 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey everyone, my first post here; looks like a great community with lots of information.
Very newbie question, but is waxing of skis really necessary for your casual "few times a year" skier? I've been skiing for quite a lot of years, but never with much frequency. I usually take it easy and go halfway between blues and blacks.
I've got a pair of old rossignol cuts, the kind that you'd normally have seen a few years ago at the ski rentals. I believe mine were old rentals as well, just resurfaced. I've never really paid attention to equipment and never noticed if it affected my skiing or not.
What is the purpose of wax, to protect the ski or to make performance better? Is there any wax that can be used as a substitute like maybe carnauba for cars or something?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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clicknext, welcome to snowHeads!
Wax serves two purposes:
1. performance.
2. protection.
I don't know what carnauba is, but I suspect that is a wax polish for metal bodywork. What you need is a wax that will work on the plastic base of the ski, is designed to work in very cold temperatures, and stay on even with abrasion (such as you get when skiing), so I wouldn't use a car wax.
As for how often, I'd suggest you get your skis serviced at least once a year, and depending on the conditions perhaps once a week. When you get skis serviced, the shop will also sharpen your edges, and sharp edges make turning a lot easier.
Hope that helps!
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I agree with the above. Get them professionally waxed before you use them (this can be done in resort if you have no outlets nearby) with a general wax which should last you a weeks skiing. It's only about £15 to service your skis.
I use a liquid wax each day too and apply first thing before i go out, and carry it with me for topping up from time to time. These can be bought everywhere and are used a little like shoe polish. This will help maintain your service wax base for longer too.
If you feel like racing down the mountain then you must try Zardoz "Not Wax" which is a rub-on teflon liquid. I bought mine at Ellis Brigham but i have seen it avaliable in quite a few Ski shops. It's brill.
But don't use these rub-on solutions without getting them properly waxed first. There's no point in buying skis if they run like sand paper on gravel.
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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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clicknext, welcome, I think your question has been answered above, however can I suggest that you hire a pair of up to date skis aimed at your ability in the resort for a day, so that you may enjoy your skiing more, it might open your eyes and make you dig into your pockets for new skis. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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carnauba is also used to "wax" and protect laminate floors.
Rik
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clicknext, Welcome to  's. this thread offers some insights.
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Nothing but ski wax can be used and these waxes are quite specific in terms of the temperature they work at best. Normally universal (all in one) wax is fine for recreational skiing, but for racers there are a range of different waxes for different temperatures. But if the temperature is very warm, giving wet, soggy snow it slows the ski a lot - but not so badly if you change to a warm-snow wax. The wax comes as a hard stick and is put on by melting and spreading (you can do it yourself with an ordinary travelling iron on a lowish setting - but keep the iron moving or you could damage the plastic base of the ski with excess heat). The ski base is slightly absorbent and soaks up some of the wax. Only a thin layer is required, so any excess is then scraped off with a plastic scraper that probably costs a few pence.
A waxed ski not only goes faster but is easier to turn.
The edge sharpening of the skis is equally important and makes a huge difference on ice or hard snow. You'll find you can carve where you used to skid. You can do that yourself too (you can buy a file with a plastic mounting to hold it at the right angle, but the shop has the equipment to do it accurately (a degree or two difference in the angle of the file to the ski edge does make a difference, though only a slight one ( except for racers). Basically when it is properly sharp, if you scrape the back of your fingernail lightly accross the edge it should shave off a tiny bit of the nail surface.
It really is worth getting a full service. If you haven't had your skis serviced for ages I imagine they have lots of scratches in the bases. That will also effect their performance. The shop will fill any deep scratches with more plastic (Ptex) when they service your skis. And if you have any bad damage (especially by the edge), you are in danger of any new rock damaging it much worse or (I have done this, and it is terminal) ripping the edge of the ski right out.
If you have it done at the resort they will do it overnight. If you go to a ski shop in England now they will probably have a big backlog and you will have to wait a couple of weeks.
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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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If you really want to find out the difference, wax and edge one ski
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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flicksta,
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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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Is that a bit like nailing one foot to the ground?
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Another effect of sharp skis was discovered by the Japanese. Someone fell over a few years ago on a Japanese ski slop and someone else skied over his neck. He bled to death quite rapidly.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Samurai swords carve well, but they don't float too well in powder.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks for the replies, everyone.
I live in Vancouver, Canada so I'll look to see if I can get that done at one of my local mountains. And I'm planning on getting a pair of ski blades soon for fun, so I should probably keep those in shape too.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Almost any ski shop on the mountain (or not on the mountain) should service skis.
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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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Newbie type question here:
Last year our instructor hand waxed our skis on the slope with a block he had in his pocket, just before the school races. It certainly made my skis stop sticking but can't say how long it lasted bcause we finished up not long after. Is that usual, recommended or bad? Could it be dodgy if not done by an expert e.g. unevenly spread?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Jeraff,
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Is that usual, recommended or bad
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Yes you can rub wax on by hand. When teaching on snow I used to carry a block for just this purpose
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Could it be dodgy if not done by an expert e.g. unevenly spread?
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Not at all. You can't do any harm doing this.
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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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Cool, ski. Think I'll try it, any recommendation on what to look for, I've no idea at all.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Jeraff, Wax that's not been soaked in to the base by either a hot iron or by hand corking to generate heat etc will only last a few runs or so. A better alternative to this would be to give your skis a wipe over with Zardoz Notwax ( http://www.zardoznotwax.com ) which will last from a half day to full day depending upon the conditions - I've never known it last 3 days as stated on their website.
Hand rubbing wax or using ZN is a temporary 'conditions' fix & not a substitute for proper hot waxing.
You can get a ZN 'pocket puck' from any good ski/board store or specialist tuning gear supplier 
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Fri 8-12-06 17:54; edited 2 times in total
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Jeraff, Zardoz gets my vote too. you really can feel the difference.
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