Ski tuning can incorporate many different treatments to the skis in order to protect them, eliminate existing damage and improve skiing performance. Skis need various tuning at varying increments, depending on the type of treatment and how damaged your skis are. If you neglect to maintain your skis, you are more likely to develop rough edges and deep cuts that aren't easily fixed. A well-worn ski is also more likely to break entirely and need replacement. Timely tuning can help your skis last longer.
Step 1
Run a diamond stone along the edges of the ski to deburr the surface and eliminate small splints in the ski, making it smoother and less likely to break down further. Use a bevel guide to ensure that the appropriate angles of the ski edges are maintained, as an alternative to the diamond stone. Perform diamond stone deburring after every day of skiing to keep the ski in top condition.
Step 2
Wet down a whetstone with water and run it along the edges of the ski to provide a different form of deburring. Keep whetstones moist while in use and run them over burrs repeatedly until only a smooth surface remains. After you have deburred the ski, use a file and bevel guide to sharpen the edges of the ski. Do this every three to five days of skiing.
Step 3
Melt ski wax with an iron and drip it along the underside of the ski. Once applied, use a clothing iron to spread out the wax along the underside of the ski and then let the wax cool and harden. Use a wax scraper to smooth out the cooled wax. Hold the scraper at a 45-degree angle for the best results. You may also consider using a polishing brush to create the smoothest finish possible. Wax you skis every five days.
Step 4
Fill in small scratches in the ski by applying a lighter to a P-Tex wax stick and melting the wax into the scratch mark. Let the wax completely fill the mark and dry it out. Scrape off the top side to smooth the wax out along the rest of the ski. Do this only as needed.
Step 5
Take your skis in for a machine-aided stone grinding to fix significant scratches, gouges or other damage to your ski. Minor treatments do not prove effective for major damage, and a ski professional will be best able to take care of your ski and prolong its life.
Things You'll Need
- Diamond stone
- Whetstone
- Bevel guide
- File
- Hot wax
- Iron
- Scraper
- P-Tex
- Lighter
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