Sidewalls on race ski (as delivered from most factories) normally need some attention. The plastic and bottom layer of metal is usually even with the metal edge- which can make sharpening and/or beveling the ski difficult or impossible. The finish is often also quite rough, which can increase friction when the ski is at a high edge angle. Also, most skis come with a side edge bevel set somewhere between 1-2 degrees- and you may want something different.

When we get new skis, prepping the sidewall is usually the second thing I do- right after I deburr the base edge. Why do I work on the sidewalls so soon? Because they will NEED to be done, and working on them necessarily rubs on the base a bit. If the sides are done first, the bases suffer less tool-wear and abuse.

Here are the tools I use to prep the sidewall and set the bevel:
Sidewall puller
7-8 degree Side Edge Guide
3 degree Side Edge Guide (or 1 degree for a few skis)
100 grit sanding sponge
Polishing Cloth
Paste wax.

Do your work in this order:



1.)
So first, get out your Sidewall Puller and set it up. There are 2 screws on the side of most unit that determine the depth of the cut- that is- the amount of material that is removed in 1 pass. Set these initially to where NO MATERIAL is being removed. Then adjust both screws a little until the cutter JUST contacts the base. Then turn the adjusters the same direction about 1/4 turn. This is about how much material you want to remove. You will be able to reach and sharpen the side edge, but you will also preserve much of the sidewall of the ski- and the strength the side wall provides.
2.) Pull ALL FOUR sidewalls. It is always good shop practice to do all of 1 stage on the pair of skis before moving on. That way, you won't forget a stage on 1 ski- or just 1 edge.


3.) Blacken the edges with a Sharpie pen. You will be able to see how much metal you are removing this way- and where you are removing it. Repeat on the other 3 edges.


4.) Tape over your bindings to keep out metal.


5.) File the edge with your 7-9 degree bevel- to smooth back the top of the edge.
6.) Re-Blacken all four edges.


7.) Get out your REAL side bevel guide now (or reset your guide if you only have one) and set the edge to the desired bevel. For most racers age 10-15, 3 degrees of bevel works well. For younger racers, 1-2 degrees is more forgiving and more durable. For those over 15, and skiing on constantly icy, boiler-plate conditions, 4-5 degrees works better.

8.) Now that your edges are roughed-in, I like to sand the sidewall smooth. The cuts from the puller and the high-angle filing will blend together this way.
9.) Finally, apply wax to the sidewall for the fastest finish.

Go Fast!!

If you spend ANY time tuning, you nearly immediately find yourself with a frustratingly dull Scraper. What to do- what to do... Gadget has a fix for you: The Scraper Gadget! This simple tool will become one of your most used tools- that is my guess. Every time I wax (now), I sharpen my scraper and it makes tuning a pleasure.

I have 3 of these, I have made a few for friends, AND I made some for CMAC. If you want one, Andy Cooley has a few available for a small donation to the FFE. If there is demand, I will make a few more.



The great folks at Tognar.com like my Scraper Gadget and have published the plans here: http://www.tognar.com/2011-tuning-tips-winner/    Tognar.com is one of the best places on the net to get ski tools, wax, and boot fitting supplies. Check them out.

Because I tune everyday,  most of our skis don't need much work. This is EXACTLY what I do on a daily basis to keep our skis fresh, and I will include pictures of EXACTLY what equipment I use to do it.

One disclaimer: This is a good, quick, easy tune- but after 4-5 days of tunes like this, I normally do a bit more. I will end this article with the "bit more" that I do.

1. Deburr/sharpen Side Edge. I set almost ALL of our skis to a 3 degree side bevel for simplicity and consistency. I grab a "Side of Beast Pro" 3 degree guide and the coarsest diamond stone I have (generally a DMT extra-EXTRA coarse 100 grit) and a shot of SVST Secret Sauce. I then work back and forth along 1 side edge until it feels and sounds consistent. If there are a few particularly damaged areas, I spend extra time on them until they are smooth. Then I repeat on each of the other 3 edges on the pair of skis, cleaning and re-lubing the stone between each edge.
   
