Any skiiers out there? How do you maintain your edges?

[Prashun Patel]

I'd like to start tuning my own skis. THere are a million kits out there. Do any of you do it yourselves? LMK what you use...

Gummy stones? files? bevel guides???

Seems like we should be able to make our own jigs pretty easily and even use standard ww stones and equipment to do this...

[Peter Kelly]

https://youtu.be/oKpSBE8YWXk

I’m on a snowboard but I use essentially the same method shown in the above video using a 6” file by hand. If you’re near an REI, some of them have free classes on the black arts of ski tuning.
https://www.rei.com/events/a/snowsports

[Adam Herman]

I bring them to a guy who used to tune the US women's Olympic team's skis.

i would try waxing and maintenance at home, but for base flattening or structuring i would go to a professional. this guy has a machine that is akin to a surface grinder that grinds, not flat, but between 3 wheels to keep your camber, and will grind special textures into the base. we got new skis a couple years ago from very high end, hand made manufactures and they needed a full regrind as the bases were not flat and the edges were not at the correct angles.

[Matt Day]

I’m just saying, but I would be asking a ski forum instead.

[Prashun Patel]

I only asked here because it appears that it should be doable with common tools and skills a woodworker would already have.

[Stephen Rosenthal]

If you want to just touch up your edges, a 6-8” mill file will work. Otherwise I agree with Adam, take it to a pro.

[Wade Lippman]

Compared to the price of good skis (and skiing!) going to a pro is cheap enough.

[Adam Herman]

Compared to the price of good skis (and skiing!) going to a pro is cheap enough.


no kidding!! vail is over 200 for a walk up one day. season pass is 1000 bucks if you buy it in may! small resorts with a locals discount card is about all we can do anymore. My wife has skied vail every year for 20 years or so.

[Peter Kelly]

no kidding!! vail is over 200 for a walk up one day. season pass is 1000 bucks if you buy it in may! small resorts with a locals discount card is about all we can do anymore. My wife has skied vail every year for 20 years or so.An Epic Local Pass for Vail / Beaver Creek and several other resorts is $725 with 10 blackout days which isn't much. Unlimited at Breckenridge, Keystone and Crested Butte, Heavenly, etc. well worth it imo.

[andrew whicker]

I just use one of the plastic things with the preset angle stone that you slide down the ski edge. I do a lot of backcountry and off piste skiing, so precision edge angle isn't super important to me. Sharp edges are though.

[Prashun Patel]

Andrew, what exactly do You use?

[andrew whicker]

https://www.rei.com/product/875914/dakine-edge-tuner-tool

Something like this

[Adam Herman]

An Epic Local Pass for Vail / Beaver Creek and several other resorts is $725 with 10 blackout days which isn't much. Unlimited at Breckenridge, Keystone and Crested Butte, Heavenly, etc. well worth it imo.

honestly, we have about the same amount of fun spending 500 a year on ski tickets for 2 people as we did spending 1600 on epic passes, and we ski more places and have more flexibility to ski where the snow is.

[Peter Kelly]

Plenty of roadside stuff in Rocky Mtn Park usually well thought the spring. Right in your back yard!

[andrew whicker]

Get you a touring setup and check out bear tooth pass in spring.

You didn't hear it from me.

[Peter Kelly]

That the place in Montana with a single ancient ski lift? Looks intriguing. I'm hoping to get on a similarly mom and pop operation this season > http://www.mtwaterman.org

[andrew whicker]

yeah, that place is up there. I was more thinking touring around.. we did it last year and it was a ton of fun. Skins, touring bindings, etc.

We saw the ski resort, but didn't go. It was closed by then. I think we skied the area in early July.

[Adam Herman]

yea, we got one backcountry setup last year for 75 bucks at a thrift store. watching for another!

[Peter Kelly]

yeah, that place is up there. I was more thinking touring around.. we did it last year and it was a ton of fun. Skins, touring bindings, etc.

We saw the ski resort, but didn't go. It was closed by then. I think we skied the area in early July.Check out Highway 395 in the Eastern Sierras sometime in the spring. Endless opportunities around Lee Vining, Bishop, Bridgeport. Mammoth right at the center of it all as well.

Great guide to DIY tuning from Slidewright (http://www.slidewright.com) > http://www.slidewright.com/resources/SlideWright_tuning_overview.pdf

[Rob Luter]

19 responses and no one has suggested a Shapton product or a JNAT. Perhaps there is hope for us after all.

[Prashun Patel]

Thank you for all the responses. I downloaded Peter's pdf link; that was great.

Thanks for all the recommendations - as well as the reco's NOT to do it. At least I'm going in with eyes wide open. I can put a reasonable edge on a plane blade and a chisel. I am sure this can't be that much harder. At the very least, attempting to do it will help me appreciate the effort.

I'm not regrinding - just tuning up.