Tuning and Maintenance Edge Tuning for Beginners Large dings or rough areas in the steel edge can slow your board down. A good, sharp edge will help you maintain control on ice. Edge beveling on the base surface will make the board less prone to catching an edge. Side beveling or filing to a sharper angle, will allow a snowboard's edge to bite deeper into the ice. Edge bevel angles used by professional tuners will vary from 0 to 1 degrees on the base and 0 to 3 degrees on the side. Edge bevels are a personal preference. We ship our boards with a 1deg base bevel and a 1 deg side bevel. Place your board base-side up on a work bench or two saw horses. Set the angle on your edge sharpener to 90 degrees (or whatever angle you choose), and run it along the board's edge in smooth, long strokes. Be sure that the sharpener remains snug against the base of the board as you work -- this will ensure that the angle is consistent for the entire length of the board. Don't sharpen the tip or tail of your board. Tip: Carry a small edge stone with you on the hill to remove burrs on metal edges. This quick fix will help tremendously. For more information on this subject, check out a book on ski or snowboard tuning at your local library or search the web. Edge Tuning Tools // Edge Stone |