Tuning your own skis is an important step in skiing well. Your best efforts at correct technique will be for naught if your skis are too dull to hold on firm snow, or if they are grabby because of a poor tune.
Many skiers ask us if machine tunes are good enough. Some shops, with experienced technicians, can provide a machine tune that only requires slight hand finishing to ski well. Unfortunately, many shop tunes (despite fancy and expensive machines) can produce a tune that’s significantly different from when your skis were new. They may even leave your skis virtually useless. The variability of shop tunes can be frustrating for the learning skier: if you’ve just had your skis tuned by a new shop, and you’re having difficulty skiing as you’d like, is it you or the tune?
For the cost of a few shop tunes, you can outfit yourself with the tools you need to keep your skis performing in top condition. With just a little practice, your tunes will be consistent, eliminating one variable in your performance.
Our tuning guide includes a description of the tools you’ll need to tune your own skis; a schedule for performing the assorted tuning tasks; and descriptions, photos, and some animations for the tasks. If you’re having trouble finding the tuning supplies you need, contact us. We sell tuning kits with all the tools you’ll need, or individual tools.
Tool
Base bevel guide
West coast (CA, OR, WA, BC, AK): 1 degree
Everywhere else: 0.5 degree
Purpose
Holds the file in order to cut the base edge to the correct bevel. Holds the whetstone or diamond stone to permit deburring the base edge without changing the base bevel angle
When to Use
With file, used only after having the base stone-ground to flat by a machine. With a stone, can be used any time you are deburring to prevent over-beveling.
Tool
Edge bevel guide
Novices: 1 degree
Intermediates and up: 2 degree
Purpose
Holds the file at the correct angle to sharpen the ski edge. Holds the whetstone or diamond stone to permit deburring of the side edge without changing the edge bevel angle.
When to Use
Each time you are going to sharpen edges with a file
Tool
Files
8″ mill bastard
hard chrome
Purpose
Cuts the base bevel. Sharpens the edge.
Tool
File card
Purpose
Cleans the file
When Used
Each time you sharpen skis, to keep file clean
Tool
Spring clamp
4″ length
Purpose
Holds the file on the edge bevel guide
Tool
Whetstone
Fine to medium grit
Purpose
Removes burrs and hard spots from the edges prior to sharpening.
When Used
Each time before you sharpen edges with a file.
Tool
Diamond Stone
Coarse
Purpose
Removes burrs and sharpens the edge. Small enough to carry in your pocket and use on the hill.
When Used
Daily
Tool
Wax
Universal temperature range. Hydrocarbon (not fluorocarbon)
Purpose
Keeps the base material healthy and slick.
When Used
Every 5 ski days
Tool
Plastic scraper
Purpose
Scrapes away excess wax after hot waxing
Tool
Ptex candle
Purpose
Fills and repairs gouges and scratches in ski base.
When Used
Ignore small scratches. Use after a rocky day.
Tool
Steel scraper
Purpose
Scrapes away excess ptex after repairing base
Tool
Emery paper
320 grit or higher
Purpose
Polishes edge after sharpening with file.
When Used
Each time you sharpen skis with a file.
Tool
Cork
Purpose
Rubs wax into base
When Used
For quick wax application without iron; handy for travel
Tool
Iron
Regular fabric iron (dedicated to waxing) or waxing iron with thermostatic control.
Purpose
Heats and applies wax to ski base.