Ski Tuning 101 Presents:

Base Edge File Guides - Review

02/03/2010

This is the big one! The “Sharpening the Base Edge” photo guide is the most popular page on this blog (other than the homepage of course) so without further ado, I present my Base Edge Guide Review.

For this review, ARTECH sent along four of the most popular tools for base edge sharpening. The FK SKS Base File Guide ($9), the BEAST Base Beveler ($20), the Swix Base Beveler ($30) and the Toko Adjustable Base Edge File Guide ($48)

For those of you just stumbling across Ski Tuning 101, www.ARTECHSKI.com has been supplying me with various tuning tools to review. Feel free to buy your tuning gear from whomever you want, but remember that this review wouldn’t have happened without ARTECH's generosity.

Things to know before diving in:

A. Base edge guide, base beveler, base edger, base-side guide, etc., are all interchangeable words for the tools being reviewed here.

B. Always sharpen the base edge before the side edge!

C. Choosing the correct diamond stone or polishing stone is an important part of base edge maintenance. See my review here: Diamond Stone Review

D. Filing the base edge should be left to a shop. I personally never use a file on my base edge; there is just too much room for error. Diamond stones and ceramic stones however are perfectly fine.

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1. Let’s start with the FK SKS Base File Guide, which goes for $9 and comes in 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 degree angles.

 There isn’t much to say about this tool. It’s cheap and it’s plastic. The plastic seems to be relatively durable, and it’s easy to set up, but I wouldn’t recommend it for any kind of serious tuning because it is awkward to hold and use, and does not exactly scream precision.

If FKS machined this tool, or even parts of this tool, out of steel or aluminum, they would have a winner. Being that it’s completely plastic, I wouldn’t recommend it.

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2. Next up is the BEAST Base Beveler, which goes for $20 and comes in 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 degree angles. The average skier should be looking to use a 0.5 or a 1.0-degree base edge bevel.

The BEAST Base Beveler is my favorite tool of the bunch. I’ve been using it for years, and it is the best compromise between value, durability, precision and performance. It’s made from durable plastic and has a metal glide plate. The glide plate is what sits on the base of the ski, creating the specified bevel angle. Being that this piece is made from metal, it won’t wear out over time, guaranteeing lasting precision.

The BEAST is the only tool reviewed here that can accept any size diamond, ceramic, or Arkansas stone, as well as any size file. Using the BEAST requires a spring clamp to hold the stone to the guide. This is not a drawback, since they only cost about a dollar, and you should already have one lying around for your side edge guide.

The BEAST is easy to hold, easy to setup, and easy to use. There is no guesswork involved – if you set it up like you see in the pictures, you will be getting a good base edge tune. For most skiers and tuners, this is the ticket. It’s the tool that I will continue to use, and I highly recommend it.

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3. The Swix Base Beveler is next on the list coming in at $30, and in 0.5, 0.75, 1.0 and 1.5 degree edge bevels. Again, most skiers should be looking at the 0.5 or 1.0 degree options.

I’m torn on this tool. On the one hand, it is all metal (which = precision and durability), it is simple, and it is SO easy to use that it is actually fun. On the other hand, it does not accept anything thicker than a diamond stone, and even those are tough to fit in, which is a bit perplexing.

Also, those two metal pins that you see sticking out of the bottom? Those are what come into contact with the ski edge while tuning. What I noticed was that while tuning, those metal pins will absorb and deflect each and every little bump or ding in the ski edge, causing the tool to vibrate and make an awful sound. This called the tools precision into question, and made me wonder whether the metal pins were causing the edge to go dull. The BEAST only has plastic parts touching the edge, so you know that it cannot dull the edge. The Swix, however, I am not so sure about.

The Swix Base Beveler is an overall good tool, but I still prefer the BEAST.

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4. Lastly we have the Toko Adjustable Base Edge File Guide, which sells for $48, and adjusts between 0.5-1.5 degrees.

Those of you that have read my review on adjustable side-edge guides know that I am not particularly fond of any adjustable edge tool. The Toko is no exception. It is a durable, well-built tool, but it has many of the same problems of the Swix tool. It barely fits a diamond stone, and it has metal pins that grind against the edge of the ski during tuning.

Worse, the adjusting mechanism is poorly designed, and very far from precise. It is basically a screw head that, when loosened, slides up and down a scale of edge bevels from 0.5-1.5 degrees. The tool allows you to set ANY angle between 0.5 and 1.5 degrees including 0.9, 1.12, 1.06, you get the idea. The adjusting mechanism does not lock or snap into place when you reach any of the common bevels like 0.5 or 1.0 degrees. You have to eyeball it by lining up the markers, and hoping you are really at 1.0 degree, and not 1.1 or .90 degrees.

There is just so much potential for error with this tool that I do not recommend it. Toko could make some very simple design adjustments to this product and have a real winner on its hands, but until then, skip it.

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In summary, the BEAST is that rare find of value and performance. Just because you can spend more money, does not mean you have to. Pick up a beast, a spring clamp, and your choice of diamond stone, and you will be well on your way to a sharp base edge!

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Ski Tuning 101: diamond stone follow-up

Diamond Stone Review - Follow Up:
01/26/2010


A lot of you have been asking about polishing solution vs. soapy water. This seems to be an ongoing debate, and to be honest, I have no idea what's actually in the commercially available polishing solution.

