Define 'de-tune'

[Doug Briggs]

A number of people say 'don't de-tune' my skis when they bring them in for a tune.

What do you consider de-tuning of your skis?

 

[Tony S]

A number of people say 'don't de-tune' my skis when they bring them in for a tune.

What do you consider de-tuning of your skis?

Any intentional dulling of the edge inside of the widest spot on tip and tail.

Doug, I think you and some of the other shop folks here don't understand how sophisticated you are. There are LOTS of shops out there that just routinely round off the edge egregiously for six inches inboard of the when-on-edge contact points.

 

[Fuller]

For most folks it's skiing across the parking lot.

 

[Andy Mink]

I always took it to mean dulling a few inches back from tip and tail. I thought it was cool in the 70s and 80s. Now, you have that edge. Use it.

 

[CalG]

I consider de-tuning of my skis something that is "just not done!".

A concession to inattention.....

 

[Jacques]

A number of people say 'don't de-tune' my skis when they bring them in for a tune.

What do you consider de-tuning of your skis?

I call De-tuning any dulling of an edge.
I only and ever De-Tune the reverse sidecut areas of an edge after the widest point of the ski tip and tail.
This can get quite strange when some skis have only a little bit, and some have a whole lot.
Gets even stranger with a total reverse side cut ski with full rocker from tip to tail!
Just go figure!

 

[Doug Briggs]

Any intentional dulling of the edge inside of the widest spot on tip and tail.

Doug, I think you and some of the other shop folks here don't understand how sophisticated you are. There are LOTS of shops out there that just routinely round off the edge egregiously for six inches inboard of the when-on-edge contact points.

That's why I'm asking. I've said what we do at the shop after tuning a ski, but I'm not going to bias the thread by saying what it is here.

For those that said 'any dulling of the edge', do you mean dulling with a gummi? with a file? hard pressure? light pressure? Foremost, I'm not interested in what you like or don't like, but how you define it. I know what is good for a ski , but I don't necessarily know what people mean when the say 'detune' or 'don't detune'. Like defining a 'skoch', or 'a touch'.

 

[Sibhusky]

When I say don't detune, it's any dulling of the edge anywhere, with anything. This one local shop argued with me, they wanted to go like eight inches down the ski, I about went ballistic. The only way I can get them to leave it alone is by telling them I'm going to do it myself. And then I don't. Now what I might do is increase the base bevel a bit forward of the contact point. I don't call that detuning, it's still sharp. Depends on the ski.

I will very lightly pass a hard gummi down the edge after tuning. No pressure. If removing a micro burr is detuning, then maybe I'm guilty. But I've skied those damned detuned skis and been back at the shop after one run.

 

[Eric267]

Standard detune new ski/full tune:
Gummy or file and gummy combo from just past contact points to the end of tip and tail.

off piste/pow detune:
This one is personal preference and varies from ski to ski and person to person. Lightly rounding off of Sharp edge below contact point with just a gummy to keep a ski from hooking up at the tips, tails, or both. Personally find this more important on more heavily splayed/rocker skis 100+ with mount points between absolute ski center 0 and around -6/7. Tails especially the closer to absolute center your mount. Possibly just tips on a more directional mounted ski

Park detune:
full on file off of sharp edge with a file then a gummy along most of the ski length sometimes leaving a section around contact point somewhat sharp. Keeps edges from catching on rails, catching tips/tails on lips, makes landing more predictable, and keeps edges from chipping and creating crazy burrs

 

[BClipped]

What are the symptoms of a ski that wasn’t detuned, or not detuned enough?

 

[Tony S]

That's why I'm asking. I've said what we do at the shop after tuning a ski, but I'm not going to bias the thread by saying what it is here.

For those that said 'any dulling of the edge', do you mean dulling with a gummi? with a file? hard pressure? light pressure? Foremost, I'm not interested in what you like or don't like, but how you define it. I know what is good for a ski , but I don't necessarily know what people mean when the say 'detune' or 'don't detune'. Like defining a 'skoch', or 'a touch'.

One of the key themes here is that it is not always about WHAT is done so much as about WHO does it. In other words, it's about which of us are control freaks.

 

[François Pugh]

Ski edges should be razor sharp tip to tail. Once you have them tuned that way, anything that makes any part of the edge less sharp is what you do to detune.

 

[Scrundy]

Some people like to ski sharp tip to tail others don’t. It’s all preference of skier and skiers style there’s no right and wrong.

 

[Coach13]

That's why I'm asking. I've said what we do at the shop after tuning a ski, but I'm not going to bias the thread by saying what it is here.

For those that said 'any dulling of the edge', do you mean dulling with a gummi? with a file? hard pressure? light pressure? Foremost, I'm not interested in what you like or don't like, but how you define it. I know what is good for a ski , but I don't necessarily know what people mean when the say 'detune' or 'don't detune'. Like defining a 'skoch', or 'a touch'.

My shop used to do a very light brush with a gummi 4-6 inches down both the tip and the tail. Honestly I’ve done the same myself after a tune in certain spots on the skis if the skis feel grabby going into turns.

FWIW, my shop says they don’t recommend detuning most skis these days because of the amount of tip/tail rise on these skis.

 

[trailtrimmer]

Tip rocker took the place of detuning, on a modern all mountain ski, it's a terrible idea to continue the practice.

Using a gummi to remove a burr isn't detuning, making several passes with one to intentionally dull an edge is.

 

[Wilhelmson]

Does anyone notice that well sharpened skis feel a little hooky in fresh or chopped up snow? I prefer this to dulled edges but still notice it sometimes.

 

[Sibhusky]

No. Or maybe I'm used to it.

 

[Scrundy]

Does anyone notice that well sharpened skis feel a little hooky in fresh or chopped up snow? I prefer this to dulled edges but still notice it sometimes.

Yes and no, depends on the type of snow

 

[Coach13]

Does anyone notice that well sharpened skis feel a little hooky in fresh or chopped up snow? I prefer this to dulled edges but still notice it sometimes.

I do but I think I blame that more on me not being patient with my turns in 3D snow.

 

[Wilhelmson]

Yes and no, depends on the type of snow

Seems like if you want to smear it will but will be a little fussy on the way. Maybe I'll try the gummy halfway through the day this Saturday. Sounds like the right kind of weird snow.