How to Tune Snow Skis

Tuning and maintaining your skis should be done at least once a year, if you are a recreational skier who only goes a few times, and more often if you like to get out several times a month. Ski tuning, loosely, includes maintaining and waxing the bases and sharpening the edges. Specialized equipment is needed to do it properly, but with a little practice, it is easy to do at home, saving yourself a minimum of $50 per visit to your ski specialty shop.

Things You'll Need

  • Ski bench with ski vice grips P-tex candle Diamond stone Base edge bevel guide Side edge bevel guide File Clamp Gummy stone waxing iron wax plastic scraper nylon brush
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Instructions

    • 1

      Mount the skis on the ski work bench using the ski vice grips. Vice grips made for skis usually have three attachment points, one each at the tip and tail and one in the middle. Mount the skis with the base up.

    • 2

      Sand any gouges in the ski base smooth, then fill them in with the p-tex candle. Hold the p-tex candle against an open flame over the gouge and let a small amount of p-tex liquify into the the gouges. Allow it to cool, then scrape away any excess with the plastic scraper, holding it at a 45 degree angle and pulling it over the filled-in gouge.

    • 3

      Remount the skis in the vice grips with one side edge pointed up. Run your finger along the edge and find any burrs. Sand away the burrs with the diamond stone.

    • 4

      Clamp the file to the side edge bevel guide and hold the bevel guide on the topsheet of the ski so the file is against the edge. Pull the bevel guide along the ski edge from tip to tail to sharpen it. Flip the ski so the other edge is pointed up and repeat.

    • 5

      Remount the ski so the base is pointed up. Place the file in the base edge bevel guide and sharpen the base edges by pulling the base edge bevel guide from tip to tail of the ski.

    • 6

      Dull the edges at the tip and tail of the ski with the gummy stone. You want sharp edges underfoot, but duller edges at the tip and tail for easier turn initiation.

    • 7

      Rub the wax onto the ski base from tip to tail.

    • 8

      Preheat the waxing iron, then iron in the wax that you rubbed on until it is coating the base in a smooth layer. Allow the wax to cool overnight, if possible, or for two hours minimum.

    • 9

      Scrape off the excess wax with the plastic scraper, holding it at a 45 degree angle to the base and pulling from tip to tail.

    • 10

      Buff out the wax on the base with the nylon brush.