snow112

I have a few questions on the subject of tuning and detuning a snowboard. When you're going for a more park setup, you'd detune your board, obviously. But, my question is, before you detune, do you first tune the board (sharpen the edges)?

So, do you tune (sharpen), then detune (round)? Or do you do one or the other?

Also, how often do you tune/detune your board? Once a season? And what about waxing? Every session?

GorgeDad

IMHO, you don't need to tune to de-tune but if are tuning your edges at all, you're going to sharpen edges that overlap where you'll want to detune (tip/tail). If you're hard core park/freestyling you really don't need to sharpen edges at all - the rails will detune for you.

As for frequency, you can wax every session but can probably go 4-5 sessions depending on the snow. you can generally just do edge deburring or give it a couple swipes with a file etc when you're waxing so don't need to do a major edge thing too frequently.

PanHandler

Completely detune the tip and tail down to an inch or 2 from the contact points...like really take a file to it and round those puppies out. Theyre unnecessary for any type of riding pretty much.

As for the contact points and side cut, i wouldnt detune them at all. If anything just get a 2 degree base bevel, and and 88 degree edge bevel put on, so youll still have a sharp 90 degree edge but itll be raised off the snow. Youll be able to turn but wont catch the edge on rails and boxes.

snow112

Could you give me a link to a tool that can do all that for me?

And please excuse my newbness, but what does "pow" mean? I've been seeing it all over. Also "freeride". Is that park riding or what?

PanHandler

First off i want to note that to get a bevel on your edge, you want to take it to a shop to have it done the first time. They do it on a machine so it will be precise. After that, you can use this tool to keep the edge sharp.
DAKINE Snowboard : Edge Tuner

Pow is short for Powder, which basically means what it means. When the snow is fresh, dry, and deep, its called powder. Basically because it looks as fluffy as...powder.

Freeride is a subjective term. When i think of freeriding, i think of someone in the back country riding untouched terrain. Some just simply call it back country, or "off piste" (out of bounds)