2. Deburr/smooth Base Edge. I use base bevels from .5 degree all the way up to 1.5 degree, but I always use a fine diamond stone for this work. My preferred setup is a FSK sleeve and Moonstone 600 grit 4 inch stone. DRY/CLEAN ALL EDGES COMPLETELY WITH A PAPER TOWEL before moving to step 3.
   
3. Prep Base: I use a coarse brass brush (not a roto-brush) for this. I make 2-3 tip-to-tail passes on each ski followed by a plastic scraper. That's IT!
   
4. I use a Toko Universal Low Fluro wax for this. I drip plenty of wax (10-15 grams average per  race ski, 20-25+ on the fat skis) on to the ski, then make 3 passes with the iron. If there are any dry spots, I add a little more wax. After 1 minute, I begin to SOFTLY scrape the wax with a plastic scraper, starting with the edges. Then I brush softly with the brass brush. 2-3 tip-to-tail brush strokes are enough.
   

You Are DONE!!   With practice, this should take only 10-15 minutes a pair.


Apron, Wax, Iron, 600 stone, 80 stone, SKS base guide, Beast side guide, Scraper Gadget (in a rich cherry finish) and Swix Brass Brush.

A couple notes: The Toko wax I use seems to only be available currently through Tognar.com. It is the hardest, widest temp range wax with decent glide I have (yet) found. It is also one of the cheapest- which is great when you wax all the time.

The "bit more" every 4-5 days:

1. Edges: After several days of smoothing damage, you may need to restore sharpness. I use a file for this work. Specifically, I use a medium SWIX World Cup file. 2-3 passes per side edge with this file is MORE than enough almost always. Be sure to stone the SIDE  and BASE edges first to remove damage, and stone the BASE edge after to remove the working burr.
   
2. Base: It may be time for some p-tex candle repair, and you should also brush the base thoroughly with a coarse Brass Brush to clean out and restore the structure. After that, scrape with a sharp scraper and wax-wash (warm scrape) with the softest wax you have. This will clean out much of the dirt and junk collected in the base.
   
3. Top and sides: I use a sanding sponge to remove cuts and burrs along the top edges and sidewalls. This may NOT make the skis any faster, but it sure is nice to NOT have the skis cut hands and/or clothes!
   

Swix World Cup (medium) file, sanding sponge, p-tex candle, SVST Secret Sauce

All this work (the bit more) can be done in about 30 minutes with practice.

Ok, I have heard rumors that I'm not "giving up the goods" or that I'm not revealing my fastest tricks or something. The truth? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!

The truth of it is that I am ALWAYS experimenting with new materials, tools, and techniques. I show people the methods I have tried extensively and proven. I don't show you my LATEST stuff, because not everything works out.

You want "the latest" Gadget Tuning Tricks? Hang out in the shop with me for a while. Bring music and adult beverages. Then DON'T TELL ANYBODY what you learned!!

Big Speed is Secret Stuff right? Usually no, it isn't. Mostly it is someone doing the Right Stuff Repeatedly- and sweating the details.

Q: You said something about tuning and waxing everyday. You are kidding, right?! I have a LIFE you know- including a wife and 3 kids!

A: Yeah- sorry: Gadget IS a Tuning Nut- hence the blog (and fictitious conversations with my vaporous followers). It is possible to maintain skis once a week (if say skiing 3 days/week), and still have pretty good performance. Does this help?

Q: I suppose that is better than every day. What do recommend that I do once a week?

A: I thought you would NEVER ask! First of all, try to wipe-down your skis after every ski day. High carbon steel edge can begin to rust in just a few hours if left wet. It is easier to prevent rust than to remove it. AT LEAST once/week, carefully stone the base and side edges to remove burrs, then stone the side edge to improve sharpness. Finally, brush and scrape the bases and apply a universal temperature, low fluro wax by ironing. When slightly cool, remove the wax from the edges, but leave the excess on the base. This is NOT an ideal prep, but the ski will perform fairly consistently, turn smoothly, hold well, and glide easily. Leaving the excess wax on the base speeds the prep time and extends the protection of the bases for a longer period.

