DMT File Grits - 4" x 1" wide size.
Silver X-X-Coarse- 120 grit (When you got serious edge work to do )
Black X-Coarse - 220 grit ( Most casual skiers would start their edge tuning with this grit )
Blue Coarse-325 grit ( This is the workhorse file, transition from a rough finish to a smoother polished finish )
Red Fine - 600 grit ( Most casual skiers would finish with this grit )
Green X-Fine -1200 grit ( Racers looking to apply a superior finish would stop at this grit )
Tan X-X-Fine - 1600 grit ( If you are looking for the ultimate finish )
There is only one USA-made Diamond File out there that can handle ski and snowboard edge work season after season.
DMTDMT is a popular ski tuning diamond stone / file / hone and is found in top ski techs tuning box everywhere for sharpening and polishing edges.
Well is it a file, a hone, or a stone? Well lots of folks will use these terms interchangeably. At the end of the day they all kind of mean the same thing, a way to smooth hardened steel using a surface covered in microscopic diamonds. To get technical, often a stone is a fixed surface you draw your tool you wish to sharpen across. While a file or hone is a hand tool that is moved along a fixed surface. Polishing refers to the action or desired smooth surface finish you are using the files for.
Enough wax nerd talk, back to these files.
DMT uses an incredibly strong adhesive to bond their diamonds to the file backing. These files are built tough, and will last and last with a little basic maintenance.
What do I need?
If you are new to edge tuning it would be recommended to pick up a 3 file set, X-Coarse (black), Coarse (blue), and a Fine (red).
On a budget? Coarse (blue) and a Fine (red) will get you where you need to be with a little more elbow grease.
How to make your files last
Before you use ANY brands diamond file you will want to apply some lubricant to the face of the file. This lubricant will help trap and remove the metal dust you create while using the tool. This will keep the diamond surface from clogging up and reducing the tools efficiency. Water works for this, while not ideal it is usually available close to your tuning bench. Another great option is Fast Wax
Eco-Orange ski cleaner. Eco-Orange is thicker than water so it will stay on the surface of the file longer.
MOST IMPORTANT: After you are done wipe down and dry your files. Do not put them a way wet. This will cause the steel dust trapped on the surface of the file to rust and clog your expensive files.
To be honest, I am on my fourth season with a full set of these in my Fast Wax wax box. While the 2020 season was a gong show, during a normal winter month, I can be found doing ski waxing clinics 2-3 nights a week. Where we will tune 3-4 sets of skis and snowboards. After all these tunes, my DMT files are still doing their job. Quickly and easily turning the rustiest and dirtiest edges back to factory new in minutes.
If someone tells you that diamond files only last 30 tunes, my hunch is they just want to sell you more expensive files.
