# How often to sharpen?



## veazer

Okay, so I wax my board every 2-3 times i ride, and that works for me. I have my edges beveled at 1* for the base, and 88* for the side, which also works for me. (I ride ice a lot)

My question is this: Now that I have my bevels where I want them, how often should I sharpen the edges, and how should I go about doing that?

(I have an adjustable tools4boards side/base edge file guide w/ a little file, I have a diamond stone and a gummy stone as well.)


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## abadidol

It varies, I try to do it about once every 5 times. Sharpen it when it needs it, you can definitely wear an edge out in a day. (racers pretty much sharpen every race)


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## freshy

Since my board has magnetraction, almost never. I'll get it done if I'm getting a base grind but other than that I don't bother.


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## fatboyj711

When the edges get dull?


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## ptapia

I don't really sharpen too much, but you could just use a hard and soft gummy stone to keep everything clean. Unless you have some bad nicks or you really like razor sharp edges I wouldn't worry too much. I like the idea of doing a machine tune once a year.


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## 1max2nv

I just use a gummy stone to remove the burrs when I feel them on the edges. I don't need my edges razor sharp.


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## tdg1x07

i ride ice a lot too. I sharpen mine every 3 times and use an arkansas stone after every day of use


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## linvillegorge

This season, I've hardly sharpened at all. The snow has been so great it's unnecessary!


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## carverboy

I take a diamond stone just to polish the burr's off after every session. Otherwise I tend to leave my edges alone. As long as there sharp under foot.


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## Sincraft

If you are like me, you will research this to the point of nausea as the information out there is uber conflicting.

First, what grit diamond stone do you have. What brand DMT, Diaface, Swix etc?

What tool? Does it do varied angles or fixed at the angles you suggested?

Be careful what you read out there. And what you buy. 

Here is what I definitely know about edge tuning, finally, after learning as much as I could in a short period of time:
- Edge tuning kits are a giant waste of money loaded with brightly colored goodies that most shops push, and do more harm than good.
- Those little edge guides they include, usually only include a file and aren't a standard size for standard size files, stones
- Edge tune from the side only, only do the base rarely and as lightly as possible using diamond stones, no files.
- don't use files to tune your board (this is why those little tools are garbage)
- use files to set new bevel angles. be careful here and think this out. If you set an agressive angle, you cant get material back! you will have to have an agressive base grind or sidewall cut or both to get the angle you liked before back. Many people inadvertently are riding 5 degree base angles because their base is higher than their edge without a grind. This is from my understand mostly because people base tune every time, often, and use only files.
- use a course grit diamond stone to fix edge repairs, then move to the file in the spot that needs repaired, then progress up to a finer stone, and if you want an even finer stone. The coarse grit stone softens the damage up to allow the file to remove the rest, then the progressing stone polish it up and tighten up the edge.
- If no repair, just start with the fine diamond stone, then if you want go finer. Knock down any curled burrs created by side tuning on the base with a very fine diamond stone or another stone product like an arkansas stone or ceramic stone, gliding it down by hand. LIGHTLY pass your stone down the base edge along it's bevel, NOT ON THE BEVEL.
- Finish your tip with a fine gummi stone at a 45 degree angle, a few medium pressure strokes , LIGHTLY pass the gummi stone down the length of the board along the edge to knock down more burrs from tuning earlier, then hit the tail with a few medium pressure strokes. This is the only time you should put a product on the edge itself. No other product should touch it.


I would highly recommend Ski Wax Snowboard Wax Tuning Tools RaceWax.com Read up on that site, and buy your stuff there too. Great people, great advice and even better prices (the best I found for everything I purchase...20%-40% cheaper on moonflex stones!) - no I do not work for them! They also have a nice multi angle tool for those of us that dont want to worry about getting 3-4 side angle clamps for different skis/boards/family/friends etc

Also, watch this video. Yes that is a kid showing you the PROPER way of tuning an edge. All of the other videos are crap and many had me cringing watching them as they rubbed a file back and forth on the edge of both the side and base.
YouTube - Edge Tuning-So Easy even an Adult Can Do It

Funny, but it's one of the only videos that I've seen that actually has the proper method listed. This is after readying many articles from many of the top shop techs out there, many of which have written books. While you get alot more crazy about tuning, this is the process that should be the basis for a good tune.

To answer your original question though, if you deal with icey conditions, that stuff is HARD and will round your edges in no time. If no major damage, I would do a quick pass or two with the fine grit diamond stone before you go out, light passes, side only. Every 3rd time, of say 4+ hours riding at least on each day, I would do what the kid does in the video.

About once a month, hit the base edge with a fine diamond stone, in that mix. 

In two years, have your base checked for flatness, have it ground down by a good quality shop and have them set the bevel on the base while they are at it. Inspect it before you leave with a truebar and you should be all set.

oh and finally, for rust, use a gummy stone to rub that stuff off the side edge or , just go over it with the fine diamond stone should knock it off. You are using 50% water and 50% denatured alcohol mixture when you use your stone arent you? If not, you are kiling your stone.

Just my opinions of course, but from what I've read, this is scripture.


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## Chaos Theory

^^ overall some great advice right there, couldn't have said it better myself.


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## borborygmii

Sincraft said:


> If you are like me, you will research this to the point of nausea as the information out there is uber conflicting.
> ...
> I would highly recommend Ski Wax Snowboard Wax Tuning Tools RaceWax.com Read up on that site, and buy your stuff there too. Great people, great advice and even better prices (the best I found for everything I purchase...20%-40% cheaper on moonflex stones!) - no I do not work for them! They also have a nice multi angle tool for those of us that dont want to worry about getting 3-4 side angle clamps for different skis/boards/family/friends etc
> 
> Also, watch this video. Yes that is a kid showing you the PROPER way of tuning an edge. All of the other videos are crap and many had me cringing watching them as they rubbed a file back and forth on the edge of both the side and base.
> YouTube - Edge Tuning-So Easy even an Adult Can Do It
> 
> ...
> 
> oh and finally, for rust, use a gummy stone to rub that stuff off the side edge or , just go over it with the fine diamond stone should knock it off. You are using 50% water and 50% denatured alcohol mixture when you use your stone arent you? If not, you are kiling your stone.
> 
> Just my opinions of course, but from what I've read, this is scripture.



Thanks for the advice. The Youtube video was super informative. You're saving me from buying those Dakine tune kits that won't really help me. I already do my own wax jobs, but am now looking to maintain my own edges. However, I do not own any of that equipment yet. My board still has the factory base/side bevels (0 and 0, I think), so I need stuff that not only can sharpen but also change the bevel ankles.

So which multi-angle tool kit would be best for my needs...the one with 3 or 5 diamond stones listed below? I'll add gummy and Arkansas stones to my order, and make my own water:alcohol mix.

Base-Side Bevel File Guide SKS Multi Tool + 3 DMT diamond stones w/ file

versus

Base-Side Bevel File Guide SKS Multi Tool + 5 DMT diamond stones with file

Thanks!


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