Can't seem to get my edges sharp enough

[Jacques]

Triple step sidewall?
Better photos needed.

 

[NE1]

I was thinking step-sidewall also.

 

[Noodler]

Triple step sidewall?
Better photos needed.

Yep, we need a better pic of what's happening here.

 

[Henry]

Mike, just guessing, the reason your edges aren't as sharp as you like may be either that you aren't holding the cutting tool exactly the same angle all the way through every stroke. Or, your tools are dull.

The Beast Sidewall Planer, $40, works well for me.

Don't mix the acuteness of the angle with the sharpness of the edge. .5 & 3 is more acute than 1 & 2, say, but they can be equally sharp.

 

[eok]

Another reason for "can't get the edges sharp": the skis were incredibly dulled to begin with. I kind of ran into this recently with a new set of Navigator 90s. Out-of-the-plastic, the edges were tuned to an accurate sharp 1 & 2. BUT: they detuned the shovels too far down the skis, seriously dulling 3+ cm of effective edge (both sides of each ski). Getting those areas sharp required a base grind and more side edge filing to overcome the rounded edge. Note that it's usually difficult-to-impossible to get rounded dulled edges sharp without a base grind.

 

[Atomicman]

Make sure the edges are dry when you test for sharpness. Wet edges feel dull!