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#1
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Boot Info and Basic Tuning Needed
Hello,
This is my first time posting to this group. I have been skiing for years, but I never had decent equipment until last season. I finally threw away my old Rossignol Quantum's (the guy at the ski shop said that they were so old they were a liability). I gave in, knowing it was time to let go. I wound up buying a pair of Volkl EnergY's and Nordica Boots. Question 1 On the Nordica boots, they are F8's with the "Slide In" Feature. Once my foot is in the boot there is a big Gray piece of plastic attached to the outside of the boot that wraps around the front of the foot. Is it supposed to go "Directly" under the plastic on the other side or should it fit under the second piece of plastic on the same side? Make Sense? If not check out the pictures and let me know if it shoudl be Pic 1 or Pic 2. In Pic 2 notice the wear that the plastic piece causes if in the other position (pic 1). Click on either picture to enlarge. http://www.imageevent.com/metalunna/skis Question 2: I want to maintain my skis as best I can. I bought a Gummi Stone and an Swix Edger. What is the best way to use the Stone and edger? Should I take the stone and lay it along the side of the ski and move it up and down along the "Dinged" areas. Should I Lay it on the base? For the edger, what results should I expect? SHould I get a razor edge or just a clean edge? I tried a run through on my old Rossi's but didnt get too much of a result. Also, What is the easiest way to tell the bevel angle on my skis. I bought them new from a shop and told them I am an intermediate skill and will be skiing on the east coast on mostly hard snow. This description is pointing to a 2 degree bevel but I want to make sure so that I use the correct setting on the edger. I called the shop to see if the same guy was there, hoping I could see what he would have used but he was not there. Thanks for taking the time to read Nick |
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#2
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Boot Info and Basic Tuning Needed
Nick wrote:
Hello, This is my first time posting to this group. I have been skiing for years, but I never had decent equipment until last season. I finally threw away my old Rossignol Quantum's (the guy at the ski shop said that they were so old they were a liability). I gave in, knowing it was time to let go. I wound up buying a pair of Volkl EnergY's and Nordica Boots. Question 1 On the Nordica boots, they are F8's with the "Slide In" Feature. Once my foot is in the boot there is a big Gray piece of plastic attached to the outside of the boot that wraps around the front of the foot. Is it supposed to go "Directly" under the plastic on the other side or should it fit under the second piece of plastic on the same side? Make Sense? If not check out the pictures and let me know if it shoudl be Pic 1 or Pic 2. In Pic 2 notice the wear that the plastic piece causes if in the other position (pic 1). Click on either picture to enlarge. http://www.imageevent.com/metalunna/skis Interesting. I'm totally unfamiliar with these bootst. Maybe someone else knows these boots? I'd say hight thee to your shop and ask them. You need to keep a relationaship with them anyway, so they can adjust the boots if you develop any pressure points or loseness. Question 2: I want to maintain my skis as best I can. I bought a Gummi Stone and an Swix Edger. What is the best way to use the Stone and edger? Should I take the stone and lay it along the side of the ski and move it up and down along the "Dinged" areas. Should I Lay it on the base? A Gummi stone is for de-tuning the tips (dulling the shovel and tails for a few inches to avoid hooking a tip. A gummi won't do a thing to sharpen the skis; a gummi can only dull edges due to its softness. Sometimes a good hand can use a gummi to smooth the edge AFTER you sharpen them but it's hard to avoid dulling them while trying. A small sharpening stone is useful to take out dings and polish the edges between full filing sessions. For the edger, what results should I expect? SHould I get a razor edge or just a clean edge? I tried a run through on my old Rossi's but didnt get too much of a result. That's an excellant idea - practice on your old ski repeatedly. Dozens of "edge tools" are made and sold each year - I'm sorry to say most are hype. Some of them actually get used. A good mill ******* file is all you really need. Sometimes a length of right angle aluminum (and clamp to hold the file to the angle) is useful for side wall sharpening. A wrap of masking tape around the file placed flat on the bases with the tape over one edge will bevel the other edge about a degree; repeat for opposite side. File the side edges slightly acute freehand or using the angle. Commendations on wanting to do your own work. You really need a good book on ski maintenance. I used to recommend Seth Masia's book "Alpine Ski Maintenance and Repair" but he says it's out of print - maybe you can find a copy somewhere. It's a good basics book. Or try the tuning web sites like Tognar's http://www.tognar.com/volkl.html Tognar sales a bunch of tuning stuff, and books and videos. Good resource. BTW, you also need an old clothes iron and some wax. Enjoy your skis, but don't worry too much - they're meant to be used to eventual destruction. The goal is to spend 100 days skiing them to death in the next few years. Have fun. Also, What is the easiest way to tell the bevel angle on my skis. I bought them new from a shop and told them I am an intermediate skill and will be skiing on the east coast on mostly hard snow. This description is pointing to a 2 degree bevel but I want to make sure so that I use the correct setting on the edger. I called the shop to see if the same guy was there, hoping I could see what he would have used but he was not there. Thanks for taking the time to read Nick |
