 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
Just picked up a new set of skis as my first pair as venturing into getting my own stuff.
What wax do people recommend that doesnt cost the earth? Just a beginner/early intermediate so probably wont notice any waxes that claim to do all sorts of magic. Ideally looking for something that does the job, easy to apply (will also need scraper and brushes so will need some recommendations there too).
Any tips/pointers?
Chris
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Until you're good enough to tell the difference then this will probably be ok.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/universal-family-wax-500g-id_8375570.html
Average wax for average skiers in average conditions
[Edit]
I'm not good enough to tell the difference so it suits me. 
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Sun 4-02-18 13:49; edited 1 time in total
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Seems good, plenty of it and cheap. Im by no means a pro, but can comfortable get down the slopes and go 2-3times a year. Capable of linking turns and just starting out going parallel.
I guess a scraper takes the majority of the wax off level across the ski bases and then the nylon brush gets any further off followed by a horse hair brush to kind of effectively 'polish' the wax? Is my understanding correct?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Spend some time researching on https://thepisteoffice.com/ and youtube it isn't quite as simple as you assume. Although once you understand the process it is quite simple and logical.
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I seen the process, watched a few videos on youtube. Seems easy enough, just curious as to what effect the two different brushes have.
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Personally I don't bother with brushes, just hot wax, scrape off the excess and use a new pan scrubber to polish up. The sort that are a sponge with a scrubbing pad on one side.
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Fair enough, was just curious as to whether needed a load of expensive brushes etc to do it. Fact can pick up a £10 travel iron, £15 wax and some 6” length acrylic makes it a lot cheaper 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I just have one brush - nylon iirc. Wax, leave, scrape, brush.
I bought a job lot of "universal" wax.
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Travel iron wont do the job even if your eyes think it is doing the job.
If it was that simple real irons wouldnt exist .
Most get a 800w or if your better off get a 1000w for higher work loads or larger surface areas.
Its all about the heat .
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Thu 1-02-18 15:57; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@carsey, Ditto @Tirol 164, Get a decent iron -- travel irons were (sort of) OK when we had narrow straight skis --- not anymore ! All you need for winter snow is universal. Take some Zardoz with you for a mid-week pickup..
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I don't know why a travel iron used sensibly will not do. As long as it melts the wax and allows you to spread it without burning the base (keep it moving!) then why not?
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You know it makes sense.
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@welshskier, a travel iron will work but you have to be much more careful. Its temperature is likely to fluctuate and you risk burning the wax as well as the base - not good for your health or your skis. A proper waxing iron has a thicker base and better temperature regulation, making the job much easier.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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not much in it then? Guess just tweak the knob just until wax begins to melt at set temperative *c?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Except it wont ever stay at set temperature *c?
Its all about the heat,stable heat!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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As others have said a proper wax iron maintains a more stable temperature which makes it easier to use.
A travel iron requires a little finess to keep temperature in the right range.
So once you know what you’re doing a travel iron is fine, but a beginner will find it very much easier with a proper wax iron.
Don’t think width of ski makes much difference as I’ve waxed plenty of snowboards with a travel iron.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Thats a steal at that price!
Perfect for summer storage
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Another vote for getting a proper ski wax iron. Makes the job a lot easier.
For wax I use Dominator Zoom Universal, from The Piste Office. For brand new skis the Dominator base prep wax (purple) is really good too. On top of the wax or whenever I can't be bothered waxing at all, Zardos NotWaz is really good too. It just wipes on with no tools required and great for a daily top up with or without wax.
Other thing you need is a pair of ski brake straps to keep them out of the way of your bases.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Do new bases have to be treat in any different way? Read a guide on the Piste Office site where need to get a good few layers of wax on brushing off with nylon brush after scraping done a few times. I guess this builds up the wax and offers protection? Would that family wax be suitable for the job if scraped off straight away after applying as a hot wax method without allowing to cool?
A nylon brush is no different to your average household nail brush? just a bit bigger?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Anyone?
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| carsey wrote: |
| Do new bases have to be treat in any different way? Read a guide on the Piste Office site where need to get a good few layers of wax on brushing off with nylon brush after scraping done a few times. I guess this builds up the wax and offers protection? Would that family wax be suitable for the job if scraped off straight away after applying as a hot wax method without allowing to cool? |
No need to treat differently IMO. Like many things I use the 80/20 rule with DIY ski servicing - do the basics well and don't get too hung upon detail. When I've got new ski's I used them out the wrapper for a week and then service them as normal.
| carsey wrote: |
| A nylon brush is no different to your average household nail brush? just a bit bigger? |
I've no idea. Is your question - can I used a nail brush rather than a proper ski servicing brush? Answer would probably be similar to the travel iron. Probably. It's just easier to use something made for the job.
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Thanks. Just a very light user so probably be waxed no more than twice a year so ideally want to keep costs as low as possible whilst starting out. Not that im a skimp but rather keep the costs down where possible.
Going to give the bases around 4-5 coats of the family wax linked above scraping off inbetween to get plenty wax into the pores of the surface before leaving the final coat on
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@welshskier, waxes are melted at diffeeent temperatures and a travel iron won’t have settings to control it
@carsey, yes, do five or 20 cycles, as many as you can
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Just scraping off inbetween coats? Does it need to 'cure' for any length of time or just complete the whole ski, let it rest a couple minutes and start from the top?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Travel iron won't do?
4-5 coats of wax?
Use proper brushes?
Load of tosh!!!
