Swix Sidewall Planer!!

[jbotti]

I paid $190 for this and I felt like I was painfully overpaying for a ski tuning tool. Wow, was I wrong. This tool is awesome. I was using a panzar file to plane the sidewall before taking a file to the edge. This worked only so so for me and I would often do a sloppy job with edge and create minor gauges on the sidewall. Not pretty. After using this tool I have never gotten my edges so sharp, and using it is real easy (which is necessary for me because my skills with tools are somewhere between poor and non existent!!).

I very much recommend this tool.

As an aside, I got a tuning lesson from Willie Wiltz who prepped skis for US Ski team racers including Darren Rahlves and Tommy Moe. Willie had a different brand sidewall planer and we tried them both side to side and he said the the Swix was the best he had ever used!!

This really is a great tool!!

[Glenn]

Sounds like a cool tool! Got any pics?

[Ron]

excellent! That lesson was very cool! How did you come about that opportunity?

[jbotti]

One of my best friedns is Thor Kallerud who lives in the bay area as well. Thor was the head men's technical coach for the US Ski team for 6 years. Thor and Wille are good friends and Willie also lives in the bay area. Thor invited us both over for an afternoon of tuning and then dinner afterwards. What he showed me has definitely taken me to the next level with caring for my skis and edges.

Gary, go to this site to see a picture. They also sell it cheaper than I paid!!


http://www.artechski.com/swixstainlesssteelsidewallcutter.aspx

[Ron]

very cool!  That wouold be awesome..

[Perry]

Ok, so i have been waxing my skis and I am interested in starting to tune the edges.  Suggestions on tools for this job.  I know I will need a base guide and a side guide.  I am not sure what the sidewall planer is for.  I could research it but I'm slammed right now. 

Please help this forum member out. TIA

[jbotti]

With sandwich construction skis that have vertical sidewalls, often the sidewall is right up against the ski edge so when you go to file the edge you end up filing the sidewall instead and the edges can't get sharp becuase the sidewall is in the way. A sidewall planer, planes the sidewall just enough so that you can file the edge with no interference. Good ski shops will usually plane the sidewall for you on any new skis that you purchase. However all my skis bought over the internet were never planed before shipping. Hence the need for my own planer.

In the past I used a panzer file to scarpe down the sidewall. This process may be OK for someone with great hands. I end up beating up my skis. The planer is the way to go.

I have now heard from 4 different pros on planers and all say the swix is the best one!!

[jim-ratliff]

Ok, so i have been waxing my skis and I am interested in starting to tune the edges.? Suggestions on tools for this job.? I know I will need a base guide and a side guide.? I am not sure what the sidewall planer is for.? I could research it but I'm slammed right now.?

Please help this forum member out. TIA

And, BTW, your SuperShape Magnums have a pretty vertical sidewall.

[Perry]

Good - things are as I suspected, just had to ask to be sure I knew what I thought I was supposed to know

Jim - yes the Magnums have that nice sandwich, and I am going to start with a 1 and 2 tune.  We'll see if the sidewalls are going to cooperate.

[Gary]

Hey guys, I've had a vertical sidewall planer in my tool box for years. Easy to use and allows the file to remove metal from the edge instead of material from the sidewall.

Haven't had to use it on many skis recently but it's nice to have one around as your metal edges wear. Of course, most of us here trade, sell or buy new skis before the need to use this tool ever surfaces! 

Best,
G