Services

Inspection

General purpose : to make the right choice of service
By using true-bars and angle tools, CSM Whistler’s Master Tuners are capable of telling accurately what service a client’s equipment really needs. For an active rider, to keep your board or skis at their maximum level of performance; it needs a Wax every 2 weeks, edges sharpened every 2 month and a base leveling and structure every season.

Edge Sharpness is the Corner where the two surfaces of the Base-edge and Side-edge meet; the right combination gives control and grip when you need it. The Base-edge Bevel really determines how your equipment feels when riding: Too much base-bevel will grip too late in a turn and will feel ‘loose’. Too flat and it will grip too early in a turn and will feel too ‘tight’. If the base edge is high or ‘railed’ it will run like it is on train-tracks.

Even on new equipment; you may feel performance gains and better handling characteristics from base structuring and edge tuning; so much so that this may change how you think about one model of ski or board compared to another. Often skiers and riders mistake ‘too sharp’ edges for incorrect Base-Edge angles. Also; over a season your base bevel will only increase from wear… even as you get stronger; your ski or board gets ‘weaker’ or feels dull even though the edges may still be fairly sharp.

Doing the minimum required to get to maximum performance; there is no over-servicing (will extend it life span) and you save money

Hot Wax

General purpose: to improve the performance of the base’s coefficient of friction
Recommendation: For equipment that is in perfect condition

Metal side-edge deburr
Base cleaner application
liquid iron application of the wax*
scrape and brush the base

* if no special wax requested; we use the next day weather type of wax
Wax to your base is like water to your body; You can’t have to much

Side Edge & Wax

General pupose: Sharpening of the Side Edge
Recommendation: For equipment with the base and base edges in perfect condition that just need a sharper edge.

Metal side-edge deburr
Traditional hand sharpening*
Hot wax service

*if not requested, we will sharpen the side edge at the same angle that it was before

Traditional Hand sharpening removes the minimal metal required for sharpening ; it extend the equipment’s life

Minor Tune

General purpose: Sharpening of the Base and Side Edges
Recommendation: For equipment with the base in good condition but needing a sharper edge

Ceramic base edges sharpening*
Traditional Side edge sharpening
Hot wax Service

*If not requested, we will sharpen the base edge at the same angle it was before ; if the base of the equipment is too convex, we do a belt base edge sharpening

Sharpening both surfaces of the metal edge provides a sharpening that will last a much longer time

Full Tune

General purpose: Re-leveling of the base to make it flat
Recommendation: For equipment that needs a flatter base ; it does not remove scratches

Base grinding
Stone grinding
Side edge sharpening
Base edge sharpening
Hot wax

If not requested, we embed a next-day weather texture in the base

Major Tune

General purpose: Fixing the scratchs in the base
Recommendation: For equipment that has a core shot ; this will also remove of all the finer scratches

Base welding
Base grinding
Stone grinding
Side edge sharpening
Base edge sharpening
Hot wax

If there is a big core shot, it may need a co-poly hard welding or base patch (see major repairs)

Pro Tune

General purpose: Maximum Perfomance
Recommendation: For equipment that needs to win a race

Base weld
Base grind
Fine linear stone grinding (levelling)
Blank stone grinding (polishing)
Textured stone grinding patterns
Side edge sharpening
Base edge sharpening
Hand finish sharpening
Liquid hot box (pre wax conditioner)
Hot wax

The best of the best.

Major Repairs

Co-poly welding: $15*
Base patch : $80*
Edge replacement : $80*
Side wall delamination: $60*
Other repairs : $ quote in store

*Does not include the price of the required Major Tune ($70)

Coastal Ski Maintenance is a group of ski & snowboard tuning artists that operate the finest tuning machines. We are operating the NEW Wintersteiger Omega Stone Grinder machine with the Pink racing stone; The finest polish in the world for the bases.

A ski and snowboard has the same structural construction ; core, sidewall, topsheet, edge and base. The flatness of the base is most of the time directly connected to the core’s quality.

All modern skis are essentially made with the same type of ski base – a plastic running surfaces made from some form of polyethylene. When you ski over the surface of the snow, the pressure and temperature of your skis melt the snow, creating a fine film of water. Depending on the temperature, humidity and age of the snow, this film of water can either make you ski faster or slower.

Do your Own Inspection:

For individuals who ride often, our service team recommends weekly waxing, monthly edge sharpening and yearly base leveling for maximum performance from your ride.

General: An inspection’s purpose is to make sure that the equipment is safe to use. It is also valid if you are buying second hand equipment.

Base inspection: Start by looking at the entire base; watch for any holes in the base that could allow water to go into the core or that is big enough to create interference with gliding. Base welding repair is good for small holes and base patch repair or hard welding will be necessary for larger holes. Examine the equipment for any separation between the base and the edges; a micro separation will eventually create a bigger delamination due to the water penetrating the ski. Any type of separation or delamination will need to be fixed with glue.

If you have access to a true bar, evaluate that the equipment is flat or straight by running it over the base surface. The result will be a different levels of: Concavity (edges high ) Flat or straight ( edges level with the base) or Convex ( edge low).

Equipment that is concave will feel like the edges catch or run on rails.

Equipment that is convex will feel like the edges are not gripping; even if they are sharp. Some skiers will explain it by saying that they feel of a ball rolling under the ski or ‘too loose’.

Equipment that has straight or flatter bases will be predictable and easy to control.

Base grinding and Stone grinding are the only ways to correct the base level of your equipment.

Then it’s time to evaluate the base’s dryness. If there is any loss of color on the base or a feeling of dry plastic, that means it’s past time to wax the base. If there is any white plastic oxidation on the base, it is possible that the plastic is starting to deteriorate from friction. Wax to your base is like water to your body, it can’t get too much! A good wax has conditioner oils that can help but if there is a lot of damage then stone grinding will reveal a new surface with a structure that provides better performance.

Edge Inspection: ‘Read’ the equipment for any cracks or breaks in the edges or in the sidewall. If you notice any bumps on the top sheet, it can be the result of a core problem. A broken edge will weaken the glue and can allow delamination of the base and core. Run your fingernail across the base to the edge: there should be no interruption. Do you feel any gaps between base-edge and the plastic base?

With friction, the plastic of the base will dry and degrade faster than the metal of the base-edge and the metal base-edge will become higher: it will cause the equipment to hook or grab every time it glides sideways.

Then evaluate the sharpness of the edges:. When an edge is sharp and clean from tip to tail; it should feel smooth when you run the tip of your finger-nail along the corner of the edge; yet scrape the back of your fingernail moving Across the sharp corner of the edge. Different level of riders will require a different level of sharpness; an edge can be sharpened by polishing the side-edge, but it will also get sharper if you also sharpen the base-edge.