Easiest to use side edge guide for diamond stone

[KingGrump]

So that was sort of my initial thought coming form regular power tools and car work as a hobby. But latest threads had brought up the power tool approach. Have no problem starting with the manual and adjusting later; just thought I’d ask before I purchase.

Even with a power edger, you'll still need a full set of hand tuning tools.

 

[BC.]

A classic…when ur overthinking it….just trust the Q and P.

 

[Dave Marshak]

I strongly suspect power tuners in the hands of the unlearned will quickly go through ski edges, and force the user to buy new skis long before the skis lose their flex.

Nope. Use the fine wheel every day and your friends will mock your obsolete graphics before you run out of edge.

dm

 

[Dave Marshak]

IMO, learn to hand tune first. You will gain valuable understandings and experiences from hand tuning. It'll also develop feel in your (generic) hands for the work most lacked.

Without the experiences and understandings behind the process and method of the work required, I have found power tools will simply allowed one to screw things up in a faster and more efficient manner.

NO ONE NEEDS TO LEARN TO DO A HAND TUNE! If you are happy with the shop tunes you get, knocking down rock hits and sharpening the side edge is all you need to do. A power grinder makes the job go a lot faster, but you can easily sharpen with stones held in any file guide that matches whatever side angle the shop gives you.
I've never used a Razor Tune, but the Swix EVO Pro isn't powerful enough to do any damage. You'll do more damage with your Mom's best iron than anything else.

dm

 

[Dave Marshak]

Even with a power edger, you'll still need a full set of hand tuning tools.

I have a coouple of boxes full of pricey ski tools. I do a full tune once a year, but after that it was a coarse aluminum oxide stone for rock hits, a short peice of panzer to trim back the side wall, ans a Ski Visions adjustable edge sharpener with a fine stone for the base and a coarse stone for the side edge. I sometimes trade skis with sevearal of my friends, including a Nordica rep, and none of them ever complain about sharpness.
A couple of years ago I added a power grinder to speed up the process,m but most of my tools stay in the tool box all season. I'd never use them at all if I wasn't to cheap to pay a shop to tune them.

dm

 

[Sibhusky]

Mini review of 2 clamps:

Kant Twist, about $40 from Start Haus.


Pros:
holds stone firmly against the guide, rubber pad prevents rotation of the stone. Solidy built little gizmo.
Cons:
PRICE. A bit tricky to learn to use initially. Needs to be adjusted a tad if some of your stones are thicker (Arkansas) than others (ceramic).

IRWIN Tools QUICK-GRIP Handi-Clamp, 1 1/2-Inch (59100CD), $7

Pros:
PRICE. Clicks and releases rapidly without having to adjust for different thicknesses of stones.
Cons:
Since the little yellow tips are plastic, not rubber, the stone can rotate against the guide in use, necessitating repositioning. The angle isn't lost, but it can slide and leave you with no abrasive surface. Tried using it as a replacement for the red spring clamp I use with the base bevel guide and it interferes with the vise because of the shape of the jaws. Unsure of long term durability as it is plastic.

Conclusion:
Since I own both, I'm returning to my Kant Twist. Neither cost ME any money, so that doesn't come into it. The Kant Twist, with its rubber pad, holds the stone more firmly and it's metal, so its little rotating cube on the side you can't see above won't get chewed up. It's also smaller so it's less prone to bumping into ski parts, vise parts, and stray electrical cords while in use.

However, if you're budget conscious, the Irwin will do the job. I just wouldn't Tarzan squeeze it as you tighten it, it's plastic. The Irwin is also on Amazon so easier to find. The Kant Twist is not currently on the Start Haus site and I can't find the exact one anywhere else either. I see them without the rubber pad (which is important) and with TWO rubber pads (possible use issue I think), but not a single rubber pad.

Either is better than the thumbscrew I got initially, which allowed the stone to tilt relative to the guide. Only the far/lower edge held it down, the rest of it only held if the stone used was the exact thickness you see there. Other thicknesses would result in tilting, nullifying the whole point of a guide:


More angles on the Kant Twist, if you're trying to find it online:

 

[Noodler]

Mini review of 2 clamps:

Kant Twist, about $40 from Start Haus.

View attachment 154303
Pros:
holds stone firmly against the guide, rubber pad prevents rotation of the stone. Solidy built little gizmo.
Cons:
PRICE. A bit tricky to learn to use initially. Needs to be adjusted a tad if some of your stones are thicker (Arkansas) than others (ceramic).