#3
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Boot Info and Basic Tuning Needed
Thank you so much for the tips. Im glad that I didnt use the gummi on my
real skis! I'll try some of the links you gave. I actually went to Barnes and Noble today while I was on the highway, but I couldnt find anything. The salesperson just looked at me funny. Ha. Thanks again, Nick "lal_truckee" wrote in message ... Nick wrote: Hello, This is my first time posting to this group. I have been skiing for years, but I never had decent equipment until last season. I finally threw away my old Rossignol Quantum's (the guy at the ski shop said that they were so old they were a liability). I gave in, knowing it was time to let go. I wound up buying a pair of Volkl EnergY's and Nordica Boots. Question 1 On the Nordica boots, they are F8's with the "Slide In" Feature. Once my foot is in the boot there is a big Gray piece of plastic attached to the outside of the boot that wraps around the front of the foot. Is it supposed to go "Directly" under the plastic on the other side or should it fit under the second piece of plastic on the same side? Make Sense? If not check out the pictures and let me know if it shoudl be Pic 1 or Pic 2. In Pic 2 notice the wear that the plastic piece causes if in the other position (pic 1). Click on either picture to enlarge. http://www.imageevent.com/metalunna/skis Interesting. I'm totally unfamiliar with these bootst. Maybe someone else knows these boots? I'd say hight thee to your shop and ask them. You need to keep a relationaship with them anyway, so they can adjust the boots if you develop any pressure points or loseness. Question 2: I want to maintain my skis as best I can. I bought a Gummi Stone and an Swix Edger. What is the best way to use the Stone and edger? Should I take the stone and lay it along the side of the ski and move it up and down along the "Dinged" areas. Should I Lay it on the base? A Gummi stone is for de-tuning the tips (dulling the shovel and tails for a few inches to avoid hooking a tip. A gummi won't do a thing to sharpen the skis; a gummi can only dull edges due to its softness. Sometimes a good hand can use a gummi to smooth the edge AFTER you sharpen them but it's hard to avoid dulling them while trying. A small sharpening stone is useful to take out dings and polish the edges between full filing sessions. For the edger, what results should I expect? SHould I get a razor edge or just a clean edge? I tried a run through on my old Rossi's but didnt get too much of a result. That's an excellant idea - practice on your old ski repeatedly. Dozens of "edge tools" are made and sold each year - I'm sorry to say most are hype. Some of them actually get used. A good mill ******* file is all you really need. Sometimes a length of right angle aluminum (and clamp to hold the file to the angle) is useful for side wall sharpening. A wrap of masking tape around the file placed flat on the bases with the tape over one edge will bevel the other edge about a degree; repeat for opposite side. File the side edges slightly acute freehand or using the angle. Commendations on wanting to do your own work. You really need a good book on ski maintenance. I used to recommend Seth Masia's book "Alpine Ski Maintenance and Repair" but he says it's out of print - maybe you can find a copy somewhere. It's a good basics book. Or try the tuning web sites like Tognar's http://www.tognar.com/volkl.html Tognar sales a bunch of tuning stuff, and books and videos. Good resource. BTW, you also need an old clothes iron and some wax. Enjoy your skis, but don't worry too much - they're meant to be used to eventual destruction. The goal is to spend 100 days skiing them to death in the next few years. Have fun. Also, What is the easiest way to tell the bevel angle on my skis. I bought them new from a shop and told them I am an intermediate skill and will be skiing on the east coast on mostly hard snow. This description is pointing to a 2 degree bevel but I want to make sure so that I use the correct setting on the edger. I called the shop to see if the same guy was there, hoping I could see what he would have used but he was not there. Thanks for taking the time to read Nick |
#4
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Boot Info and Basic Tuning Needed
lal_truckee writes:
Nick wrote: [snip] Question 2: I want to maintain my skis as best I can. I bought a Gummi Stone and an Swix Edger. What is the best way to use the Stone and edger? Should I take the stone and lay it along the side of the ski and move it up and down along the "Dinged" areas. Should I Lay it on the base? A Gummi stone is for de-tuning the tips (dulling the shovel and tails for a few inches to avoid hooking a tip. A gummi won't do a thing to sharpen the skis; a gummi can only dull edges due to its softness. Sometimes a good hand can use a gummi to smooth the edge AFTER you sharpen them but it's hard to avoid dulling them while trying. A small sharpening stone is useful to take out dings and polish the edges between full filing sessions. I use a gummi to take out burrs on the hill. Other than that, like you say, detuning. For the edger, what results should I expect? SHould I get a razor edge or just a clean edge? I tried a run through on my old Rossi's but didnt get too much of a result. That's an excellant idea - practice on your old ski repeatedly. Dozens of "edge tools" are made and sold each year - I'm sorry to say most are hype. Some of them actually get used. A good mill ******* file is all you really need. Sometimes a length of right angle aluminum (and clamp to hold the file to the angle) is useful for side wall sharpening. Well, yeah, particularly for a newbie. I know people who file without a guide and get good results, but they're very experienced. A newbie should probably have some kind of guide to keep the file from going all over the place, IMO. -- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::: Mary Malmros Some days you're the windshield, Other days you're the bug. |
