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Do Skis Get Blunt?

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Re: Do Skis Get Blunt?

#41

Post by watwut »

sgt wrote: post #32
gorbypark wrote: post #21

It totally depends on the type of skier and the type of skis you have. I worked in the ski industry and thus lived and worked in ski towns for 15 years. If you are a ski racer, tuning edges matter. If you aggressively ride groomers all day, then they will matter. Riding big fat powder skis everyday, inside and outside of the resort? More or less doesn't matter. Are you a park rat that only ever skis the park? Those f…

Yeah, I grew up with skis, but I don't think I have ever heard of anyone sharpening the edges. Waxing the skis yes.

They do it in services centers for few bucks and in a few minutes. It actually does massive difference on icy slopes - it makes difference between being helpless and being able to control where you are going.

Re: Do Skis Get Blunt?

#42

Post by jtnielsen »

gorbypark wrote: post #21

It totally depends on the type of skier and the type of skis you have. I worked in the ski industry and thus lived and worked in ski towns for 15 years. If you are a ski racer, tuning edges matter. If you aggressively ride groomers all day, then they will matter. Riding big fat powder skis everyday, inside and outside of the resort? More or less doesn't matter. Are you a park rat that only ever skis the park? Those f…

I detuned my edges under the boot area when I was younger and only focused on park skiing. Catching an edge on a box or rail was a fear I had. Never tuned the edges on any of my twin tips. I did wax them though!

Re: Do Skis Get Blunt?

#43

Post by xarope »

swader999 wrote: post #25
creato wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can see in this video that the interaction of the ski with the snow is much more than just the edge of the ski. I really doubt the fine tuning of the edge matters that much. I don’t think there is any objective way to settle this debate. I think if you enjoy tuning skis, go for it. I like sharpening knives and tools so I get it. But I don’t bother with my skis.

Edges matter a lot for racing and carving, impossible to learn and progress without tuned skis and propper angles. Like going to ice hockey practice with dull skates, it just doesn't work. Parents obsess over wax at this age but it actually only adds a bit of speed, but boots and edges are critical.

I was going to mention this too; I used to have my hockey skates sharpened regularly, but I don't recall ever needing ski edges sharpened. Waxed, yes. Sharpened, no.

Re: Do Skis Get Blunt?

#44

Post by Reason077 »

> "Last winter, I rode a ski lift alongside a guy who claimed to be a retired Olympic ski tuner."

On another note, this is apparantely a high-risk occupation due to exposure to PFAS and other carcinogens in ski wax. The FIS recently banned the use of fluorinated wax in competitions, but it was the norm for many years. Not great to be a ski tuner breathing in all those heated/aerosolised PFAS compounds...

Re: Do Skis Get Blunt?

#45

Post by aeyes »

bamboozled wrote: post #31
gorbypark wrote: post #21

It totally depends on the type of skier and the type of skis you have. I worked in the ski industry and thus lived and worked in ski towns for 15 years. If you are a ski racer, tuning edges matter. If you aggressively ride groomers all day, then they will matter. Riding big fat powder skis everyday, inside and outside of the resort? More or less doesn't matter. Are you a park rat that only ever skis the park? Those f…

"Riding big fat powder skis everyday, inside and outside of the resort? More or less doesn't matter." Until you stop off at the bar on a Sunny day and ride home on dusk once everything has frozen again, then you'd be like "oh I wish I didn't tell everyone not to keep their edges in decent shape", as you fly off the cliff edge.

It's easier on fat skis which haven't been waxed in a long time. They aren't as fast so I rarely have to really put them on the edge on ice. I do a slide turn while keeping as much contact with the surface as I can.

That's also the biggest downside, you can't really rip it with fat skis. Not even if you go down dead straight.

Re: Do Skis Get Blunt?

#46

Post by swader999 »

strstr wrote: post #40
swader999 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

0.5 for base bevel with three degrees for the side is very aggressive for his age but his cuff alignment is dialed and he can handle it.

Thanks for the correction. I had just never heard of 5° degrees as a base bevel. Not sure why you seem defensive. Isn’t 0.5° (or lower) the factory tune for slalom skis? Might only be a thing for U16+.

All good, I didn't type it correctly initially. A lot of coaches in the past have been critical of those angles he's been on so I was probably anticipating it lol. Most kids that age are likely 0.75 and two degrees for Sl. And yeah older Fis kids are maybe trying zero base and perhaps 4 degrees on water injected surfaces.

Re: Do Skis Get Blunt?

#47

Post by swader999 »

jtnielsen wrote: post #42
gorbypark wrote: post #21

It totally depends on the type of skier and the type of skis you have. I worked in the ski industry and thus lived and worked in ski towns for 15 years. If you are a ski racer, tuning edges matter. If you aggressively ride groomers all day, then they will matter. Riding big fat powder skis everyday, inside and outside of the resort? More or less doesn't matter. Are you a park rat that only ever skis the park? Those f…

I detuned my edges under the boot area when I was younger and only focused on park skiing. Catching an edge on a box or rail was a fear I had. Never tuned the edges on any of my twin tips. I did wax them though!

There's times in a pipe where you'll want grip on the ice there. You'll use a one degree base bevel to prevent hooking. If you ride metal rails though, I give up trying to discuss tuning.

Re: Do Skis Get Blunt?

#48

Post by swader999 »

xarope wrote: post #43
swader999 wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Edges matter a lot for racing and carving, impossible to learn and progress without tuned skis and propper angles. Like going to ice hockey practice with dull skates, it just doesn't work. Parents obsess over wax at this age but it actually only adds a bit of speed, but boots and edges are critical.

I was going to mention this too; I used to have my hockey skates sharpened regularly, but I don't recall ever needing ski edges sharpened. Waxed, yes. Sharpened, no.

Higher level ski racing uses water injection. They'll hook up the snow making water hoses to a bar that shoots water right into the snow. So it really becomes a 3D hockey rink.

Re: Do Skis Get Blunt?

#49

Post by strstr »

swader999 wrote: post #46
strstr wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for the correction. I had just never heard of 5° degrees as a base bevel. Not sure why you seem defensive. Isn’t 0.5° (or lower) the factory tune for slalom skis? Might only be a thing for U16+.

All good, I didn't type it correctly initially. A lot of coaches in the past have been critical of those angles he's been on so I was probably anticipating it lol. Most kids that age are likely 0.75 and two degrees for Sl. And yeah older Fis kids are maybe trying zero base and perhaps 4 degrees on water injected surfaces.

Tuners look at me so strangely when I ask for 0°/4° lol. I can’t imagine dealing with coaches.

Re: Do Skis Get Blunt?

#50

Post by swader999 »

Reason077 wrote: post #44

> "Last winter, I rode a ski lift alongside a guy who claimed to be a retired Olympic ski tuner." On another note, this is apparantely a high-risk occupation due to exposure to PFAS and other carcinogens in ski wax. The FIS recently banned the use of fluorinated wax in competitions, but it was the norm for many years. Not great to be a ski tuner breathing in all those heated/aerosolised PFAS compounds...

Yes, we used to wear a p100 respirator with those waxes. Many didn't. Can't purchase them any more and I'm glad because they were crazy expensive
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