Best edge tool for casual user?

[Alpinord]

Was thinking more from a performance angle than a repair one. Self repair makes sense. I guess I am just been agnostic from a performance standpoint unless conditions blow and your edges are shot..... but those conditions only marginally more fun w/ edges anyway.

You're missing good opportunities then. This attitude is great for me due to zero mid-week and weekend afternoon crowds on wide open terrain, because 'the skiing sucks at less than 12" of new'.

There's nothing like powder skiing and there is also nothing like riding train tracks on a pure carve. Thin corn is another level, too. More often than not, the conditions are more firm and this year very thin with dicey BC conditions (one death Sunday). Getting out and carving on firm snow is great fun, keeps you in shape, dials in your balance so when you go backcountry skiing or on powder days you are not rusty. XC skiing is beneficial too.

Maxing out the performance of your expensive gear doesn't hurt and may just bump up the fun factor far more than you realize. It also may provide more safety in dicey BC conditions where good edges could save your ass.

Here are a couple video of carving stoke:

[Alpinord]

This is one of the final tools on my list for the ski bench. I have a few of the base tools and would really like to add this. Seems super simple and Terry states that it's a great tool, albeit a little more expensive than the guide and stone/file route. Because of how often I would use it (not that often), I think it would be a good fit for me - seems dead simple to use.

Seth

The Ski Visions Ski Sharp is by far our hottest seller due to it's simplicity and multi-angle versatility. Plus, because you can tune the side and base edge at the same time or separately. I caution users to use the stones vs files on this tool and to not always use a stone for the base edge

The tendency is for people working base edges with any base beveler is to want to keep cutting the base edge angle after the geometry is set. The only way to keep cutting is to apply rotational force to the base edge side which increases the base bevel angle. This affects the ski or snowboards performance by increasing the angle you need to tilt the ski to engage the edge. This requires a base grind so you can reset the base bevel. So only knock down burrs with any base beveler after sharpening and honing the side edges to a consistent, smooth, sharp edge.

Files only tend to leave a burr sharp edge that feels super sharp but can be hooky, inconsistent and wears off quickly. A smooth, sharp edge lasts much longer, reducing the need to sharpen more frequently. Like any job, spend the little extra time time to do it right and the skis will respond accordingly.

[jacob_dbu]

Good to know! I'll have to get one. I think the hardest thing for me (an amateur) is that there is very little visual feedback tuning edges short of taking off so much material that it looks smooth again.

[Alpinord]

Good to know! I'll have to get one. I think the hardest thing for me (an amateur) is that there is very little visual feedback tuning edges short of taking off so much material that it looks smooth again.

You will develop a feel. It's not as much about visual but feeling smooth and consistency along the edge with the cutting/polishing tool and your finger. Watch my kid's video from above and the Ski Sharp videos, among others, in the link above, too.

The included Ski Visions tuning stick is very useful for determining edge sharpness and consistency by feel, sound and shavings:

[old goat]

If you get this and a spring clamp it will last a lifetime.
http://svst.com/Shop/SVST-Side-Edge-...er-91-Deg.html
Allows you to use whatever you want on the side--file, diamond stone, etc.

Agree. They come in other angles. Unless you're super cool one guide will work for all your skis, or you can buy two, or three.
For burrs on the base edge that are left after you do the side edge a gummy stone or very light filing with a freehand diamond stone on the burr only. You just want to sharpen the side edges. Don't sharpen the base edge--the more material you remove the farther the edge is from the snow and the slower it is to engage. When the edges get so bad that doing the side edges isn't enough it's time for a grind, pattern, and edge reset.

[old goat]

Plus 90 degrees on EC ice, may as well have saucers on yer feet.

fify

[stuckathuntermtn]

While I agree that DMT stones aren't the best, the diamond stones do need cleaning after use as they load up. Regular cleaning of the diamond stones makes them more effective. Kitchen abrasive cleaner, water and a tooth brush work well.

Good old warm soap and water isn't bad either.

I have to say, I did actually notice the difference after dressing my edges a little with DMT medium stone and they were barely nicked before hand. What a world we live in.

[RShea]

Does anyone use the SkiVisions gear for tuning on here? I bought some of it last year for doing a good job of cleaning up core shots and was thinking about getting the edge tuning tools too.

I have SkiVisions side and edge tool (came in a used gear purchase I believe off EBay), my first tool was one of the Orange FKTools shown above with a diamond file that I used until I got into more of the tuning and waxing DYI... Nice thing about the SkiVisions is the adjustment and the magnetic strip that does pick up the metal shavings if you are using a file. They are both though plastic and can be a problem with consistent angles- and wear over time compared to the dedicated metal guides and a clamp of some sort. Diamond is the way to go for polishing or hardened area if you do not have some nice sharpening stones to hit the rock or stone hardened area with.

[uglymoney]

I have a SVST pro edge beveler with stainless plate ($34) in my cart and a 2 degree shim so I can do a 1 and a 3 which covers my needs (1 and 3 is all we seem to use). I need to be able to sharpen my daughters edges on her new used race skis.

