It's important to keep your Prior snowboard performing and gliding like new. Simple tuning requires the following tools:

A vice or snowboard specific workstation Files and file guides Deburring stones Waxing iron and structuring brushes

Sharpening

Sooner or later, your edges will need some sort of sharpening to renew your ability to carve and ride in control. First you must choose between several file and file guide options. Side-edge tools come in various degree profiles. Picking the one that is right for you depends on your riding style. Three common choices:

Sharp 90 degree side edge	Square edge on board. Consistent edge hold, longer lasting edge. Preferred for freestyle, and all mountain riding (note that for riding rails dull edges are often preferred as they will not catch as easily). All new Prior freeride/freestyle and splitboards are factory finished with 90 degree edges.
Sharper 89 degree side edge	Preferred for riders who desire more edge hold.  Prior alpine boards and skis are finished with 89 degree edges.
Sharpest 88 degree side edge	Preferred by riders who want extreme edge hold

Note: The file that usually comes with the tool is quite coarse and will take off quite a bit of edge material - use sparingly. Consider replacing with a less coarse file to increase edge life.

How to Sharpen

Side edge  With your board in the vice on its side, place the file guide on the board so the file is on the side edge and the guide can glide smoothly along the base (as an advanced technique, you can tape the base of your board so you don't grind filings into your base). Use long smooth strokes with the guide and make sure the guide part of your tool stays flat to the base, so after filing you will have a clean and smooth, consistent side edge.
Base edge  Your base edge is a much easier process. To start with, wrap your file's pointy end with 3-4 layers of masking tape. This gives you a bit of base edge bevel. This base edge bevel will lift your base edge off the snow a bit and make your board act a little more predictably on cat tracks and traverses. With the pointy end in one hand, start at one end and pull smoothly towards you, and note how your base edge gets cleaner and sharper. For best results we recommend to work from the tip to the tail.
Deburring  Your file, as it sharpens, creates a tiny micro-burr along the entire length of the board. It is a good idea to remove those tiny burrs with a diamond stone. Added precision is possible by inserting your diamond stone in your file guide.
Final test  The finished edge should still feel sharp, but will not cut your skin if you run a finger along the edge.

Note: Carry your diamond stone while you are on the hill so you can polish any nicks that you might put on your edge on the mountain.
 

Waxing

Regular waxing is crucial for snowboard performance and protection. Waxing is relatively easy to master.

Waxes Racers can spend a fortune on wax. Temperature, snow moisture content, elevation, and type of snow all play a part in choosing the right wax. More technical information is available from wax companies such as Toko, Kuusport etc. For everyday riding, we recommend a reasonably priced, all-purpose, universal temperature wax.
Wax application Using an iron, (preferably without steam vents) drip wax on the base of your board. Use a low to medium temperature on your iron to prevent the wax from burning and/or smoking. After dripping, iron and spread the wax onto the base of your board, making sure you keep the iron moving to avoid melting/burning your base. Spread/iron evenly from tip to tail over the entire board, and then let cool.
Scraping / structuring After the board has cooled, scrape off the excess with a plastic scraper. To improve your glide, finish by brushing your base to bring out its structure. Scotchbrite, a hairbrush, or a special "structurebrush" will do the trick.