-
Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!
You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!
Files?
- Thread starter wa-loaf
- Start date
BeanoNYC
Active member
I actually think a high quality one from a hardware store would be better than a "Swix" one. I have no data to back this up, of course.
GrilledSteezeSandwich
New member
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2007
- Messages
- 17,569
- Points
- 0
go to www.reliableracing.com
MarkC
New member
The average file that you find in a home depot or hardware store is completely different than a ski tuning file. A ski edge is hardened steel. You need a special grade of file to be effective on a metal that strong. The common file will not work. You do not want to skimp on something that is going to effect the edge on a $1000 dollar pair of skis. Spend the extra $20 and get a decent ski tuning file.
Thanks, but I know where to go online to get files. Not the question here.
Yea, but you should be able to get high grade files at the HW store. I just need to go and check them out. It was little kid birthday party weekend, so I couldn't really escape.
Found this on the Tognar site and it pretty much answers my question. I also makes MarkC correct:
The steel edges on most recreational skis and snowboards are rated 42 to 51 (Rockwell hardness) but can go as high as 60 on some racing models. Ideally, a file should be at least 10 percent harder than the steel edges you're filing...so don't expect a typical hardware store file with an average hardness of 45 to 52 to last long. Although cheap to buy, they prove most expensive in the long run. Our files have a Rockwell hardness of 68 for long life.
BeanoNYC
Active member
Good to know.
I've been spending a lot of time on several ski tuning supply websites this summer, Reliable racing, Artech, FKtools and Tognar. And they are all pretty good and offer a few different things, but I've got to say that I really like Tognar. Tognar really takes the time with their offerings to explain what they do and what the best application would be and why one thing might be better than the other. I've really learned a lot from reading their site. The other guys assume you should know everything.
Just my $.02
Just my $.02
skidon
New member
Regerlar files will work, but you'll go through 'em faster. Most of the files you see on those skitool websites are chrome-plated. They are worth the extra $, 'cuz they last longer and cut cleaner. If you buy from Tognar, etc., just make sure the files are chrome. I haven't seen chrome files in any of the hardware or home-improvement stores - not that I've looked that much. Anyway, as long as the file gets the metal off the edges, yer good. No matter what the file, you should polish the edges after filing. I use a diamond or ceramic stone (just a few passes - no need to go crazy unless you're racing) but even a piece of scotchbrite will work. By the way, an 8" file is all you need, for base and side-filing. Damn, can anybody remember my password for me?
powers
New member
Just make sure you hit the burrs with a diamond file/stone first to them. Burrs are even harder than the file steel and one pass will ruin your nice new file. Hitting a rock while skiing super heats the edge for a split second and then is quenched by the snow, thus heat treating the steel. A diamond stone or file will rip right thru the hard, crunchy coating and reveal the soft chewy center, which may be filed. I have found that just using a diamond stone between days will be enough to keep a sharp edge. File only when you lose the edge geometry. I have seen many a race ski filed away at the hands of an eager tuner and destroyed before the ski was used up. I used to tune skis full time for 12+ years but now I'm lazy and just let nature take its course. I haven't found a base/side angle yet that works on frozen moss.
56fish
New member
Old school here...tough to beat Sandvik/Oberg mill bastards.
Similar threads
