With most of NA stuck I na high and dry pattern right now, I figured its a good time to discuss edge bevels. I feel al to of people, just go with the stock angles and dont realize how much a difference edge angle can make on a skis performance, even on 115 and wider skis.
Anytime I receive new skis, I like to set a custom edge profile. Over the years I have found that a 3-degree side and 1-degree base bevel is the sweet spot. However, on wider skis those angles can cause the ski to hook a bit. So, taking a cue from some world cup techs, I have started to experiment with varying the edge profiles at the tip, center, and tail sections of the ski.
These are the tools of the trade to do this at home. I own a full set of the Wintersteiger and SVST edge tools. For base bevels I prefer the Wintersteiger adjustable base beveler. For the sides I use both 2 and a 3-degree guides for the sides.
The first step involves using a Sharpie marker to mark the contact points on the skis tip and tail. I then measure the section on each end I want to set the angle. I have found on a 190cm ski I like to do 20cm back from the tip contact point and 24cm’s forward from the tail contact.
I mark these sections with a blue marker on both the base and side edges. I then mark the area left under foot in green.
The bonus of marking the edges with a marker is that it shows you exactly how much material you are removing.
I then start by setting the base bevel for the center section of the ski at .5 once that is done, you are left with the blue areas that then get a 1-degree base bevel.
Next, I set the side bevels. Here I start with the tip and tail sections that each get a 2-degree bevel. Once that is removed, I then set the center section at 3 degrees.
This combination gives you the best performance possible, but it's time consuming. Especially if you take the time to properly harden the edges with a series of diamond stones.
I have found that Wintersteiger has a new Jupiter tunning machine that fully automate this process resulting in a perfect combo every time and it’s well worth having done anytime you get new skis or need a tune up and dont want to spend an hour doing it by hand.
Bookmarks