Base Edge Nicks & Dings

[Wilhelmson]

Between the four of us there are several dings along the base and side edges. This morning I prepped each ski by running an old diamond stone w/guide along the side edges to knock down the dings. I might file, but with this type of snow year I might be better off with the usual stoning of the edges, though this would hinder ice grip.

Regarding the base edges, should I leave them alone completely, or use the same old diamond stone with base guide to lightly knock down the dings on the base edge?

 

[mdf]

Doctrine says to leave the base edges alone, but I don't think the doctors are hitting rocks.
I would knock down the base dings. I have a base guide and use it when I do that, but you could do local ding mitigation freehand (i.e., just at the ding, not the whole length).

 

[Wilhelmson]

Doctrine says to leave the base edges alone, but I don't think the doctors are hitting rocks.
I would knock down the base dings. I have a base guide and use it when I do that, but you could do local ding mitigation freehand (i.e., just at the ding, not the whole length).

I am of the same opinion and use the base guide.

 

[James]

Knock down the peaks of the dings on the base. That shouldn’t change the angle.

Personally, I freehand it. Diamond then ceramic.
If using a guide, do the side first to smooth it out for the base edge guide to ride on. Otherwise, the rough side will mar the base guide’s plastic contact.

 

[nemesis256]

If using a guide, do the side first to smooth it out for the base edge guide to ride on. Otherwise, the rough side will mar the base guide’s plastic contact.

This.

95% of the time I only use ceramic. It's my way of being as close to "leave the base edge alone".

 

[Dwight]

I free hand base with diamond fine stone. You are more apt to round the edge vs change the base angle.

 

[Max Capacity]

Just knock down the high spots so they won't nick the wax iron. They will tune out over time.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Use your finest diamond or a ceramic. It is pretty easy to free hand and you only need to work the dings, not the entire edge. Fine diamond and ceramic won't change your bevels.

My right hand is keeping the tool in place laterally, the left hand is lifting the end up to about 1 mm, which will approximate 1* when it is 60 mm from the edge being worked. You can use a marker to mark the edge so you can see where you are actually working it. You'll only get the 'outies' (burrs) doing this.



If you want to clean up 'innies' (gouges), the gummi is your abrasive of choice. Just rub it into and on the innie until it is smooth. It won't give you more grip, but it will give you less drag.

 

[Doug Briggs]

I thought I had a video of this. Found it.


At the end of the video I'm showing how you control the spacing at the controlling end of the stone.

 

[CalG]

I place a dime under the stone at a point nearest to edge not being cut.

 

[James]

Why not just go along the edge with the stone parallel? Your only doing a burr.
That’s what i do. Usually with ski vertical, base facing away.

 

[CalG]

Some people obsess over microscopic hanging burrs, some run gumi stones at 45 degrees to the edge angle. I just want to knock the burr down and I KNOW that holding the stone a bit high is a good way to do that. I use a high powered binocular microscope to double check my work ;-)

Or sometimes I just run a fingernail over the repaired damage ;-))))

 

[Doug Briggs]

Why not just go along the edge with the stone parallel? Your only doing a burr.
That’s what i do. Usually with ski vertical, base facing away.

That works, too. If I'm at a bench, I'm doing it the two handed. Whatever trips your trigger I'm trying to edumacate here.

 

[Doug Briggs]

In the zen of ski maintenance, if you simply place your thumb on the golden zone of the stone and rub it back and forth, magic will happen to your edges.

 

[Jacques]

Somewhere in this series you will see the free hand burr removal.

 

[jzmtl]

I use an adjustable base guide that's set to 0.75 to run along the base edge with ceramic stone after sharpening to both deburr and de-ding.