Ski Tuning Advice

A snowHead

I have had a tuning kit for a while now doing waxing, side edge sharpening, ptex repairs. I want to start doing a more professional job, I need to get a few more tool and files etc. I got a very helpful DVD from Jons ski tuning which outlines all the tools and methods to be used. However with regards to what angles to set the edges as i am a bit lost.

My skis are mainly freeride skis or touring skis, does the use effect what angle you set edges too? Also i take it you only set the base anlge once and then just sharpen it as required.

Any more advice would be greatly appreciated.

A snowHead

I really don't think specific skis need a specific edge angle.

All mine get 87* (carvers, all mountain, powder), my wifes and all my mates get 88*. Apparently the smaller the angle the sharper it is, but it goes blunt faster. It's a compromise like everything else in skiing.

I also just set bases at 1* then never touch them again.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Most people I know who freeride do not sharpen skis from one month to the next let alone set base edge angles.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Mosha Marc, An 87 is no less durable than an 88 rolling eyes

stylbe, leave the base edge angle as it is (the vast majority of base edge angles are 1 degree from the factory) & just give them a deburr as/when reqd. A 1 degree base angle on skis is the perfect allround set-up.

All the tuning/sharpening is done on the side edge. You'll never know when you'll need good edges until you need 'em (ie hard/icey traverse when you don't want to loose height). The steeper the side edge the more bite/grip you'll get in hard snow/ice and & it soft snow it doesn't matter as the whole sidewall becomes the edge - therefore you might as well run a slightly steeper angle as there's no downside.

Only Atomic & Fischer ship their skis with a 3 degree side edge angle so if you have those then you can leave them as factory set but for all other makes (there's a list of angles on my web site) you can increase the angle a bit if you wish. The thickness of the base edge angle is the amount of life you have in the ski so increasing the side edge angle does NOT remove material from there as you're pivoting the edge on the junction on the base/side edge. However reducing the angle DOES reduce the thickness of the base edge & should be avoided. Can't see why anyone would ever want to reduce the side angle but I've seen many skis with factory 88/87 side edges get their edges eaten up by shops (usually in France!) who put them through their 90/89 set side edge machines.

Increasing the side edge angle might require a bit of sidewall trimming to give the clearance required but these days most of the makers ship their skis with flush sidewalls which require trimming to allow for hand tuning anyway.

Help!!

Ski Tuning Advice

snowHeads Forum Index >>> Equipment Reviews/Questions