Detuning edges for rails

Do people reckon to detune edges before hitting rails? I usually keep mine
as sharp as possible as we have a lot of ice but I saw the guys competing in
a rail jam the other week hacking away at their edges with a big file. Can't
say I've had any problems, even after unintentionally rotating and getting
totally unbalanced but I guess there's always a first time. I've got the
base edge set at 1 degree so maybe that's enough.

Jay.

Do people reckon to detune edges before hitting rails? I usually keep mine
as sharp as possible as we have a lot of ice but I saw the guys competing
in a rail jam the other week hacking away at their edges with a big file.
Can't say I've had any problems, even after unintentionally rotating and
getting totally unbalanced but I guess there's always a first time. I've
got the base edge set at 1 degree so maybe that's enough.

I'm not much of a rail rider - but I can tell you that setting a 1 degree
bevel on your base edge will go a long way towards preventing unwanted edge
catches, wither on snow, ice, fun boxes, rails, etc.

*If* you feel the need to detune your edges, just detune the part of the
board that comes into contact with the rails or funboxes, i.e., the middle
few inches. Keep in mind that once you detune, you'll have to take off
some metal to get it as sharp again, which shortens the life of your edges,
so if you;re OK as is, you might want to consider leaving it that way.

Mike T

Jay wrote:
Do people reckon to detune edges before hitting rails?

I would have thought that after a couple of rails your edges would be
completely detuned?

Do people reckon to detune edges before hitting rails?

I would have thought that after a couple of rails your edges would be
completely detuned?

Not if the base edge is beveled at 1 degree and he is doing 50/50's or
well-executed boardslides flat on the base.

See the diagram on this page:

http://www.tognar.com/edgetips.html

for an illustration of beveled edges.

Mike T

Jay wrote:
Do people reckon to detune edges before hitting rails? I usually keep
mine
as sharp as possible as we have a lot of ice but I saw the guys
competing in
a rail jam the other week hacking away at their edges with a big
file. Can't
say I've had any problems, even after unintentionally rotating and
getting
totally unbalanced but I guess there's always a first time. I've got
the
base edge set at 1 degree so maybe that's enough.

Jay.

If you are doing park-rails (i.e. rails made for the park) you should
have no problems with the standard 1* base bevel (90% of boards come
with a 1* base bevel). Those rails are polished and sanded smooth, so
there is nothing to catch your edges on.

If you are doing stuff like logs or non-park rails (like the handrail
at the lodge at the base of the mountain) then - detuning or dulling
your edges might be advisable. I think the benefits would only be
useful if you want the utmost performance (like if you were competing
in a rail competition) just like sharpening your edges to 0*/0*
wouldn't be worth it unless you race all the time.

First doing 50/50s does nothing to your edges since they never touch...
even doing boardslides doesn't dull your edges normally because you are
never on your edges while on the rail (if you did go on your edges you
will slide out and slam on the rail). If you ding you board you will
get a cold fuse and a burr that you will need to smooth out... but
that's about it.

Thanks guys!

Well my most recent attempt at a rail ended up with me under it rather than
on it but what the hell...

Jay.