The bases on the race skis have already been set and the old owner set the edges to 3. The skis look good. Lots of edge left. I'm leaving the bases alone. We don't hit rocks around here just nasty machine made snow that dulls edges really fast.

Looking at the Diaface Moonflex Diamonds. They come in 100, 200, 400, 600, 1500

What grit would you buy from that list? I really only want to buy one or two. KISS. Just want to be able to sharpen her edges before races and our edges for all mountain skiing.

[Alpinord]

I have a SVST pro edge beveler with stainless plate ($34) in my cart and a 2 degree shim so I can do a 1 and a 3 which covers my needs (1 and 3 is all we seem to use). I need to be able to sharpen my daughters edges on her new used race skis.

The bases on the race skis have already been set and the old owner set the edges to 3. The skis look good. Lots of edge left. I'm leaving the bases alone. We don't hit rocks around here just nasty machine made snow that dulls edges really fast.

Looking at the Diaface Moonflex Diamonds. They come in 100, 200, 400, 600, 1500

What grit would you buy from that list? I really only want to buy one or two. KISS. Just want to be able to sharpen her edges before races and our edges for all mountain skiing.

Ideally, 100, 200 & 400. 200x for sure for regular tuning. If you want smoother edges, the 400 polishes more than cuts. 100x (aka diamond file) for more cutting. Most of us mortals won't notice the difference the finer polishing you get out of the 600 or 1500.

[uglymoney]

Ideally, 100, 200 & 400. 200x for sure for regular tuning. If you want smoother edges, the 400 polishes more than cuts. 100x (aka diamond file) for more cutting. Most of us mortals won't notice the difference the finer polishing you get out of the 600 or 1500.

Thanks for the tutorial Alpinord! Very helpful.

Sent from my SM-G900R4 using Tapatalk

[Timberridge]

I'd almost say just get 2 100's. I use the 100 all the time, the others just sit there.

[stuckathuntermtn]

I have 200, 400, and 600. The 400 is great for touch ups. Might still want to get a base edge guide for running a fine 600 or Arkansas polishing stone on. I don't believe those will fuck with the bevel. Or any diamond stone, really.
If you want to be super anal for racing, go from coarse to fine. Finish with polishing stone. Rub gummy on tip and tail.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

I'd recommend a 200 and a 400 stone. I also think the simple L-shaped side edge tools work much more consistently than the complicated ones. Hard gummi for removing burrs and detuning tips and tails. Soft gummi for taking off rust. I like the Beast base edge guide, but use it sparingly as others have mentioned. I run 2 degrees side, 1 degree base on everything. 1 degree on the side doesn't feel like enough to me and 3 gets beat up faster, but I can see why others would do it differently. That's a pretty complete kit unless you're a racer or a nerd.

[zion zig zag]

What base and edge angles do you think a Katana comes with. Because it seemed pretty much perfect after a tail and tip detune. And I’ll admit that I’ve never been great at picking up on subtle changes when it comes to tunes.

[Alpinord]

I'd almost say just get 2 100's. I use the 100 all the time, the others just sit there.

I wouldn't disagree that this as a good option for soft snow skiers who want it KISS. The 100x is about the same as a super fine metal file. It'll knock burrs off quickly and you can quickly, brainlessly and without the concerns and limitations of metal files, bang out your edge sharpening with some honing.

I have 200, 400, and 600. The 400 is great for touch ups. Might still want to get a base edge guide for running a fine 600 or Arkansas polishing stone on. I don't believe those will fuck with the bevel. Or any diamond stone, really.
If you want to be super anal for racing, go from coarse to fine. Finish with polishing stone. Rub gummy on tip and tail.

A couple advantages of adding a 100x is you knock down more material per stroke (towards twice as much, in theory) of a 200x diamond. This prolongs the life of your 200x.

It can also be used to adjust edge geometry. I just changed from a 4° side edge to a 3° side edge in a few strokes per edge using the 100x diamond on a pair of all-mountain carvers.

As I understand it the finer and finer you polish metal edges, the longer they last due to the removal of smaller and smaller striations from the previous grit. This honing reduces wear, which in turn increases durability of the edge. Therefore, in theory, you shouldn't have to tune quite as often. This is more why many would be interested in finer grits than feeling a finer edge.

[Timberridge]

^^Almost every ski comes with 1 degree base. Volkl likes to use 2 degree side.

[Meadow Skipper]

^^Almost every ski comes with 1 degree base. Volkl likes to use 2 degree side.

^This. From my shop rat days, Völkls were 1/2 base/sides.

I ski a lot of rocky shots, and the 100 diamond stone is a good one for knocking down rock hits on the edges.

[Doremite]

Thanks to Alpinord and others here. This thread really helpful for those of us — like me — who have been suspecting I should be paying better attention to my edges. EC skier that spends more time on firmer snow than I like to believe. I am a closet groomer bombing junkie too.

[stuckathuntermtn]

I wouldn't disagree that this as a good option for soft snow skiers who want it KISS. The 100x is about the same as a super fine metal file. It'll knock burrs off quickly and you can quickly, brainlessly and without the concerns and limitations of metal files, bang out your edge sharpening with some honing.



