 Poster: A snowHead
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Have my skis and know I should be putting some storage wax on them as won't be skiing again until next winter. But where can I get ski wax? I'm in Dublin, anyone know or can I get it on the internet, if so what wax should I get?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Storage wax will stop the bases drying out and keep the edges from developing a bit of superficial rust. Send a PM to Spyderjon who will be able to offer advice and sell you suitable stuff if you decide.
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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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I think there's a bloke in Nottingham with some who has internet access.
try here 
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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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as already mentioned spyderjon's your man.
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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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Peter Ross,
This is ideal for storage. Also available in larger quantities which reduces the cost per 'block'.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I've seen several mentions of 'ski wax'. DG mentioned it as a 'must have' if it snowed heavy wet snow - though that might have been a different sort to that storage wax in spyderjon's, answer. The pictures show a hard yellow wax block - not unlike bees wax to look at. What sort of wax is in these ski preparations? Note: this is just a Megamum 'idle curiosity' question - I'm not about to race out and buy lumps of wax 
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Megamum, you are looking at the ramblings of a bunch of male gear-freaks - ignore them all! The rest of us just get our bases waxed by the nearest shop whenever they start to look a bit white.
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................. or when we remember/haven't spent the cash on wine. Whichever comes first.
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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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Lizzard, Oooooo.....noted....ta!
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Megamum, don't let the boys intimidate you. I'm sure you never do in other walks of life.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Furniture polishers will flog you a few kg of wax for a couple of quid
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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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Megamum, ok, a quick guide as to why we tune skis - which is basically split between edge work, base repairs & waxing the bases.
The metal edges are kept sharp so they cut in to the snow to provide grip. Obviously very important to hard/icey conditions & of little importance in deep soft snow. Regular polishing with a diamond stone (a little & often) keeps them sharp & removes less material than letting them get really blunt & then them needing to be filed to get them sharp. Although there's only one piece of metal down the side of the ski it actually has two faces cut in it, know as the base edge (on the bottom) & the side edge (on the side). The point/junction of the two faces is the actual 'knife edge' that cuts in to the ski. The relative angles of the two faces can be adjusted to alter the amount of bite/grip as well as how much the ski has to be tipped before the knife edge engages the snow. Racers want super smooth & ding free edges to reduce friction/increase speed plus the edge angles selected vary to suit the particular discipline they're competing in.
The ski base is made of a type of polythene called p-tex & impact damage can be repaired by welding in p-tex material to fill the hole etc prior to waxing. Regular use of wax allows your skis to glide & turn easier. The ski base has pores in it like a sponge & the idea is to fill the pores with wax. The friction from sliding causes the wax to be slowly released as you go down the mountain, lubricating the base on the snow. This lubrication is important for both performance and protection of the base from the abrasive effects of the snow. Wax also protect your base from oxidation as when exposed to oxygen they oxidize and become rough (& grey coloured) - so wax is also applied for long term storage to seal the base to prevent harmful oxidation. Ski waxes are hydrocarbon waxes with flourocarbon waxes also being used for racing. Waxes vary in mixture/hardness to suit to the snow temperature etc but most recreational skiers use a universal wax that covers a wide temperature range - which is great for us Brits as we're usually waxing back home in the UK for unknown conditions abroad.
It's also useful to know that the base of the ski is not totally smooth as there are fine longitudinal grooves in the surface called 'structure' that breaks the surface tension of the film of water between the ski base & the snow. Without the structure's action the ski would 'stick' to the snow. Not only do the grooves break the surface tension but they also act like the tread on a car tyre to remove/shed the water away efficiently. For the structure to be effective the wax, after it has been heated/melted in to the base, is scraped off the surface of the base & the base is then brushed to expose the structure.
For a high-end ski racer the combination of edge angles, pattern/depth of the structure & the wax type has to be chosen to match the conditions & is as important to their performance as tyre choice is to a racing car.
As in any equipment based sport the user has to decide how much 'effort' they put in to preparing their kit based upon their performance requirements, time & budget etc. And for some sad gits this becomes a hobby in it's own right 
Hope this helps.
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You know it makes sense.
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Can I just add that when welding in ptex it gets rather hot
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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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hydrocarbon waxes with flourocarbon waxes
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That's what the chemist in me was interested in - I used to analyse oils and hydrocarbons for a living.
spyderjon, Interesting - I will read in greater depth later.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Lizzard wrote: |
| Megamum, you are looking at the ramblings of a bunch of male gear-freaks - ignore them all! The rest of us just get our bases waxed by the nearest shop whenever they start to look a bit white. |
i concur..
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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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| Megamum wrote: |
| That's what the chemist in me was interested in - I used to analyse oils and hydrocarbons for a living.spyderjon, Interesting - I will read in greater depth later. |
Check-out the Technical Education section on http://www.dominatorwax.com
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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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spyderjon, thanks for laying it out so clearly.
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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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spyderjon, that it does.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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spyderjon, what are sintered bases - and is the treatment for them any different?
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brian
brian
Guest
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I won't be tested on this next weekend when I come down to see you will I? It's been a long while since A level physics and chemistry 
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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BGA, The test of your tuning skill will be whether you out glide Warren at the end of the schuss after coming off the back of Mont Fort . Mosh Marc & I had no problem burning off Warren & Si
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No problem with that, he's already eating the snow off my Gotama's. He may be good but he ain't 17.5 stone
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FAQ
. Just don't do what one un-named snowHead did & forget to bring your skis 
