Need advice on the Wenger Skier

[shadowrider]

Hey folks,
I was recently looking for a Wenger Skier, which has been in my SAK wishlist for a while, and the other day I found one in a military surplus store. I haven't bought it yet: the thing is, it was the 4 layer version that includes a metal file/saw (instead of the regular 3 layer version).
I am not too sure about that. I was planning on actually carrying the SAK on the slopes. Does the metal file/saw hold any purpose that I am not seeing for skiing? What y'all think?

[Huntsman]

Keeping the edge of your skis sharp

... After you skied over a rock   

[AimlessWanderer]

For turning your ski poles into splints when you break a leg 

[El Corkscrew]

I believe the droid you're looking for is called the "skiloper"

The 4-layer is referred to as the skier, i think

[El Corkscrew]

I think there is one with scissors as well.

[ColoSwiss]

Believe the metal file was for sharpening crampons for ice climbing. Victorinox included a metal file on their Mountaineer.

[Huntsman]

Skiers don't usually have crampons CS !!

Yes there are a few ski mountaineers who would have them - but that must be 1% or less of the skiiers in the world

I guess it could be the case - Still think sharpening ski edges, which all skiers need to do !!

[shadowrider]

Thanks for all the replies!

I never knew about sharpening ski edges... I think I am going to buy this Skier and start doing that next winter!

[ColoSwiss]

Skiers don't usually have crampons CS !!

Yes there are a few ski mountaineers who would have them - but that must be 1% or less of the skiiers in the world

I guess it could be the case - Still think sharpening ski edges, which all skiers need to do !!

Never heard of sharpening ski edges, but then I was only an occasional skier and that was decades ago. Doubt the ski rental places would have appreciated me taking a file to their skies.   

[Huntsman]

...... Never heard of sharpening ski edges....

True.
If you are an occasional skier who hires skis every time - Like most of us - You would never sharpen your skiis.

However ski bottoms can get pretty beaten up - especially if they are skied over rocks.
So when the skiis go back to the hire place at the end of the week, they are serviced.

The hire company goes thro a restoration process - Which uses a kind of hot iron on the ski undersides which smooths off the plastic bottoms
They also sharpen/smooth off the rough metal edges of the skiis with a ....... metal file !!
Then of course the ski wax.

If you had your own skiis you would also do this sort of thing!

Anyway my skiing days were also way in the past - So ski maintenance approach and technology could have changed - But this is what used to happen !