Ski Tuning

Question
QUESTION: Hello Ron,
    I bought a pair of demo skis online.  The edges are somewhat rough and scraped.  Will a stone grind fix that, and what should it cost?  How do I know that the shop has the right equipment to do the job?

ANSWER: Hi Ben,

The stone grind itself is not really for the edges- stone grinding flattens and textures (structures) the base. Edges are historically done on a belt, and yes, most edge damage can be repaired using the belt grinder- but the shop has to balance the trade-off between getting them perfect and taking off too much material.

What you really want is a shop that has ceramic disc grinding for the edges. This replicates the original factory edge on most new skis, and is sharper than a belt. It is about the same as the best hand-tune, where a file and series of diamond stones sharpen and polish the edge.

Unfortunately, the machine itself is only half the search-  it's the operator that makes the difference, even on the most sophisticated of automated equipment. You want a shop that opts for more passes at lower pressure.

Many shops that use a separate disc grinder charge extra for this service, be sure to request it. If you want, you can learn to clean them up yourself by visiting tognar.com and getting some file guides, files, and diamond stones. This way, you can perform minor touch ups yourself.

Ron

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you Ron,
    So I should ask for a edge grind with a ceramic disc, is that right?  What should the price range be for a service like this?

Answer
Hi Ben,

That's exactly right, you can't get a ceramic disc grind without the rest of the service, because the disc can be damaged if run over a rough edge. Regarding price, I may not be able to answer very well. Shops used to charge $80 for a "race tune"- basically a stone grind with a hand (file and diamond stone) finish. When the trim-disc came along, the ease of putting a disc finish on a pair of skis made it possible to lower the price, but not all did.

The shop I deal with has a Montana "carwash" or fully automated grinder, and they found that it just made sense to do all their tunes as though they were race tunes. They charge $35 for a full service. This is about right.

A good shop will ask you what side/base bevel you prefer, or if you want factory specs. A lesser shop does everybody's skis the same way.

I think you can email wintersteigerusa.com and get a list of preferred shops (they used to include them in ads).  You can call Montana at 978-420-1700, and ask who is recommended in your area.

Good luck,

Ron