#5
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Boot Info and Basic Tuning Needed
Mary Malmros wrote:
Well, yeah, particularly for a newbie. I know people who file without a guide and get good results, but they're very experienced. A newbie should probably have some kind of guide to keep the file from going all over the place, IMO. Sawed my "guide" from some alu angle. As square as my best machinist's square; That plus a small c-clamp, a mill ******* file, some masking tape, and you're all set to sharpen your edges with the best of them. Of course that doesn't keep my tuning box from filling up with all kinds of gewgaws - I'm a packrat and tool maven; but most all those doohickys just sit in the tuning box. |
#6
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Boot Info and Basic Tuning Needed
"Nick" wrote in message
... Hello, Question 1 ... If not check out the pictures and let me know if it shoudl be Pic 1 or Pic 2. I don't know anything about those boots other than what I can see in the photo, but it looks like Pic 1 is correct. It *looks* like what you're dealing with is the usual overlap of the cuff over the bottom part of the boot. The cuff goes over the bottom part: it doesn't interdigitate with it (if that makes sense, which is perhaps questionable). Question 2: I want to maintain my skis as best I can. I bought a Gummi Stone and an Swix Edger. What is the best way to use the Stone and edger? Should I take the stone and lay it along the side of the ski and move it up and down along the "Dinged" areas. Should I Lay it on the base? In addition to detuning skis, gummi stones are often used to deburr them. If you sharpen with a file, you leave a very small burr (little lip of metal) poking out on the other side of the edge. That is: if you file the side of the edge, there'll be a burr sticking out on the base side. Just leaving the burr isn't that big a deal. Sideslipping on the snow would knock it off anyway, I think. But if you want perfection .... For touching up "dinged" areas, I guess it's my impression a diamond stone would come in more handy. For the edger, what results should I expect? SHould I get a razor edge or just a clean edge? You can probably get a pretty darn sharp edge, though perhaps "razor" is overstating it. It's not like shaving with your skis is going to a good idea. And it won't stay "razor" sharp through a lot of use. A good, clean, reasonably sharp edge is probably sufficient for ordinary skiing. I tried a run through on my old Rossi's but didnt get too much of a result. Keep working on them. If the edges are dull, it may take some work. I don't know what sort of file is in the Swix edger. Also, What is the easiest way to tell the bevel angle on my skis. I bought them new from a shop and told them I am an intermediate skill and will be skiing on the east coast on mostly hard snow. I don't think ski shops typically fool with the bevel when they sell skis. They just sell them the way they come from the manufacturer. Tognar's catalog (and, I think, their website) has some info on what bevel variouis ski manufacturers usually use. I'll join in the suggestion above about the Tognar catalog. Get it. In addition to lots of tools, with descriptions, it has a bunch of tips interspersed throughout it. I think a bunch of them are on the website too. A good ski tuning shop could check the existing bevel for you. They could also change it (as could you, but it's less work if they do it). It's probably not a great idea to fool around with it a *lot* -- the only way to change it is to remove metal, after all. If you're skiing on NE boilerplate and really want more hold, you might consider increasing the side bevel to sharpen the edge. Finally, one thought on ski shops. This isn't based on through-going research or anything, so you might take it with a grain of salt. Anecdotally, though, there are quite a few "ski shops" (accurate, in that they sell skis and associated merchandise) who aren't necessarily all that competent when it comes to working on skis. You might want to ask around among the local congnescenti for a recommendation, if you do want work done on your skis. |
#7
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Boot Info and Basic Tuning Needed
lal_truckee writes:
Mary Malmros wrote: Well, yeah, particularly for a newbie. I know people who file without a guide and get good results, but they're very experienced. A newbie should probably have some kind of guide to keep the file from going all over the place, IMO. Sawed my "guide" from some alu angle. As square as my best machinist's square; That plus a small c-clamp, a mill ******* file, some masking tape, and you're all set to sharpen your edges with the best of them. Of course that doesn't keep my tuning box from filling up with all kinds of gewgaws - I'm a packrat and tool maven; but most all those doohickys just sit in the tuning box. I use a Side of Beast and a Base of Beast and just put the appropriate tool o destruction in 'em -- mill *******, diamond stone, whatever. It's a pretty simple system. I am looking for a quick-and-dirty solution for my rock skis when I'm on the road -- maybe I'll just freehand those. -- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::: Mary Malmros Some days you're the windshield, Other days you're the bug. |
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