SkiVisions also makes their specialty stones for those other guy’s edge tuning tools:
The stone on the left is our green stone, it is the most aggressive of the three and is designed to cut very hard metal, including edge metal that has been hardened from hitting rocks or misuse of stone grinding equipment.
The middle stone is our 180 grit which is used for general sharpening purposes.
The last stone is our Ruby Ceramic Stone, used for final burr removal and metal edge polish.
There is a great deal of information about these stones in other instructions on this website so we aren’t going to repeat it here, take a look.
Also, take a look at the tuning stick discussions under “Ski Sharp Edge Tuning Tool” and how it is used to analyze your edges. You won’t be able to really appreciate the job these stones do unless you also get the tuning stick. We also make packages of these stones and include the tuning stick for free.
These stones can be used in the various file guide tools, multi-tuners, or can be used freehand.
These stones are better than diamond stones for a multiple of reasons, including:
1. They last much longer; diamond stones only last until the backing plate they are mounted on is reached; our stones are solid grain throughout so they last a very long time.
2. Our stones can be refreshed to like new condition over and over since it is grain throughout (see Stone/Steel Inserts Maintenance). They are designed to last many years.
3. The grits cut as effectively as any diamond grit.
But understanding how the grains of stones and diamonds work is most important.
The cheapest diamond stones use the lowest quality grains, which when they fracture break into new DULL points, meaning they wear out very quickly, they actually loose their effectiveness before the backing plate is reached. They are relatively inexpensive.
Good quality diamond stones use a good quality grain, which when they fracture break into new sharp points, so they can remain effective until the backing plate is reached. They are generally more expensive.
All our stones use grains that are, in fact, the highest quality grain available, and they break into new sharp points when they fracture. That means they are effective as cutting stones throughout the stone, and remains as effective as new even after the stone has been re-dressed numerous times. The grit on the surface of the stone is prepared so that it isn’t too aggressive when new, and maintains its consistency as it is re-dressed.
BUT DON’T DROP THEM, THEY ARE STONE, THEY CAN BREAK!
(reprinted from SkiVisions with permission.)