Any hot implement thats hot enough to melt the wax and warm the base enough for the wax to soak in will do, just remember that a ski base is like a best shirt, keep the iron moving!
One coat of wax properly applied is all that's needed, any further coats will make NO difference.
Any brush or pad that will polish up the applied wax is fine
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Whats your preferred method/tools tango?
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@carsey, you are not going to get one answer. a) this is Snowheads and b) there isn't really one answer.
Will "Any hot implement thats hot enough to melt the wax and warm the base enough for the wax to soak in" do. Yes, it will. Will a proper ski wax iron be more reliable, make the job easier, get the wax into the ski's deeper and more consistently. Yes, it will. And so on. You pays your money and takes your choice.
My 'general philosophy' is to invest a little bit of time and money to do a decent job but to not go OTT. Back in the day I'd be too lazy/tight to take my ski's in for a service and would put them in the hands of any old ski shop - so I figure DIYing after each trip to a reasonable standard is a marked step up.
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You know it makes sense.
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| carsey wrote: |
| Whats your preferred method/tools tango? |
I do have a toko wax iron, can't remember why I bought it over a travel iron ~20 yrs ago but I was using a full size iron!
I just use general purpose wax, hold it against the iron to dribble wax along the ski base having clipped a boot into the bindings to keep the brakes up. I dont have ski vices so just rest the tips on a workbench.
Once there is a trail of wax drops along the length of the ski, I start working it into the base using a circular motion so the wax is spread over the full width of the ski working from tip to tail at a speed where the wax remains molten for ~10cm behind the iron.
Once the wax has cooled, I have a steel scraper to smooth and take off excess wax, then polish up using a pan scrubber.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I guess that if you don't have a spare travel iron, you may as well buy the right bit of kit anyway.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks, I understand my money, my choice etc and never get a 'right' answer due to peoples opinions. Seen a Toko T8 Iron on Amazon for £35 so will pick that up. Least its the right tool for the job and not much more than a half decent travel iron.
Ordered a plastic scraper and the universal family wax off decathlon last night so that should be here midweek. Havent bought any brushes but might pick up a decent sized househole nail brush as surely it'll do the same job of exposing some of the ridges/grooves in base of ski.
Plan will be for my new skis.
Give them a wipe down with something prior to their first coat of wax to remove any transport stuff/oils etc. Would some Isopropyl Alcohol suffice to give them a clean?
Coat in wax and scrape off shortly after for a 'hot wax' scrape. This method twice.
Coat in wax and allow to cool around 10-15mins before scraping again. This method twice.
Coat in final layer of wax, allow to cool until ski cold to touch, then scrape, and rub a brush over the bases to bring up the grooves.
I guess once brushing, you will feel the grooves in the base whereas I imagine a scraper will just leave the bases feeling fairly flat?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@carsey, that’s a good plan.
Scraper will leave a waxy visible layer, the bases will look lovely after brushing
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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leave it longer than 15 minutes, a few hours ideally. A brass brush initially would be a good idea, alcohol will dry out the base, I would avoid. Just do a few hot scrapes instead. I always brush after scraping.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I agree with endo that you should leave more than 15 minutes. 30 mins minimum but ideally edge and wax straight after your trip and then scrape and polish just before the next.
Also agree about the cleaner. From what I've read it's highly debatable if it's good practice/helpful. Especially if you are going to hot scrape anyway. Talking of which I agree with tango. I don't hot wax and I do one wax only. Law of diminishing returns, life's too short and all that. I just need reasonable edges and glide. I am not Marcel Hirscher.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Layne, if you don't hot wax, I assume you use a solvent bourne wax? One of the wipe on products that I will confess to have never used, in which case it may be possible that more than one coat is needed after the first has dried????? Like I say, never used wipe on wax so this is based on knowlege of other solvent bourne coatings.
Need to go service my own skis now after a 9 days in Austria.
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| tangowaggon wrote: |
@Layne, if you don't hot wax, I assume you use a solvent bourne wax? One of the wipe on products that I will confess to have never used, in which case it may be possible that more than one coat is needed after the first has dried????? Like I say, never used wipe on wax so this is based on knowlege of other solvent bourne coatings.
Need to go service my own skis now after a 9 days in Austria. |
Sorry if I wasn't clear but I don't do anything apart from run a dry cloth and/or my hand down the base to rid out of dust or loose debris from being stored in the garage. I simply edge and wax (once with universal wax). I also polish my shoes without cleaning.
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| tangowaggon wrote: |
Travel iron won't do?
4-5 coats of wax?
Use proper brushes?
Load of tosh!!!
Any hot implement thats hot enough to melt the wax and warm the base enough for the wax to soak in will do, just remember that a ski base is like a best shirt, keep the iron moving!
One coat of wax properly applied is all that's needed, any further coats will make NO difference.
Any brush or pad that will polish up the applied wax is fine |
I guess this depends on how often you actually ski.
If you are skiing a total of 1 week a year, I can understand your point, but some of us who live within driving distance are skiing 3-4 times a week.
I won't go into how much work goes into my son's skis before he races most weekends...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I think for all non ski racers single coat of appropriate temperature wax is good.
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@Lilledonmarco, I have 37 days booked for skiing this season, 17 down, 20 to go, sure, if you are racing and looking to shave fractions of a second off a time, ski prep is completely different to recreational skiers. The effects (if any) of brushing & polishing will be gone after just a couple of runs, I would be very surprised if any recreational skier could tell the difference between a ski that had only been hot waxed and one that had the full scrape & polish treatment.
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FAQ
