Cutting Guide for Ski Poles?

[fatbob]

The easiest tip in skiing - your poles are too long. You don't even need to see the person ski and you'll be right 80% of the time. A t least 5% of the rest is jib monkeys with poles too short for functionality.

 

[Philpug]

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[Wilhelmson]

Pipe cutter would do it but this is way cooler.

Proxxon Micro Chop Saw KGS 80 with 24-Teeth Saw Blade 37160 - The Home Depot

Proxxon's Chop and Miter Saw is ideal for small precise mitered cuts. Instead of a swiveling saw head, the table rotates the work piece within a clamping jawed vise. Base includes a round table of pressure-cast

www.homedepot.com

 

[Tony S]

I'm quite particular about having things perfect so would love to ensure that when I cut down my poles I can get them almost perfectly 90 degrees.

I'm wondering if anyone makes a cutting guide or something similar for ski poles?

I know Park Tools makes them for bike components (steer tubes and handle bars) but all the info I can find suggests that minium clamping diameter is 22mm (the size of bike handlebars at the grips) and I don't have a set to try.

Wondering if there's anything ski specific for 16mm jobs.

Real nordic shops do this all day long. Often enough it's with very expensive poles that they can't afford to trash. Call and ask if they have tips.

 

[tomahawkins]

How about long poles, long grips (e.g. Cody Townsend). Poles too long? Move your hands down. I may try it this season. I’m already not using straps.

 

[Tom K.]

How about long poles, long grips (e.g. Cody Townsend). Poles too long? Move your hands down. I may try it this season. I’m already not using straps.

A buddy of mine swears by these:

Les Batons d'Alain

The Chamonix ski mountaineering pole. Coming to us from across the pond and made in the shadow of the great and icy Mont Blanc, these unorthodox ski poles offer many small yet meaningful solutions to many small yet meaningful problems ski mountaineers fac...

skimo.co

 

[Brian Finch]

Don’t cut the basket end.

 

[skiki]

Actually, I have done that on my Royal Shaft cf poles, and it has been just fine. The metal tip had come out of both poles and I had lost one of the baskets. I got some Goode tips and baskets, and figured that while I had the old ones off I might as well adjust the length while I was at it. That was about 6-7 years ago. That said, the thickness of the pole doesn't vary any.

 

[cantunamunch]

A buddy of mine swears by these:

How about long poles, long grips (e.g. Cody Townsend). Poles too long? Move your hands down. I may try it this season. I’m already not using straps.

*Tries to remember what grandad's brother taught him about forward/push rowing stroke using overlap oars*

 

[Yo Momma]

*Tries to remember what grandad's brother taught him about forward/push rowing stroke using overlap oars*

I'm detecting a "no straps" movement. Should we start a separate thread on this? Tell me more.

 

[Yo Momma]

I’m already not using straps.

I'm detecting a "no straps" movement. Tell me more or do we need a separate thread on strap use?

 

[cantunamunch]

I'm detecting a "no straps" movement. Should we start a separate thread on this? Tell me more.

The straps are lower down, twisted in a figure 8 around the thole pins.

 

[Tony S]

I'm detecting a "no straps" movement. Tell me more or do we need a separate thread on strap use?

You did that just to bait me, didn't you?

 

[Tony S]

Don’t cut the basket end.

Sometimes stating the obvious is extremely helpful. I have found this to be true over and over at work.

 

[cantunamunch]

You did that just to bait me, didn't you?

Talking of strap use.

 

[Tony S]

I'm detecting a "no straps" movement. Tell me more or do we need a separate thread on strap use?

You did that just to bait me, didn't you?

Talking of strap use.

We need a separate strap on thread use. (And NO, I did NOT intend a hyphen between "strap" and "on".)

 

[Yo Momma]

We need a separate strap on thread use. (And NO, I did NOT intend a hyphen between "strap" and "on".)

I can only imagine that thread title!

 

[Tony S]

I was hiking with friends yesterday. One friend using poles but not the straps. "It takes a lot of hand and wrist strength when I put weight into the pole in a situation like this." [illustrates] Well duh.

 

[Slim]

I recently helped my brother shorten some furniture legs that were about 2 inch diameter metal tubes.

was the top mdf?

 

[tomahawkins]

I was hiking with friends yesterday. One friend using poles but not the straps. "It takes a lot of hand and wrist strength when I put weight into the pole in a situation like this." [illustrates] Well duh.

Yeah, definitely straps for hiking and nordic. But for alpine where pole plants are mostly cosmetic?

I stops using straps entirely for safety: I've dug out multiple skiers inbounds, pinned under the snow by their own equipment. Not an issue in most places, but here drowning in snow is a real hazzard. And it's not just slides and tree wells that are the problem.

Do I ever drop or loose a pole? No. I've told this story before, but a few seasons back I traversed onto the lower section of Chicken Ridge at Baker, a 55 deg slope skier's left of Pan Face. Just as I was contemplating my first turn, another skier zoomed in on my traverse line. I rushed the turn to get out of his way, my tails washed out, and started sliding down butt first. The resulting tomahawk over the next 100 feet was more embarrassing than anything else. I got up and spent the next five minutes clearing snow out of my pants. Miffed, I skied down and got on Chair 1. Halfway up the lift I look down and notice I'm still holding both poles.

So try it for a couple days. It will feel weird at first, but after a while it becomes 2nd nature.