ends up in an argument about helmets or backpacks Very Happy


Ski tuning - luxury. We used to run t'backend of a blunt teaspoon over our edges once a millenium. And we were grateful.

More seriously get what you need from the piste office. Jon will advise on what's right for you and your pocket.
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Teaspoon? You were lucky....

2 snakes of parafin wax for me (TOKO silver covered in pocket fluff for race days), edges never got a look in!

Piste Office kit is great, I treat my fat skis like my 203mm Dynastar Course Coupe Du Monde SL (now proudly on the bottom of my killer sledge).


Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Fri 17-02-17 18:52; edited 1 time in total
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I thought it was quite normal for new skiis straight from manufacturer to be not quite prepared, but the two new skiis I have bought from ski shops were waxed & edges checked by the ski shop before picking them up.
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Blooming auto correct and lack of sleep...

Tomorrow should read Toko!
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