IRWIN Tools QUICK-GRIP Handi-Clamp, 1 1/2-Inch (59100CD), $7
View attachment 154304
Pros:
PRICE. Clicks and releases rapidly without having to adjust for different thicknesses of stones.
Cons:
Since the little yellow tips are plastic, not rubber, the stone can rotate against the guide in use, necessitating repositioning. The angle isn't lost, but it can slide and leave you with no abrasive surface. Tried using it as a replacement for the red spring clamp I use with the base bevel guide and it interferes with the vise because of the shape of the jaws. Unsure of long term durability as it is plastic.

Conclusion:
Since I own both, I'm returning to my Kant Twist. Neither cost ME any money, so that doesn't come into it. The Kant Twist, with its rubber pad, holds the stone more firmly and it's metal, so its little rotating cube on the side you can't see above won't get chewed up. It's also smaller so it's less prone to bumping into ski parts, vise parts, and stray electrical cords while in use.

However, if you're budget conscious, the Irwin will do the job. I just wouldn't Tarzan squeeze it as you tighten it, it's plastic. The Irwin is also on Amazon so easier to find. The Kant Twist is not currently on the Start Haus site and I can't find the exact one anywhere else either. I see them without the rubber pad (which is important) and with TWO rubber pads (possible use issue I think), but not a single rubber pad.

Either is better than the thumbscrew I got initially, which allowed the stone to tilt relative to the guide. Only the far/lower edge held it down, the rest of it only held if the stone used was the exact thickness you see there. Other thicknesses would result in tilting, nullifying the whole point of a guide:
View attachment 154307

More angles on the Kant Twist, if you're trying to find it online:
View attachment 154308

The simple solution for use with the Irwin clamp is to stop using plastic-backed diamond stones.

See my post here.

I have also built "normal" rectangular shaped diamond stones using diamond paper glued to aluminum bar stock.

After using metal-backed stones, I would never go back to plastic.

 

[Sibhusky]

The simple solution for use with the Irwin clamp is to stop using plastic-backed diamond stones.

See my post here.

I have also built "normal" rectangular shaped diamond stones using diamond paper glued to aluminum bar stock.

After using metal-backed stones, I would never go back to plastic.

They are metal. They are Swix World Cup Diamond Stones, $42 each. But yes, they are covered in glossy paint. I'm not replacing them to use a cheaper clamp.

 

[Noodler]

They are metal. They are Swix World Cup Diamond Stones, $42 each. But yes, they are covered in glossy paint. I'm not replacing them to use a cheaper clamp.

The Swix stones are a step up from the plastic bars (although I preferred the Mooflex diamond paper over what Swix puts on theirs). There is another step up available when you move to 1/4" thick steel, though I imagine for most it's neither here nor there.

You have pointed out an interesting issue with the Irwin clamp, if you have a concern about the stone pivoting on the guide. Personally, I constantly pivot the stone as I'm working, so any "involuntary" pivoting is actually welcome, as it doesn't move that much at all if it does. It should be noted that in no way does the angle ever change between the stone and the guide if any shifting does happen. I'm sure this could be easily rectified with an additional layer like a piece of tape or something to make the Irwin "feet" more grippy. I'll give it some thought...

 

[mdf]

I just bought the Tools4Boards Orb set.

I got one for Christmas. I'm not sure I would recommend it as a one-and-only, but it is surprisingly useful.

First, a disappointment -- the standalone diamond pucks from the same manufacturer don't fit. Bummer.

I found the 7 degree with the ceramic abrasive great for sidewall prep. I wouldn't want to do a ski from scratch with that, but I have a dedicated sidewall planer for that. One problem I've always had with the planer is telling when I've taken off enough. So now I run the orb along and look for that tale-tell white sidewall material line on the disk. If there's a little I just run the orb a few times. If it's a lot I use the planer again, then recheck. Much more consistent that what I was doing before!

I suppose the alternative would be to use the file disk at 7 degrees if this was your only tool. I didn't try that.

I think the base-edge settings are much easier to use than traditional base guides (for quick deburring after side sharpening, not for setting angles).

It's kind of an expensive toy, but I like it!

 

[MNskier]

I got her a "Side of BEAST" tool and I like it. I do plan on buying either a Swix/Toko Evo or a Razor tune at some point, but I want her to know how to hand tune for a couple of reasons. 1) It's easier to bring a manual tool with you when traveling and they don't break. 2) If I buy a power tool, I'm going to keep it and she'll be on her own when she leaves the house.