Tuning Clarification

So, in his original thread, dipstick says to use a file guide (Swix Xactor), but then in a later thread he said it was junk and was looking for other options. So, what's the deal? Most people seem to agree that these sort of guides work, but don't necessarily work well. So would the better option be to get seperate base and edge bevel guides? This looks like a lot of work, and pretty difficult to do...or is it?

Also, do you have to use a file with these guides, or can you substitute a diamond stone. It seems pretty excessive to file your edges every time you want to tune.

Finally, are there best methods/brands, or are they all pretty much the same? I read the Toko guide somebody posted, and it looks like you need $200 worth of shit to tune your skis. I guess I'd like to know what's the bare minimum I need for an edge tune.

HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU FILE?
Since there's only so much edge material on a ski or snowboard to begin with, it kinda makes sense to only file away as much as absolutely necessary...unless, of course, your parents own a ski factory or something. When beveling base edges on new gear, for example, it might only take 3 passes to do the job . It's easy to overdo...especially if you're not using a file bevel guide or your file is getting dull or dirty. Assuming your ski or board base is flat to begin with, simply blacken the base edge surface with a marking pen. Once you've filed away this ink, you know you've accomplished your goal. Don't keep filing until you start cutting into p-tex along the base edge...this is too much.
Also, don't file base edges daily or at every tune-up. Instead, use a diamond stone (or similar) to deburr and polish base edge surfaces, then do the same to the side edge. If this doesn't sharpen edges sufficiently, then lightly file the side edges only. Not only is it easier to remove material here, but wiser, too...because whenever you file away base edge material, you'll also have to remove a similar thickness of p-tex from your entire base to maintain the bevel angles you originally started with. Think of all the unnecessary work...not to mention shortened ski or board life...this creates!

tognar.com

Invest in a good set or diamond stones and don't file that much unless you race, in which case razor sharp edges are somewhat more important to you. As for a file, I use the SkiVisions Ski Sharp, which does both base and side edges at the same time, all you have to do is turn a knob to adjust the degrees of bevel for each edge. The thing works very well and is practically dummy-proof. Its about $50, but replacement files are only like $10, so in the long run, it's prolly the least expensive option for doing both sets of edges. Tognar sells them.

So, do you just freehand the diamond stones?

I usually just freehand the, since I only use them on side edges, where it's pretty easy to keep them square. Assuming you aren't racing, you don't need amazing edges on fat skis. When freehanding, take your time and really focus on keeping the stone square to the edge. I kinda prefer a "pocket stone" which is some kind of ceramic instead of diamond. It will do the same things as a diamond stone, but if you roll it or dont have it square, it will take much longer to damage the tune.

For basic tunes, I just use a fine diamond stone, mostly in a multi-angle guide with one or two quick freehand passes at the end. Filing is only when gummi stones can't get the rust off or when I want to correct someone else's edge bevel.

sorry for the confusion, I've been meaning to update the guide....


Anyway, in that guide I was pretty much instructing with what tools I had. Tuning stuff can be expensive, and when I made the guide the only edge tool I had was the Swix Xactor. After using it for awhile I wasn't very happy with the results, so I wanted to find another edger, but never got around to buying one. Then I came to college, and I spent a night going through the ski teams boxes and boxes of tuning supplies, trying pretty much every edge guide under the sun. I found that simpler is better, and wound up getting the best results with one of these:
http://race-werks.com/images/sseb.gif

You've probably seen these around before; some are metal, some are plastic, some are $70, some are $15. You basically take a file/diamond stone and use a spring clamp to clamp it to the guide, and then just run it down the length of the ski. It looks like this when you have it set up:
http://race-werks.com/images/csc10.gif
It's very easy to use, and can take any kind of file or stone. The only downside is that it is set at a permanent angle, so if you have 2 pairs of skis with 2 different bevels, you'll need 2 of these devices (or an attachment that allows you to set any angle you want, but that attachment can be as expensive as just getting another guide, so I don't know if it's worth it.)


As for the base bevel, I found the base Beast to be the best for the $:
http://www.reliableracing.com/winter...s/lg/22460.jpg

It sells for $20, but again it is set at a specific angle, so if you have 2 different base bevels, you'll need 2 guides.

I wouldn't recommend doing any edge work without a guide/freehand, except when using a gummi stone. This is not the most accurate way of doing things, plus it can damage your base and will clog up your diamond stones.

That little device Glademaster mentioned (the one that sharpens both edge and base at the same time) works surprisingly well, and is truly idiot proof, but you can't use diamond stones in it, plus for the money you could get set up with the file guides pictured above.

Now to answer your questions specifically....

"So would the better option be to get seperate base and edge bevel guides?"

Yes, you will get much better and more consistent results.

"This looks like a lot of work, and pretty difficult to do...or is it?"

Using diamond stones with those guides is very easy, but when you use files you need to make sure the file is cutting in the correct direction, and you need to make sure you don't file too much.

"do you have to use a file with these guides, or can you substitute a diamond stone"

You can use anything you want with the guides I pictured.

"are there best methods/brands, or are they all pretty much the same"

I haven't really found one brand to be better than any other. You don't need to spend a fortune to get a good tune, either.

You should be able to get the two guides I pictured, one diamond stone, and one file for just under $50.

Hope this helps.

edit: to be perfectly honest, if you are trying to save $, you could probably do without base bevel guide (the orange thing), and just stick to maintaining your side edge.