 

But you will still find my skis (and my son's) are tuned to a near-race level on a daily basis. If you can find (or make) the time, there is a benefit to sweating the details.

 

For those of you new to racing, it is critical that a racer's skis are ALWAYS in good shape. They should be waxed every day, and the edges should be smooth and burr-free. If you only do Race Day prep and don't wax/tune the rest of the year, you risk falls and disappointment. Why? Because maintained skis work so differently from those that aren't. Give your racer the best chance of success by keeping their skis tuned and waxed.

 

This series will describe all that you need to do to send your racer out on Fast Skis for that big race. Please write if you have any questions and Have Fun!

A great race prep without "going crazy."

 

Ok, we are assuming the skis are in pretty good shape: waxed at least most days, with smooth bases and edges. No repairs in other words. We will prep Edges, Bases, and Wax in 30 minutes or so.

 

1.) Edges:  Total time per pair (with practice) = 10-12 minutes. 

a.) Deburr: Using a medium/coarse ceramic or diamond stone, remove any burrs and rust from the edges. You should be using a guide for this so that the edge geometry is not accidentally changed. I deburr the base edges of both skis first, then I switch tools and deburr the side edges of both skis. Remember- you are only deburring. It should only take less than 1 minute per edge. This deburring is done to preserve your tools and hands.

b.) Sharpen: ALL SHARPENING IS DONE ON THE SIDE EDGE! I can't emphasize that too much. Leave the base edge alone except to smooth/deburr.Take you SIDE edging tool and a file (if very dull) or a coarse stone (if less sharpening is required) and take 3-4 passes down each edge, cleaning the stone or file between each edge. If adequately sharp, move on to C, otherwise repeat the process on the edges that need more love.

c.) Polish: Sharpening adds a new burr to the edge, which now needs to be removed. Use a medium/fine stone on the side edge and a fine stone on the base edge for this work.

 

2.) Bases: Total time per pair= 5-7 minutes.

a.)Scrape: With a sharp plastic scraper, carefully scrape away dirt and debris working from tip to tail. Repeat 2-3 times.

b.) Brush: Using a brass/bronze brush with fairly stiff, short bristles, brush the skis from tip to tail 3-4 times. LIGHTLY scrape with the plastic scraper to remove debris.

c.) Polish Using an automotive polishing cloth (or ski polishing cloth- which ever is handy), polish the base of the ski back and forth until  there is very little resistance. Very lightly scrape with plastic scraper.

 

3.) Wax: Total time per pair= 10-15 minutes

a.) Warm Scrape:  Using a waxing iron and the "wax of the day,"  drip plenty of wax (around 20 grams or so) onto the ski, then work back and forth until the wax is well distributed and warm. Make 1 last fast pass along the ski and grap your scraper. While the wax is still liquid/molten, scrape it off completely. This helps to clean and condition the base.

b.) Wax: Grab the wax of the day and repeat "a" above- except let the wax cool before removing it. For a warm (25 degrees and above) wax, let it cool as long as possible before scraping. At least 30 minutes. For colder waxes, remove some of the excess soon. Cold  waxes will chip if worked when cold.

 

So in about 30 minutes (except for cooling time), you now have a smooth, sharp, well waxed pair of skis. Relax knowing your racer's gear is ready!

This for you racers and parents who want ALL the performance possible. 

For this prep, I will assume you have a "racer-trainer" ski situation (separate training and racing skis for each discipline). Since you have made the investment in "extra" gear, you are probably prepared to do "extra" preparation. Plan 60-90 minutes per pair of prep-time for ultimate performance.

First, you should evaluate/guess/research the range of possible weather for the next day. Hopefully, your racer's training skis are also in good shape- in case you need to press them into race-duty at the last moment. 

0.) Remove storage/transport wax. 5-10 minutes. You DO wax your skis after races, right? It is now time to scrape, brush, and polish off ALL of that wax. 

