Ski Tuning and Waxing

[Harvey]

I added "and Tuning" to the title of this thread.

I picked up a new pair of skis yesterday and realized that the shop didn't detune the tips and tails.

I have some kind of "stone" that seems like it is made from rubber?

What is it? Can I detune with it? Any tips on how to do it or how much to detune?

 

[Peter Minde]

Good share @tirolski .

High level racing in 'Murrica follows the FIS lead: no fluorocarbons allowed. Same for northeast races sanctioned by NYSEF and NENSA. The Lake Placid Loppet isn't a NYSEF race, so.... nudge nudge wink wink.

There are at least two VT nordic centers that have banned fluoro use on their trails.

From what that article says, I'm guessing that master blasters are using up their fluoro powder and fluorinated glide waxes and in Switzerland anyway, there's no governance of their use.

"The differences between [fluorocarbon] and modern fluorine-free waxes are minimal." This is misleading. In warm, wet, dirty snow, nothing yet comes close to fluorocarbon's hydrophobic qualities. In colder conditions, the new waxes - at least the ones I've bought - work well.

At the height of the fluoro era, Swix alone offered seven, count 'em, seven different formulations of pure fluoro powder. I never got crazy like that, but 7 30-gram containers in yer wax box at $180.00 each. Plus fluoro sprays and hard wax. And to gain seconds, you applied a combination of all 3. Uff.

 

[gorgonzola]

gummi stone, coupla strokes along the desired edge. How far and much all subject to preference, rocker profile, phase of the moon etc.. Wood handrail or ski rack achieve the same result. The only ski I really de-tune are my slalom skis, tuned to 1b/3e, 3-4 strokes with the gummi to right where the tip curve starts flatten at the base - camber/no rocker ski. Otherwise they feel a little "hooky"

 

[Tjf1967]

I added "and Tuning" to the title of this thread.

I picked up a new pair of skis yesterday and realized that the shop didn't detune the tips and tails.

I have some kind of "stone" that seems like it is made from rubber?

What is it? Can I detune with it? Any tips on how to do it or how much to detune?

You can take a diamond Stone and just run the edge. If you get out and need to take more of take your ski off and rub it again a tree.

 

[Ripitz]

Nose blunt some rails and you’ll be good to go.

 

[Scrundy]

When I tune in basement I use an old deer antler. I always have a little piece of bluestone in coat I get out of driveway just incase needed on trail. The bluestone is easy to get the angle burned into it by working it on the tip past any working edge. If needed I just run it down the edge with a little pressure, it will clean it right up.

Amazing how some skis I can ski tip to tail sharp and are not hooky and some like my Kore 93 need to be retuned on tips and tail or else it's hooky.

 

[Harvey]

Im going to start carrying my stone too.

 

[sibhusky]

I added "and Tuning" to the title of this thread.

I picked up a new pair of skis yesterday and realized that the shop didn't detune the tips and tails.

I have some kind of "stone" that seems like it is made from rubber?

What is it? Can I detune with it? Any tips on how to do it or how much to detune?

Not at all.

If you just MUST, then rather than rounding the edge, ease up the base angle a bit, starting just forward of where the edge, when tipped, will begin biting into the snow, say taking a 1° base angle to 1.25°. (Not suggesting you do those angles, just trying to make my meaning clearer.) You're trying to prevent a "premature edge bite" if hard snow is uneven.

This detuning crap is why I do my own skis. Locally, some stores will go as far back as a foot! If I take my skis in, I tell them no detuning, no deburring, etc., I will do it myself because I can ease into it if the ski feels hooky. Detuning is left over from the days of long, straight skis. But I want the full edge for if I'm on steep ice. I've taken skis back in a rage over this detuning thing.

Oh yeah, the "gummi" will definitely round the edge. Get a stone in a base guide.

 

[tirolski]

Nose blunt some rails and you’ll be good to go.

Appears some folks say to use stones.
Lord knows ya should be able to find some early season stones without trying.

 

[SnowBound]

I'm in the camp of not detuning, stopped detuning about ten years ago. If you really want to, start an inch back from the widest point of the ski go forward to the tip. Skip the tail. If my skis seem hooky, I found that I'm riding in the backseat and just need to re-adjust my form.

And a note on increasing the base angle: Once you go to a larger base angle, the only way to go back to a lower angle is to have the skis stone ground.