When metal comes into contact with water, there’s always a chance for rust to occur. So when your snowboard edges come into contact with the snow, they can rust. Luckily, you can remove this build-up pretty easily.
I’m an avid snowboarder who has been riding for decades. I’ve learned how to properly maintain my boards over the years and have successfully dealt with rusty edges from time to time.
This post will show you how to remove rust from snowboard edges. I’ll explain why your snowboard edges might be rusting and the steps you can take to fix them up to get your board ready to ride.
Let’s get after it.
Contents
Why Are My Snowboard Edges Rusting?
Edge rust can happen for several reasons. One of the most common is storing your snowboard when it has snow on it. You always want to make sure that your board is nice and dry before putting it in the garage or other storage location.
As your board gets older, rust is a bit more likely to occur. This is just a natural part of what happens to metal that is exposed to excess moisture. So you might see your board start to get more rusty every year, even if you remove it and take preventative measures.
Is Rust On Snowboard Edges Bad?
Rust on snowboard edges isn’t the end of the world, but it’s not something that you want to leave unattended. Rust happens, and sometimes there is really no way around it, especially if you are traveling and using a wet snowboard bag.
But if you let your board sit in a damp location for months during the summer, the rust can get pretty bad.
Either way, rust is relatively simple to deal with and won’t cause any real lasting problems to your board. It doesn’t always look great, but rusty edges are still usable. They might not hold an edge as well, but once cleaned up will be good to go.
How to Remove Rust from Snowboard Edges
If you notice rust on your board’s edges, don’t panic. Follow the steps below to effectively remove it and get your edges ready for action in no time.
Step 1: Dry Off the Board
Rust is caused by water, so the first step to getting rid of it is getting rid of the source of moisture.
Dry your snowboard off with a rag or towel if it’s wet. Make sure that the edges are completely dry and there is no extra moisture built up before you start to deal with the rust.
Step 2: Position the Board
Getting rid of rust requires a similar technique to sharpening the edges, so you’ll want to get your board correctly positioned to stay in place when you are working on it.
If you have a vice, you can secure the board in position. Place the board upside down on a bench or table if you don’t. You’ll want to stack a few books or boards up to support the board and keep the bindings off the surface.
Step 3: Get Rid of the Rust
To get rid of the rust, you’ll need an edge sharpener, gummy stone, or fine sandpaper. All you need to do to remove it is run one of these along the edge and effectively buff out the rust.
An edge sharpener is a good option for a newbie because all you need to do is run the tool around the entire edge length of the board until the rust is removed. But a gummy stone or sheet of sandpaper will do the same thing.
Go over the edges until the rust is removed. This might take a few passes, depending on how bad the rust is and what type of tool you are using to get rid of it. Just be patient and continue to file away the rust gently.
Step 4: Keep it Dry!
If you want to keep your snowboard from getting rusty again, you’ll need to make sure that you keep it dry when not in use.
This means you’ll want to store it in a dry location that doesn’t result in the edges coming into contact with water. Don’t store it in a leaky garage or keep it in a wet snowboard bag all summer.
It will definitely be rusty again next winter if you do!
How to Prevent Rusty Snowboard Edges
Keeping your snowboard dry is the key to preventing rusty edges. You can use a rag to wipe it down after each day on the mountain and also should keep it stored somewhere where it won’t get wet.
FAQs
Here are a few quick answers to some of the most frequently asked questions relating to removing rust from snowboard edges.
Can you fix a rusty snowboard?
Yes, you can fix a rusty snowboard by using an edge tuner or other gentle file to work away the rust. It’s not a complicated process and just requires a bit of elbow grease. Run the tool along the board’s edges until the rust is completely removed.
How do I protect my snowboard edges?
If you want to prevent your snowboard edges from rusting, you need to keep them dry. Wiping your board off after a day on the slopes is a good idea, and storing it in a dry location will also help.
Conclusion
Removing rust from the edges of your snowboard is pretty straightforward. All you need to do is use an edge tuner or other type of filing tool to rub away the rust. It takes a little bit of effort to clean, but rust really doesn’t pose any lasting issues to your board.
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