Posted on another forum. Thought it might be of interest here.

Allen> "I always refer to the legend Doug Coombs for tuning advice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O5GUAtShiU "

I'm with Coombs on this one. The only file my edges have seen in years is a pansar (Coombs called it a bastard but you could see from the close up that it was a pansar). I only need to do this a couple times per season. The rest of the time I touch up with a diamond file. I do use a file holder to get the bevel right. I don't have Coombs calibrated grip. I hot wax once every 7-10 days skiing. In between I use Zardoz. Great stuff. I also use it on the fuzzy side of my skins.

I'd rather fish than tie flies too.

Edited to say that nobody on the World Cup circuit is doing this. In fact they probably couldn't tune a ski to save their life. Their 'Techs' do it all, and have a half dozen pairs prepared with different waxes and tunes at the top of the course so that an up to the second best choice for the conditions can be made. If you're serious about racing or performance disregard my approach.

hard to believe Doug Coombs died in 2006 he was 48 years old watch him jump in to S&S in jhole in the late 90s skibum

I didn't realize he was that old. Thought he was at least a decade younger. That is roughly the same age as Schmidt and Plake now. But they got out of the game alive a decade or more ago. I think that is the key; do it for a few years and get out. Keep doing it long enough and one day one of all the random bad things that can happen will.

I have the impression Doug could have skied on two by fours.

nonetheless, that is what I do, but also with a bevel guide, though I have never been super careful with it - I mean heck, can I really guide it 1 degree and not 2 degrees ? i don't know. I also have been scraping the bottom first, but maybe I can skip that step!

cool vid, thanks.

As for doing it right, here are the links from my friends Ben & Matt, both junior race coaches at Sugarbush and Cochrans, respectively.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9O4Xsgwsts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcR-OyOy0M4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGpngHJ987Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s8aaK0zw1k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb_pbDWGJCM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X003XS3Fz0w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLNtlovXQFY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7b8QHI7Gkg

I know some times things can get embellished...but Doug basically was guiding and trying to help a friend who had gotten into a bad spot. And was, I would guess, on terrain that he would feel pretty comfortable on. So I think (and this is just a guess too) that his undoing was being too good of a person and friend and risking his own life in hopes of saving someone else.

To me, it's inspiring that he kept doing what he loved and living life to its fullest.

I agree completely. My remarks meant no disrespect to Coombs at all, quite the contrary. But the fact that he died on terrain which was well within his abilities is one of those random things. Risk acceptance is something we all do every day but not at that level; things like stepping off a curb and trusting that nobody will run the light. I was very happy when Scot Schmidt ended his extreme skiing intact. He was such an inspiration and IMHO nobody yet has matched his grace and lightness although the bar has gone considerably higher.

Have you seen "Steep"? It is fantastic and Coombs has a major part. Here is more of Coombs,
http://www.thesnaz.com/2009/11/11/the-otterbody-experience/
May he and all the others who have so inspired us rest in peace.

Cool...agree to agree.

And in general, I do know what you are talking about. Shane McConkey would be an example of someone who probably pushed the envelope too far too long. Don't get me wrong, he was awesome and very entertaining...but definitely living way too close to the edge for too long which caught up to him.

Nice thread Denis...thanks for posting.