1.) Edges:  Total time per pair (with practice) = 15-30 minutes. 

a.) Deburr: Race skis should be stored with their edges clean, dry and deburred. If they are not, use a fine diamond stone (wet) in a base guide on both skis, then on the side edges of both skis. Be sure to wipe the edges wet (with polishing solution) then dry with a clean paper towel. ALL moisture must be removed.

b.) Sharpen: Working with a fine file, make 2-3 passes on the side edges, cleaning the file between each edge. Using a fine diamond (or ceramic) stone, make 1 pass on all 4 base edges. Then, using a medium diamond (or ceramic) stone, return to the side edges and make 2-3 passes. Repeat these steps until you have acheived the level of edge polish you desire. Then make 1 pass down each side and base edge with a gummi stone. In case you are wondering, it is better to over-sharpen then to under-sharpen. If the edges are too sharp at the start, a few passes with a gummi stone will serve to considerably reduce sharpness. .

c.) Polish: The edges are already at a high state of finish, but will polish further if you use a polishing cloth on them. Polish hard on each ski for 1-2 minutes.

 2.) Bases: Total time per pair= 10-20 minutes.

a.)Scrape: With a sharp plastic scraper, carefully scrape away dirt and debris working from tip to tail. Repeat 2-3 times.

b.) Roto Brush: Using a brass/bronze brush, brush the skis from tail to tip, 3-4 times. LIGHTLY scrape with the plastic scraper to remove debris. Reverse the brush and repeat from tip to tail.

c.) Polish Using an automotive polishing cloth (or ski polishing cloth- which ever is handy), polish the base of the ski back and forth until  there is very little resistance. Very lightly scrape with plastic scraper.

3.) Wax: Total time per pair= 20-30 minute... or more.

a.) Warm Scrape:  Using a waxing iron and soft base-prep wax, drip plenty of wax (around 20 grams or so) onto the ski, then work back and forth until the wax is well distributed and warm. Make 1 last fast pass along the ski and grap your scraper. While the wax is still liquid/molten, scrape it off completely. Repeat until clean. If preparing for a low-temperature race, use progressively harder waxes for each cycle.

b.) Wax. Grab the wax of the day and repeat "a" above- except let the wax cool before removing it. For a warm (25 degrees and above) wax, let it cool as long as possible before scraping. At least 30 minutes. For colder waxes, remove most of the excess within 5-10 minutes. Cold  waxes will chip if worked when cold.

c.) For Championship level prep, (after cooling) scrape brush and polish this base wax and repeat "b" above with a low or high fluro wax.

d.) Overlays: Skis MUST be fully scraped, brushed and polished before applying any overlays. It is ok to wait until the start to apply overlays, if it helps you chose the best possible wax combination.

4.) Strap and protect: After all THIS work, you want the skis to arrive at the start in PERFECT shape, right? So use 3-4 ski-straps or a complete base protector. Then transport them in such a way as to preserve your work. Exposed ski rack, ARE YOU KIDDING? But an overloaded roof carrier may harm the skis too.

If you are like me, it is now time for an adult beverage- or maybe straight to bed- that was a lot of work! But at least you know your racer's skis are as fast as you can make them right?

This is a good prep that will help skis turn well and glide fast.

 

At the top of the course, scrape (with a plastic scraper) ice, snow, excess wax and debris off of the skis. Then brush them hard with a nylon brush. Now apply a low-fluro paste or liquid wax and follow the directions. Skis prepped in this fashion are surprisingly fast (I have measured a 2 second improvement on a 60 second SG course over dry skis)... and it is SO easy. Repeat for the second run.

The TRUE basics: Paste wax and a polishing cloth. Works like a charm.

This is great solution for MOST accomplished racers.

 

Like the $1 dollar prep, this involves a little elbow grease, a few tools, and some liquid/paste or spray wax.

High-fluro wax, RAY'S WAY wax wizard, brush, etc.

Scrape the skis, double check the edges for burrs (carefully stone them away if you find any), then brush the skis. Polish with a cloth, if possible. Then apply the mid or high fluro wax of your choice, following the manufacturers directions. Unless you over-apply the wax, this should only cost $5-10/pair.