So I am just back from Chatel where pistes have been very hard and in places icy, which obviously had a detrimental effect on the edges. Taking the skis to the shop every day to have them edged is difficult logistically, so is there any way to quickly DIY it without all the fancy equipment?
Is there a tool that will allow me to a do a quick "better-than-nothing" edging in a ski room or a balcony?
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
are you sure you need to do them EVERY day? (assuming you are not on Chinese skis )
This is what Doug Coombs recommended, back in the day, and it is probably good advice. You need a gnarly bastard file to take the edge material off, a normal file will get choked on the plastic. You can also remove burrs with a gummi, which may be all you need, but they are around 25 quid to buy.
I am not, actually. I've never serviced skis and am totally clueless. It was difficult to tell at what point bad edges started to make a difference as pistes deteriorated as well. So may be I am just overreacting.
Arno wrote:
If you can’t hold an edge on skis which only have a few days’ on them since they were last serviced, maybe a lesson
However you need to add aluoxide stone and diamond file to that, and it is the correct edge angle? In addition would be worth having the gummy stone.
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I wonder what happened to my edging tool? One benefit of the snowmaggedon in Austria is my edges don't need doing before next time!
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@Oleski, You will need a file as well as the edge guide but you don't need a bench.
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Whilst you may have a quick look at the edges at the end of each day, unless there are a lot of rocks about you shouldn't need to consider light edge sharpening more than once every 2-3 days (or longer).
I also do the same tool with a diamond file or with both the alu-oxude & the diamond.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
What @spyderjon says. Those little edge tools should be all you need.
That said, once a week should be sufficient. Unless you are hitting lots of submerged rocks, or are competing in World Cup GS events, the ice will not have much effect on a stainless steel edge.
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Poster: A snowHead
@spyderjon, thank you, that looks like exactly what I need.
A question: when would I use diamond one as opposed to alu-oxide?
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
bar shaker wrote:
......once a week should be sufficient.....the ice will not have much effect on a stainless steel edge.
They can get burred up in just a few hours, espcially if you're going sideways a lot. Ski/board edges are carbon steel, not stainless, and are only about 48 Rockwell so not that hard. Much harder and they'd crack under flexing.
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?
Depends where you're skiing. From the sounds of it you won't need to worry about your edges in Austria but here in France (Alpe d'Huez) you really want your edges in good condition and the pistes (/sheet ice/rocks) are really giving them a beating.
@spyderjon, thank you, that looks like exactly what I need.
A question: when would I use diamond one as opposed to alu-oxide?
Alu-oxide first for deburring/stone ding removal and then swap to the diamond insert for a little polish up. Always use the diamond wet, ie water, snow, spit, beer etc but nothing oil based.
It was difficult to tell at what point bad edges started to make a difference as pistes deteriorated as well. So may be I am just overreacting.
Last year conditions were so epic on the two weeks I was out that I never had to worry about the quality of my DIY edge finish or whether they needed an intra-week mini-tune but being out Christmas week was a bit of a different story as some of the pistes were extremely smooth and most punters weren't getting much grab. I had no kit so just had to live with it. I suspect there is a bit of both. I need to get a topsheet shaver and I think my Diamond file may need replacing but it was icy too.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
spyderjon wrote:
bar shaker wrote:
......once a week should be sufficient.....the ice will not have much effect on a stainless steel edge.
They can get burred up in just a few hours, espcially if you're going sideways a lot. Ski/board edges are carbon steel, not stainless, and are only about 48 Rockwell so not that hard. Much harder and they'd crack under flexing.
Always thought they were stainless. I live and learn
After all it is free
After all it is free
Quote:
if you're going sideways a lot
Clearly an easy solution to that...
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bar shaker wrote:
......Always thought they were stainless......
I had a pair in for service last week that had been put away wet last season and they were so rusty that the two skis had rust welded themselves together at the tips and tails. Had to get a wedge of wood and a hammer to seperate them.
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Quote:
Always thought they were stainless. I live and learn
what did you think that rust-coloured stuff was then?
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Oleski, If you haven't done them before, my two-pennyworth would be get someone to show you how to do it first so you don't trash them, regardless of the tool selection.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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
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
Seen a few similar threads recently in various places which Almost always suggest a gummi to remove rust etc from edges.
A rubber gummi stone in the hands of a novice is probably the single most likely thing to turn a slightly dull edge into an utterly blunt edge in the shortest possible period.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
jedster wrote:
Quote:
Always thought they were stainless. I live and learn
what did you think that rust-coloured stuff was then?
I'm a recent ski owner but have never seen rusty edges on any of my boards.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I get rusty edges all the time - local mountain 40km ish from the pacific, so guessing there's a lot of salt in the snow (tastes like it on the big face plants). If I leave a board in the bag wet, the edges will go rusty within a day. Living next to a beach probably doesn't help either.
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