When to get a base grind?

[Brock Tice]

I've done some googling and reading, and I've searched the forum here before asking, but I can't find good guidelines.

How do you know (as in, what is your personal feeling or rubric) when it is time for a base grind?

 

[razie]

When the base bevels grow too big and the ski grips late

When the base is not looking great and glidy anymore.

When the base is not flat.

When you feel like it...

 

[François Pugh]

When the structure wears out and your skis are slow in wet spring snow.
When you have neglected your favorite antique speed skis and the bases are oxidized, making them slow speed skis.
When the "long bevel" gets too long.
Whenever you decide to reset your edge or base bevels.

 

[Scruffy]

When you've trashed your edges on rocks and can no longer get them sharp with side edge filing alone, and base edge filing will cause a very long bevel.

 

[Brock Tice]

When you've trashed your edges on rocks and can no longer get them sharp with side edge filing alone, and base edge filing will cause a very long bevel.

This is the main thing I've been questioning lately. Got some bad gouges on one set of skis.

What do you guys mean by "long bevel"?

 

[trailtrimmer]

Recreation skis:

No more structure
Significant base damage or ptex repairs
Significant edge damage that can't get sorted out via edge filing
No longer flat

I'm guessing long bevel refers to possibly cutting into the ptex and not just the metal edge.

When in doubt, grind it out.

 

[Scruffy]

What do you guys mean by "long bevel"?

Base edge filing that extends into the ptex. The more it's done the longer that base angle becomes.

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

I just took mine into Le Mastery and they told me what they needed.

 

[Bruuuce]

I do it when I have enough scratches on the bottom edge that I can't fix with diamond stones that it bothers me (how's that for scientific). I'm not gentle with my skis so it's pretty common for me. Until this year I've only needed a preseason grind and managed to keep them tuned at home. Not so this year. Two of mine are due now...

None of my skis are destined for a hall of fame so I don't worry too much about their lifetimes. I've heard they make more.

 

[Marker]

When you've trashed your edges on rocks and can no longer get them sharp with side edge filing alone, and base edge filing will cause a very long bevel.

I'm at this point with my daily drivers, but I'm thinking maybe just buy some new skis...

 

[focker]

Every 2 years or any of the above reasons.

 

[ADKmel]

mine needed it when I had a HUMP in the middle and the bases weren't level...

 

[James]

In addition to above.
When you can’t get the edge sharp just by filing the side. Comes a time.

 

[Atomicman]

When your base edge bevel is more then 1 degree.

 

[Tony S]

I just took mine into Le Mastery and they told me what they needed.

The problem with this is that if you don't know your shop or they don't know you, you can end up with a Joey tune. "Oh yeah, we detuned your tips and tails so you wouldn't catch an edge."

 

[LiquidFeet]

^^ I put a big piece of white duct tape on each ski with "DO NOT DETUNE ANY PART OF THIS SKI" written in bold magic marker.

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

The problem with this is that if you don't know your shop or they don't know you, you can end up with a Joey tune. "Oh yeah, we detuned your tips and tails so you wouldn't catch an edge."

LOL. I like my tails and tips detuned. I ski a lot of SoCal crud and that is the best type of tune.

 

[Jacques]

This is the main thing I've been questioning lately. Got some bad gouges on one set of skis.

What do you guys mean by "long bevel"?

Ha ha. Look here. Long bevel shown.

 

[LiquidFeet]

@Jacques, I took a screen shot from that video for the image of a long bevel. Correct me if I got this wrong.

 

[trailtrimmer]

When your base edge bevel is more then 1 degree.

On a race ski or serious carver, absolutely. On a wide ski, I actually don't mind a 1.5 degree, they are less hooky and easier to manage on hardpack or ice that way.