A couple advantages of adding a 100x is you knock down more material per stroke (towards twice as much, in theory) of a 200x diamond. This prolongs the life of your 200x.

It can also be used to adjust edge geometry. I just changed from a 4° side edge to a 3° side edge in a few strokes per edge using the 100x diamond on a pair of all-mountain carvers.

As I understand it the finer and finer you polish metal edges, the longer they last due to the removal of smaller and smaller striations from the previous grit. This honing reduces wear, which in turn increases durability of the edge. Therefore, in theory, you shouldn't have to tune quite as often. This is more why many would be interested in finer grits than feeling a finer edge.

Didn't realize you could take off that much metal with a diamond stone. Might stay away from a 100 then in case I ham fist something. Also, I haven't skied Big Sky in years, so I tend not to have much rock damage to knock down. I'm sure 100 can be great for that.

I've heard the thing about polishing making edges "stronger" but didn't really get how it worked. Thanks for the explanation.

[powdrhound]

Powder doesn’t care and I don’t ski ice.

At Kirkwood, every ski is a rock ski. If not, you are not skiing the whole hill. So for me, just trying to keep the edge smooth is my first priority. Knock down the big hard ones with an India stone then clean up the nicks with diamonds. If I took it to perfect angles at my boots every time I would effect the turning radius...
Get the edges smooth and sharpish, then attack the core shots with co-polymer p-tex before welding the larger scratches. Zoom wax and scrape. Done.
The small scratches make your Spring base structure, as long as you were going straight over the rocks. Wussy sideways scratches have to be fixed.

But, powder does not care.

[Timberridge]

Wow, you're a rebel.

[uglymoney]

This is what I ended up with. I set my spending limit at $200. Hopefully we will shred ice a little better and my little girl will have a fair shot on the race course. Thanks guys. Great timing on this thread.


Diaface Moonflex Diamond Stones 100mm
(Please Select: 200 Grit)
MPO200 1 $29.95 USD $29.95 USD
Diaface Moonflex Diamond Stones 100mm
(Please Select: 400 Grit)
MPO400 1 $29.95 USD $29.95 USD
SVST Anniversary Edge Beveler w/ Stainless Steel Plate
(Please Choose: 1°)
SVAI91 1 $34.00 USD $34.00 USD
SVST Anniversary Edge Beveler w/ Stainless Steel Plate
(Please Choose: 2°)
SVAI92 1 $34.00 USD $34.00 USD
SVST Anniversary Edge Beveler w/ Stainless Steel Plate
(Please Choose: 3°)
SVAI93 1 $34.00 USD $34.00 USD
SVST Pro Edge Beveler 1" Spring Clamp
CSC10 1 $4.00 USD $4.00 USD
SVST Pro Edge Beveler Thumb Screw Clamp
PEBC 1 $15.00 USD $15.00 USD
SVST Secret Sauce Edge Polishing Solution
(Select Size: 2 oz)
SS2 1 $10.00 USD $10.00 USD
Swix F4 Universal Fluoro Wax
(Select Size: 60 g)
SWX13-1200 1 $15.00 USD $15.00 USD

[Timberridge]

Nice. The stainless plate ones will last 2 lifetimes.

Just fyi. Terry mentioned a while ago, but if you change side from 1 or 2->3 you will need something robust to cut the sidewall back a bit. I use a Panzer.

[Alpinord]

Thanks for the tutorial Alpinord! Very helpful.

Sent from my SM-G900R4 using Tapatalk

This is what I ended up with. I set my spending limit at $200. Hopefully we will shred ice a little better and my little girl will have a fair shot on the race course. Thanks guys. Great timing on this thread.


Diaface Moonflex Diamond Stones 100mm
(Please Select: 200 Grit)
MPO200 1 $29.95 USD $29.95 USD
Diaface Moonflex Diamond Stones 100mm
(Please Select: 400 Grit)
MPO400 1 $29.95 USD $29.95 USD
SVST Anniversary Edge Beveler w/ Stainless Steel Plate
(Please Choose: 1°)
SVAI91 1 $34.00 USD $34.00 USD
SVST Anniversary Edge Beveler w/ Stainless Steel Plate
(Please Choose: 2°)
SVAI92 1 $34.00 USD $34.00 USD
SVST Anniversary Edge Beveler w/ Stainless Steel Plate
(Please Choose: 3°)
SVAI93 1 $34.00 USD $34.00 USD
SVST Pro Edge Beveler 1" Spring Clamp
CSC10 1 $4.00 USD $4.00 USD
SVST Pro Edge Beveler Thumb Screw Clamp
PEBC 1 $15.00 USD $15.00 USD
SVST Secret Sauce Edge Polishing Solution
(Select Size: 2 oz)
SS2 1 $10.00 USD $10.00 USD
Swix F4 Universal Fluoro Wax
(Select Size: 60 g)
SWX13-1200 1 $15.00 USD $15.00 USD

Glad to help you out. Not glad you took your business elsewhere after I spent the time to educate you and others.