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Maintaining base edge after Montana Radial tune?

MNskier

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So my local shop (Pierce Skate and Ski in Minnesota), uses a Montana HTT 3-d radial base edging machine as part of their tuning process. Basically (if I understand it correctly) it puts about 0.5 deg of base bevel underfoot, but as the ski widens towards the tip and tail the bevel gets a little bigger (lets say 0.75 deg or so, perhaps more on wider skis). Anyway, I'm wondering if any of you have experience maintaining such a tune? SIde edge will be maintained normally, I suppose most would say leave the base edge alone. Which is fine except perhaps for when some damage occurs (rock hit, etc)? Without any other input, I would plan on throwing a diamond stone in a 0.5deg guide and fairly lightly go over just the damaged spot. Any suggestions on maintenance?
 

Jacques

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You can't do anything but smooth out high spots from damage on your base edge, so just do that, and live with what you have.
 

NE1

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What Jacques said...use a ceramic stone or a super fine diamond and do it very, very lightly freehand without a guide.
 

Atomicman

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You may end up getting rid of the radial tune, I strongly dislike it! I prefer a nice consistent base bevel.

I have tried it a couple of times and it skis very weird.
 

Tom K.

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So my local shop (Pierce Skate and Ski in Minnesota), uses a Montana HTT 3-d radial base edging machine as part of their tuning process. Basically (if I understand it correctly) it puts about 0.5 deg of base bevel underfoot, but as the ski widens towards the tip and tail the bevel gets a little bigger (lets say 0.75 deg or so, perhaps more on wider skis).

If it isn't too much thread drift, can somebody explain the idea behind this approach?

Genuinely curious, though it seems ill-suited to maintaining the tune in a home shop.
 

Jacques

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If it isn't too much thread drift, can somebody explain the idea behind this approach?

Genuinely curious, though it seems ill-suited to maintaining the tune in a home shop.
Yea, some skis are made like this, and some are not.
A ski with "boat" shaped tips and tails will act this way.
Some skis are concave at tips and tails. (more demanding)
So some will be easier to ski (boat shaped) and some will be more demanding.
This is why some like one brand over another I believe.
A ski that is absolutely flat is not too common in consumer skis.
But a flat ski can be made to ski more like a shaped ski with a "radial" tune although not quite the same.
Either way, any ski can be serviced DIY "at home." You don't need a machine.
 

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