Some of you have said that you just use water, or you own concoction of isopropyl alcohol and water. I'm no chemist, but in my experience whatever they put into the store bought polishing solution produces better results than soapy water, which may or may not produce better results than just plain water.

That being said, the polishing solution might be overkill for non-racers. Personally, I just use soapy water, and find no reason to try something else, because the results are great.

When I raced, I would use a progression of diamond stones (200 grit -> 400 grit -> 800 grit), which is something I don't do for my powder/mid-fat/all-mountain skis. When tuning race skis,  I would always use a polishing solution, and there is no doubt that it produced superior results compared to the soapy water. But again, if you're not racing, don't sweat it.

On soapy water, and keeping stones clean:


While the soapy water solution acts as a lubricant, it also has another important advantage: keeping your diamond stones clean!

Every time you run your diamond stone down a ski edge, a weird black gunk starts to accumulate on the stone, and on the ski edge. When I tune, I run a wet paper towel down the edge of the ski every 10 passes of the diamond stone. You will be amazed at how quickly that paper towel goes from white to black. I also dip the diamond stone in a cup of warm soapy water, and wipe off any black gunk that is building up on the stone.

If you don't continuously wipe down the edges and the surface of the stone, you won't get a good tune. All that build up will prevent the very tiny diamond surfaces of the stone from coming into contact with the edge. In effect, you will just be grinding around dirt, and not actually sharpening anything.


When to replace a diamond stone:


This is, again, a very un-scientific thing. Some of you have written saying your diamond stones have lasted for years. Personally, I have seen stones last for many seasons. It just depends on how well the stones are cared for. If they are rust and dirt free, they should easily last a few seasons. We're talking about diamonds don't forget; a soft steel ski edge is not going to wear down a diamond. What will happen is that the diamond dust, or whatever it is on the surface of the stone, will get scraped off over time. This is why it's important to use aggressive grit (100 to 200) stones on heavily burred or damaged edges, otherwise the cutting surface of the stone will just be scraped off. Again, think sand paper.

Ski Tuning 101 Presents:

Diamond Stones, a buyer’s guide.
01/15/10

Pick up your diamond stones and other tuning gear at: www.ARTECHSKI.com - supporting ARTECH helps support this blog.

Terminology to know before reading: grit. The grit of a diamond stone is a measure of how aggressive the stones surface is. Think sandpaper. Grit numbers of 100 are very aggressive, whereas grits of 800 and up are much smoother. A 100 grit stone will remove dings and rust from an edge, and an 800 grit stone will smooth and polish an edge. Using multiple stones of increasing grit in succession will sharpen and polish an edge, and give the best results. To save money, a lot of skiers only buy a 400 “general purpose” grit diamond stone.

For this post, I’ll be taking a look at 4 popular diamond stones that ARTECH sent my way for evaluation. They range in price from $16 to $27. It’s obviously hard to quantify something like the performance of a diamond stone, but I’ll do my best to illustrate the differences between the options at hand.

Before we get into the review, it’s important to quickly touch on technique. Specifically, the use of a polishing solution when tuning. I’ve written about this in the photo guide, but basically, a polishing solution is a lubricant that facilitates edge sharpening. It might come off as a gimmick, but it’s an incredibly important part of the process. ARTECH offers the most economical polishing solution: 2 oz’s for $7, or 8 oz’s for $18. The 2 oz bottle will easily get you through a season, as very little is needed.

The alternative to buying a polishing solution is to make your own. I’ve had success with liquid hand soap and water, combined in a spray bottle, and applied generously to stones before sharpening.

Lubricating diamond stones will yield superior results, and will also lengthen the life of a diamond stone by preventing it from clogging up with debris. Don’t skip this step!

1. The first stone shown here is the Swix Race Diamond File, which goes for a reasonable $16.

It comes in 100, 400, and 800 grits. It’s a great stone, and I definitely recommend it. Buying a 100 and 400 grit stone will make a great general purpose kit. Use the 100 for major dings and edge damage, and finish with the 400 to smooth things out. Adding an 800 grit stone will give an even smoother, harder, and sharper edge.

Here is a closeup view of the stone:

2. Next is the DMT Diamond Whetstone, which sells for $17, or $70 for a kit of all 5 grits.

 

I’ve used these stones quite a bit, but there is something about them that I just don’t like. I can’t put my finger on it, but I’ve just never been able to get the same results with the DMT stones as I have with the Swix or MoonFlex stones. The DMT’s come in grits of 120, 220, 325, 600 and 1200.

3. Up next is the Diaface MoonFlex Diamond File, retailing for $27.

 

I’ve also used these stones extensively, and they are far and away my favorite. The stones are advertised as being able to “cut and polish at the same time” due to the “crescent moon” design pattern. Now, I can’t speak to the science behind the patterns of diamond files. For all I know it could be a marketing gimmick, but first hand experience has led me to believe that there is something special about MoonFlex stones.

4. Lastly we have the Swix W.C. Diamond File Pro, for $29 a pop.

 

They come in grits of 100, 200, 400, 600 and 1000, and are noteworthy because they are the only stone with a metal handle reviewed here. The others all have hard plastic handles. I don’t know that this makes a difference in terms of performance, but other than that there is not much difference between these and the MoonFlex stones. Compared to the $16 Swix option, these are definitely worth the extra $13 for the serious tuner or racer.

Overall, the Moon Flex are my favorite diamond stones to use. The $16 Swix stones come in 2^nd place for value and performance, and are what I would recommend to the average ski tuner.