SKI TUNING
The preparation and tuning of skis is vital if you are to become a successful Ski Racer. It is important that all trainees have an understanding of the tools and techniques used to competently “tune” their skis.
Generally, with the youngest (Mini) trainees the Coach will do the bulk of the work and as the trainees get older and more experienced/competent, the Coach will do less of the work and act more as a guide assisting where appropriate. At Junior level the trainees will be expected to prepare their skis alone, consulting their Coach if necessary.
Equipment - below is a basic list of the tools required:
Elastic bands – used to hold the ski brakes out of the way – WH Smith!
Scrapers – both Metal and Plastic
SideWall remover – this removes the “side-wall” of the ski and therefore allows more purchase on the metal edges when sharpening.
Files – If possible 1x coarse and 1x soft – this refers to the grain and therefore the aggressiveness of the “cut”. Files must be “single grain” not “cross grain” as this will damage the ski.
An Angle/File guide – often known as a file guide, the angle working in tandem with the file itself will create the “edge angle”. A ski from the packet will generally have an “edge angle” of 90 degrees. For Racing we want an angle of 88 degrees (more acute) and therefore use the “Angle” to help achieve this. This angle of edge helps the ski dig in to the mountain (Racecourse) better.
Wire Brush – this is used to clean the shavings of ski/edge from the files. Available any hardware store although for ease the smaller the better!
Stone – a soft compound emery stone. This is used to take off any burrs that may be in the edged if the ski has grazed a rock. Hit a rock and there will be more damage!
P-tex – used to repair holes in the base. This is dangerous so whilst useful to have, ALWAYS ask a Coach for assistance – it burns.
Wax – for most training scenarios “Universal” is adequate. For Racing it is better to use wax specific to temperature and thus a selection is desirable. Always keep the wax clean and protected from dirt. Put it in a freezer bag for example.
Brushes – the brushes are used mainly after the ski has been waxed and scraped. They come in various densities (soft to harsh) – a medium density is preferable to start with.
Also Iron – used to heat the base – melt the wax on to the base and “iron” the wax into the base. Specialist wax irons are available but an old “flat bottomed” household iron will do the job. Check Mum doesn’t need it any more and that it has a thermostat!
Clamps/Vices – the DHO will provide two sets of these at all camps so this is not an essential item. These help hold the skis firm whilst any work is being done. The DHO will also provide “tuning tables” for attaching clamps/vices to.
Preparation
The “Base” or “running surface” of the ski consists of the Metal edges and the flat plastic area contained within these (often black in colour). We often refer to the base (meaning this plastic section) and the edges separately.
Clean the base of any excess wax, dirt and water. This should be done after every days skiing even if not “tuning” the skis.
Check that the base of the ski is flat – use the side of a metal scraper placed upright on the base. If there is daylight visible then the base may be concave (lower in the middle) or convex (higher in the middle). If this is the case use a coarse file to flatten the base. It is worth noting that Ski bases are pretty dense so it is often best for this job, to take the skis to a specialist shop to have the bases “ground”. This should only need doing twice (possibly three times) a year.
If the “base” requires work use a file, working from tip to tail and remove the excess material. You may wish to mark the edges with a marker pen, which will be removed as you work. As you work don’t forget to clean the file regularly with your Wire Brush! This will prevent you getting iron fillings in the base and also make the job easier as the file will “cut” better.
Repairs
Sometimes you will hit rocks stones or even ice when skiing that can cause damage to the bases and edges of the skis. For the edge most of the damage will be rectified when sharpening (the side edge) or when flattening the base (see above). For the (plastic) base you may need to use P-Tex to fill in any holes.
WHEN USING P-TEX – ALWAYS GET AN ADULT (COACH) TO HELP, AS IT CAN BE DANGEROUS. Using a candle (flame) light the P-Tex and then allow it to drip into the hole needing repaired. Be generous! Once the repair is made (hole filled) leave the ski for a good while (1hour if possible). This way the repair will “bond” properly.
Once the repair has “bonded” remove the excess P-Tex with a file (see above section referring to Base Preparation). Be gentle, if you are too harsh the whole of the P-Tex may come out of the repair. Try not to file the base, as you will cause damage. Once the majority of the P-Tex has been removed you should be left with a fairly smooth base again. Use a metal scraper to finish the job.
If the ski is badly damaged, the repairs will need to be done by specialist tools – in which case you will need to take them to a shop.
Sharpening
By sharpening the edges you will get better grip on the Racecourse! – This is possibly the most important part of tuning your skis.
Before sharpening the edges (on the side) you may need to remove some of the “side-wall” of the ski. This will enable you to get more purchase on the metal edge when you are trying to sharpen it. The sidewall remover will dig into the side of the ski and remove any excess material – it is often good to get a Coach to do this.
Once you have removed any excess material from the “side-wall” Take you Angle and place the file in it. Use the angle/file holder to grip file at desired angle (we will mostly use 88 degrees). Again working in smooth strokes file away some of the metal from the edge - this will then sharpen the edge. It is important when you are trying to sharpen your edges that the “base” of the ski faces away from you. You should then work left to right or right to left whichever hand you use more naturally.
WHEN WORKING ON THE EDGES IS VERY CAREFUL AS THEY ARE SHARP - THAT’S THE IDEA!
Once you have sharpened the edges to the desired level use a stone to complete the job. This creates a smooth finish and gets rid of any “ripples” that may have occurred as a result of the file.
Waxing
You should wax your skis regularly as it not only makes them faster but also helps to protect them.
Selecting the correct wax is very important for a Race. Wax is made with different temperatures in mind and therefore you need to select the wax that is appropriate for the temperature of the snow you will be racing on. It is quite complex so the easiest answer is to always check with a Coach before waxing for Races. For training it is easiest to use “Universal Wax” as this will cover most snow conditions.
To wax the skis it is sometimes a good idea to “iron” the base before applying any wax. This helps to open up the “pores” in the base material so that it is more receptive to the wax. Hold the iron at an angle and hold the block of wax against the base. The wax should drip onto the base and form “spots” Do this along the length of the ski and once this is done “iron” in the wax. Do not hold the iron still on the base – run it smoothly backwards and forwards so the wax melts and penetrates the base. You should have a glossy base – until the wax dries!
When using the iron it is important that it does not get too hot, it is easy to tell, as it will smoke - a lot! Use the thermostat to ensure it is not too hot about 130 or Cotton setting should do. If the Iron is too hot it will burn the wax and make it less effective. It may also damage the base of the ski.
After you have waxed the skis allow them to dry for a minimum of 20minutes. This allows the wax to fully absorb into the base. Once this is done take a PLASTIC scraper and remove the bulk of the wax from the base. You should again work tip to tail and with smooth strokes.
Brushing
After scraping off the excess wax you should brush your skis. This helps to put a very fine “texture” in the freshly waxed base of the ski, which acts a little bit like the grooves in tyres on a car – expelling excess water. Ideally you need different types of brush for different types of snow – again seek the advice of a trainer.
For Dry and cold snow - use a fine brush
For Wet, old, warm, spring snow – use a more coarse brush
ONCE THIS IS ALL DONE YOU HAVE FINISHED. MAKING SURE YOU USE SKI TIES TO HELP PROTECT YOUR NEWLY TUNED SKIS PUT THEM AWAY READY FOR RACE DAY.
Manufacturers - useful links for more detailed information TOKO
HOLMENKOL
HWK
