Heading back to college at the end of August makes me think about the upcoming race season. Most athletes have their ski-prep work done at the shops before the beginning of the season. However, if you aren’t afraid to put in a little elbow grease or want to save some money, you can successfully do it at home with some of my favorite Toko tools.

The Importance of Shaping Your Ski’s Sidewall and Second Edge

Before getting a quality base grind and setting your base and side bevels, shaping your second edge, sidewall and top sheet is crucial for dialing in your setup before getting on snow. Most skis come from the factory with the full sidewall and second edge (that thin Titanal sheet of metal between the ski edge and sidewall) intact and flush with the edge. The above photos show this. If you don’t cut back the sidewall and second edge, they will hinder you from sharpening your edges at the desired angle

Step 1: Applying Toko Base Tape

The first step I like to take when prepping my sidewalls is putting Toko base tape on the base of my ski. This tape protects my base from friction and helps prevent material from building up on the sidewall planer. . It also protects my base from any sidewall debris caught between the base and the sidewall planer.

Step 2: Shaping the Tips and Tails with a Radial File

The second step is shaping my tips and tails with a base radial file, also called a panzer file. At the tip and tail of the ski, shape the sidewall, second edge, and top sheet away from the ski edge.

Step 3: Using the Toko Planer World Cup

Next, I like to use the Toko Planer World Cup to slowly and incrementally cut that extra lip of the sidewall above the second edge away so that it is almost flush with the rest of the sidewall the entire length of the ski. I also include a bit of the second (Titanal) edge as I do this. I continue until only a tiny part of the sidewall lip remains visible, and I shave the second edge until it meets the ski edge.

Final Touches for a Smooth Finish

After I finish this work on both edges of my race ski, I add the finishing touches to make everything as smooth and fast as possible. For this step, I like to use the Toko Fibertex kit and some 150-grit sandpaper. I typically take the dark brown Fibertex pad and fold it in half to hold it on the end and run that folded edge down the entire length of my sidewalls to smooth and polish the work I had done earlier with the planer. It only takes a few light passes to make a big difference. I will also buff out the tips and tails where I angled the sidewall and top sheet away from the ski edge. Afterward, I make one or two light passes with a small piece of folded sandpaper to finish the job!

A little work done before the season starts can make further ski prep much easier as the season progresses. Thank you to Toko for these great tools!