What are the best files for edges tuning?

[NmbrdDays]

I have a bunch of files lying around. Do I want to use fine, very fine, etc.... ? Obviously I don't want to use any coarse ones. I don't feel like buying any these expensive ones when I gave a bunch of quality metal working tools at home.

[nyskirat]

Coarse-Only if you hit rocks BADLY and need to remove a lot of edge
Fine-If you have a burr or two, this works well
Extra Fine-If your stones wont do the job alone.

Stick to stones. Keep your edges from losing too much material if you are over-filing your skis

[stuckathuntermtn]

^^^^^What he said:
Panzar files are good for roughing in a new bevel.
The finer the file the better, usually.
It's best not to use files for removing rock damage, as it eats the shit out of them.
Best bet is to hit up your edges with a good diamond stone and keep them polished. Still, you only need to do that after hitting a bunch of rocks. Well, it is a low snow year in most of the US.
You don't want/need to file them a lot. They'll stay plenty sharp without stripping away the edge.

Sent from my DROID2

[gregL]

I do pretty much the same as these ^^^ guys. 10" mill bastard for de-tuning tips and tails and occasionally base filing. 4" panzer with file guide for setting bevel or when I find myself filing sidewalls. Regular side edge maintenance with #200 and #400 diamond stones. Old diamond stone for smoothing out rock hits.

[NmbrdDays]

It's not something I'm gonna do all the time. Just when it needs a lil touching up between tune up at the shop. There us also the boards and planks that get dropped in my hands by my friends. Good looks and the diamond stones, I'll pick up one of the tools. Thanks for the help.

[Driver]

Keep the file on the shelf unless you have real edge damage or want to change bevels.

Get an aluminum oxide stone or some other cheap stone to knock off the burs before you use the diamond stone or your diamond stone won't last long.

[stuckathuntermtn]

I got the multi edger they sell at Tognar, and the cheap diamond stones that also fit in it, in fine, medium, and coarse. I mostly just use the medium.

[NmbrdDays]

I was talking my my buddy that's a tech at my local shop. He was telling me to use as fine of a file as I can find. Also to use the file only when necessary cause you can file your whole edge away. So beginning of the season and possibly mid season depending on how many days and snow coverage. He gave me a dense gummi stone. Said that should do a good enough job for the de burring. I also picked up a fine diamond stone. I think I'm gonna pick up a multi edge tuner.

[gwat]

Who needs edges anyway. What are you some sort of racer type???

Definitely start with the stone. Like someone above said, if you go straight to a file youll trash your files. Likewise, deburring with a diamond stone will shred your stones, save the diamond stones for polishing AFTER filing, if you want an extra silky smooth sharp edge. I start by deburring with a cheap stone (hard ceramic or similar). Have used the same $8 deburring stone for years. Once the burrs are gone hit the edge with a medium file (I use a 10" mill bastard, works fine). You will quickly be able to tell if any of the burrs have glazed your edge, if so work those spots more with the stone. Use a file guide when filing. Cheap adjustable ones are crap, get a single angle (88,89 or 90 degreee) or if you're into multi angles invest in a solid good quality guide. Shouldn't take too many passes with the mill file. A couple passes with a finer file won't hurt, then get the diamond stone out for final polishing.

Nicholson makes good quality files.
http://www.amazon.com/Nicholson-Amer..._sbs_indust_17
I use these^, they have a big comfy handle. Some come with a single cut side and a double cut side, I rarely use the double cut.

[Intuit]

Most fine files should do the job. A diamond stone is worth getting if you don't have one as it'll save you stripping too much material off your edge. You also want to figure out what angle your edges are set at and homebrew yourself a guide and clamp so that the edge angle is consistent the length of the ski. Also wouldn't suggest detuning tips and tails but perhaps putting a degree or two of base bevel on them if you find them catchy, played around with this on my own skis and its amazing how a few inches of 1 or 2 deg base bevel can change the handling characteristics of your skis (remember to do it bit by bit because once its done then you can't undo it without taking them for a base grind)

A good tuning guide that I stumbled onto and found real useful is here

[NmbrdDays]

I picked up an adjustable swix base guide and an fk side guide with shims to pick my angles. I went with the adjustable ones to give myself some play with the angles. I'm not planning to get to crazy. I just need to know at what angles I should set my guides to.

[Intuit]

I just need to know at what angles I should set my guides to.

Best to figure out what the factory angles on your skis are first. Easiest way to do it is to use a black marker pen to colour in a few cms of your edge and then run the file and guide over it at various angles. If it removes the pen on the binding side of the edge then the guide is a steeper angle than the actual edge and if conversely it removes a strip down the base side then the guide is a shallower angle than the edge. Adjust your guide until it takes the pen off the whole width of the edge. So now you know what the edges are set at and if you have no issues with the ski it's probably best to simply maintain them at these angles.

Personally most of my gear has a 89deg side edge and then a degree of base bevel in the tip and tail. It is simply personal preference, I like to know I have grip when I want it, and there is no right or wrong really but I would tend to stick with the factory angles for now.

[stuckathuntermtn]

How do you debur with a gummy stone? Gummy stones polish off rust and detune the tip and tail a little. You'll notice that they come apart when you do this. Because they are gummy. So they are not hard enough for burs and rock damage and such.

What is this? Tuning for JONGS 101?

[NmbrdDays]

How do you debur with a gummy stone? Gummy stones polish off rust and detune the tip and tail a little. You'll notice that they come apart when you do this. Because they are gummy. So they are not hard enough for burs and rock damage and such.

What is this? Tuning for JONGS 101?

That is why they make gummies with diff densities. I'm goin by what was told to me.

[RShea]

There are hard and soft gummy stones, but I agree that maybe they polish enough to remove some rust or slight oxidation, or to de-tune edges at a 45 degree angle or final de-bur after file sharpening. But sharpening stones and diamonds are usually required for a hard cased spot due to a rock or nicks on an edge.

[NmbrdDays]

Best to figure out what the factory angles on your skis are first. Easiest way to do it is to use a black marker pen to colour in a few cms of your edge and then run the file and guide over it at various angles. If it removes the pen on the binding side of the edge then the guide is a steeper angle than the actual edge and if conversely it removes a strip down the base side then the guide is a shallower angle than the edge. Adjust your guide until it takes the pen off the whole width of the edge. So now you know what the edges are set at and if you have no issues with the ski it's probably best to simply maintain them at these angles.

Personally most of my gear has a 89deg side edge and then a degree of base bevel in the tip and tail. It is simply personal preference, I like to know I have grip when I want it, and there is no right or wrong really but I would tend to stick with the factory angles for now.

Thanks for the info. I don't really want to change anything. Just maintain what's there