First, is snowboard edge tuning different from ski edge tuning?  Yes, no question.  Why?  A ski has a single foot in parallel with the ski, a situation that greatly rewards edge tuning because the leverage relationship is marginal.  The opposite is true with snowboards, a rider has two feet driving the edge and both feet are perpendicular to the edge, a situation that gives significant leverage over the edges.  The ski versus snowboard tuning situation is as similar as night and day. 

The instructions under the product title "Ski Sharp Edge Tuning Tool" contains the important information regarding using the Ski Sharp tool on ski edges but much of the information applies equally to snowboard edge tuning and shows the various inserts, their purposes and maintenance procedures.  Keep in mind that although the edge tuning techniques and effects described for ski tuning will also help snowboarders, the benefits will not be as significant, but the information should not be ignored, for example, the section on de-tuning tips and tails applies equally to skis and boards.

We believe snowboard tuning needs a significant focus on base flattening since all that leverage applied to the edges also rounds off the bases quickly, the edges and the base plastic next to the edges wear much more quickly than the base at the center from all that force.  Consequently, much of our snowboard tuning focus is on base flattening and structuring with the Snowboard Base Flattener.

But keep in mind, there is an important relationship between how you tune your snowboard edges and how you flatten your snowboard base.  We believe understanding this relationship and tuning your board accordingly will become the future of snowboard tuning.

Since snowboards are constantly used up on edge, the edges and the base plastic next to the edges wears away much faster that the base plastic at the center of the base, consequently boards quickly become convex (rounder).  When they do, edge sets become more difficult because the board needs to be tipped progressively higher in order to reach the edge to set the edge.  A flatter bases lets you set your edge at a lower board angle, and lets you maintain that angle consistently.  We believe that how high you need to tip your board to set the edge should be determined by the amount of base edge bevel you tune into the board which you can set consistently by tuning your edges when you also keep your snowboard base flat.

Now it is likely that a number of snowboarders will read the above paragraph and dismiss it.  And they are right, as long as they are limiting themselves to the flatter runs.  But get into the steep stuff, especially if the snow is less than ideal (harder), and how high you have to tip your board to set the edge becomes a real problem if the base is too rounded, as the hill gets steeper you can get to the point where you simply cannot tip your board high enough on edge to get the hard edge bite you need.  So you return to the flatter runs.  Think about it.

So we don't think of snowboard edge tuning in the same way as ski edge tuning, the precision, the polish, the precise procedures (snowboards don't benefit from it the way skis do).  We think of snowboard edge tuning as the process of setting the relationship between the base and edges that work for you, then maintaining that relationship consistently.  You will find how sharp you like your edges for different snow conditions and how you like them polished (the instructions under "Ski Sharp Edge Tuning Tool" will help you learn the subtleties of edge tuning) as you tune your snowboard edges. 

So, the short answer is, snowboards aren't skis, edge tuning approaches share only limited similarities, but knowing why you are tuning your snowboard the way you are doing it, the purposes, the focus, the objectives, are what it is all about.  The body of knowledge of ski tuning has developed over many decades, the body of knowledge of snowboard tuning has barely begun, and we believe we are on the leading edge of the development of that body of knowledge!