Pole sharpening revisited

I did a search prior to posting and I know this has been discussed
before. However, I don't think I have a good understanding of exactly
how to do this properly. One of the posts on this topic referenced an
article that showed two angled surfaces to work on - the long and the
short. I don't quite get the need to have both, but even less the
possibility to do a good job on the short one with a diamond file. The
small side is in fact so small that I'm afraid to do more harm than
good by not being able to file it flat and making it round instead.
Also, what's the point of filing the long side if doesn't really form
the edge with which I'm poking at the pavement?

My poles are beginning to slip, so I really need some advice here.

Many thanks!

There are three articles about sharpening tips at
http://www.nordicskiracer.com/RollerskiTips.asp

Mike

Larry wrote:
I did a search prior to posting and I know this has been discussed
before. However, I don't think I have a good understanding of exactly
how to do this properly. One of the posts on this topic referenced an
article that showed two angled surfaces to work on - the long and the
short. I don't quite get the need to have both, but even less the
possibility to do a good job on the short one with a diamond file. The
small side is in fact so small that I'm afraid to do more harm than
good by not being able to file it flat and making it round instead.
Also, what's the point of filing the long side if doesn't really form
the edge with which I'm poking at the pavement?

My poles are beginning to slip, so I really need some advice here.

Many thanks!

Be careful if you decide to use a bench grinder. The tips are mounted in
plastic and if you work too quickly they get so hot that they can come loose
as the plastic softens.

I won't explain how I know this.

Scott

"Larry" wrote in message
ups.com...
I did a search prior to posting and I know this has been discussed
before. However, I don't think I have a good understanding of exactly
how to do this properly. One of the posts on this topic referenced an
article that showed two angled surfaces to work on - the long and the
short. I don't quite get the need to have both, but even less the
possibility to do a good job on the short one with a diamond file. The
small side is in fact so small that I'm afraid to do more harm than
good by not being able to file it flat and making it round instead.
Also, what's the point of filing the long side if doesn't really form
the edge with which I'm poking at the pavement?

My poles are beginning to slip, so I really need some advice here.

Many thanks!

Larry,

I know I read somewhere that adding that extra short bevel at the tip
was not necessary, and ever since I've just filed the one long side
straight out to the tip -- certainly MUCH easier and it seems to work
OK for me. I use a diamond file with a very simple jig made out of a
couple of 2x4's with holes drilled between them (think a set of very
small stocks). The jig holds both poles so you can sharpen them both
like you would a pair of ice skates, the advantges being holding the
file level and sharpening both tips at the same time. You have to play
around with rotating them a bit to put the surfaces in the same plane
(that generally takes less than a minute because you can quickly see
the bright areas that get filed away). Once the surfaces are in the
same plane you can file away with abandon and quickly get them as sharp
as you want. Works for me at least.

Jim

Larry wrote:
I did a search prior to posting and I know this has been discussed
before. However, I don't think I have a good understanding of exactly
how to do this properly. One of the posts on this topic referenced an
article that showed two angled surfaces to work on - the long and the
short. I don't quite get the need to have both, but even less the
possibility to do a good job on the short one with a diamond file. The
small side is in fact so small that I'm afraid to do more harm than
good by not being able to file it flat and making it round instead.
Also, what's the point of filing the long side if doesn't really form
the edge with which I'm poking at the pavement?

My poles are beginning to slip, so I really need some advice here.

Many thanks!