 Poster: A snowHead
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Yes, I know this has all been said before, but anyone who has seen me ski knows my level of competence, so I might encourage others.
First up, I got the old workmate out of the shed and held up the brake with a strap thing that spyderjon gave me. Clamped it up tight and gave it a good brushing with a combination brass and nylon brush I got from Decathlon. I was ouside, so with plebty of natural light I could have a good lok at the edges. Noticed a couple of nicks and some slight rusting so I went after the nicks with an oxide file (again purchased from spyderjon. I wasn't going to get rid of the cuts so I contented myself with making sure the burrs were off and it was smooth. I then went over both edges with the gummi stone (same source as before) and removed all rust and staining. I then used the edge tool set to 1 degree to sharpen the edge. Wasn't too sure about the 1 degree choice as I knew that was the factory setting from spyderjon's website. I also know they have been through a machine a few times that will have done them to 2 degrees, so we will see. Maybe I will have to live with 2 degrees. (any advice?)
Another brushing and it was wax time. I was going to buy a wax mouse from Decathlon, but they didn't have any so I decided to make do with a cheapo domestic iron from ASDA. At £4.14 I could afford to risk it! I crayoned away as shown by jon, again and then melted and dripped some wax all up the ski. I had to turn the iron up quite high to get it motoring and, as I was outside for fear of pixie-wrath if I got wax all over the kitchen, I was needing to keep it moving to melt the wax into the ski. Soon the ski itself began to warm up and the wax was flowing easily. I noticed the odd groove filling and fading so t felt like I was doing some good. When I had got quite a thick but even layer on, I stopped and stood the skis up to cool. I decided to leave the wax on for now, as I don't go for another 12 days so I wil scrape them just before I pack them for Wengen.
Well, experts. Any hints?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Chris Bish, Congratulations - I know absolutely nothing about the process, but am intrigued that you waxed before scraping. So you ski servicers go to all that trouble to get wax evenly all over them and then scrape it off - wierd! I'd have assumed that you scraped to get a nice flat surface and then applied a nice even layer of wax to finish with.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Megamum wrote: |
| Chris Bish, Congratulations - I know absolutely nothing about the process, but am intrigued that you waxed before scraping. So you ski servicers go to all that trouble to get wax evenly all over them and then scrape it off - wierd! I'd have assumed that you scraped to get a nice flat surface and then applied a nice even layer of wax to finish with. |
the wax gets absorbed into the ski, so you scrape off any residue. If you don't scrape it off the snow will do it for you on your first run anyhow 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Linds, Had to buy an iron especially for the process 
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bev bish, you could get him to practice on his work shirts....just without the wax
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Chris Bish, I normally don't drip wax onto the ski if I have also crayoned it on. I just end up with too much wax on the surface of the ski, which is then scraped off to make a mess of the garage floor.
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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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Elizabeth B, I honestly have not ironed a thing for about the last 20 years - we prefer the "creased but lived in look"
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rob@rar, We don't have a garage - he had to iron in the garden instead (I was out riding at the time of the deed)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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bev bish, the only thing I've ever ironed is a top that I wear for weddings/job interviews. Somehow though I have 2 irons 
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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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Elizabeth B, One for each ski then! 
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bev bish,
They're both steam irons though, and I'm told they're not very good for skis?
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You know it makes sense.
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This was a steam iron - seems to be the only sort you can get. Didn't seem to be any problems. It just needed to be a it hotter than I expected as I knew that the pukka ski wax irons run at 110 to 130. I would guess I had mine above this but as I was outside it was cooling rapidly anyway.
Just seen Jon's link to his site and it seems I should measure my edges to see what they are at present by putting marker pen on them (On reflection he showed me how to do this. I was just too dim to understand what it was about.) Either way, the edges do seem to be OK. And the waxing is just fine.
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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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Linds, I always iron my shirt if I am interviewing. So that is twice now.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
This was a steam iron - seems to be the only sort you can get
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we used an old steam iron all last winter. the holes got bunged up with wax but that didn't seem to matter. We didn't iron any shirts with it. I do crayon on wax to start with, to use less, but I also really enjoy dripping it. Like playing with birthday cake candles all those years ago, or podging around with red candles in chianti bottles in the 'sixtires. Indeed, the whole process is deeply satisfying. A friend who runs a charity shop just had an old iron without holes brought in - they can't sell electricals, so she's giving it to me rather than bin it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I really don't see how you can go far wrong. I know you don't want to burn the wax, but then, you don't want to burn shirts etc either and it seems to be the same idea. Just keep it (the iron) moving and use common sense to get a nice even bonded layer of wax. Not at all difficult.
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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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Chris Bish, sounds like you're doing the right kind of things in the right kind or order. Enjoyable isn't it?  Waxing is especially theraputic, just gliding the iron around until everything is nice and warmed through - great stress buster.
Just wondering, did you use your own skis at Xscape on Thusday? When I took mine to Castleford a couple of months ago I was surprised just how aggressive their artificial snow is. My freshly waxed skis were showing signs of drying out (whitish bloom patches) after only two hours of use.
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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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jmdohanlon, No. I skied Fischer RX8, Scott Mission and Head Monster. My skis were still a touch rough from last Easter in Deux Alpes. Spyderjon, was warning Jon (our son) about the aggressive snow at MK when he thought he was going to debut his new High Societies there, so it looks as if there is a view among people more expert than me (most) that the snow there is abrasive.
edit for sp.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Mon 10-12-07 12:02; edited 1 time in total
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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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Chris Bish, OK, I was just curious. No problem with the indoor snow being aggressive, just one thing to be aware of.
Seeing as you've left your skis since March you may be interested in this. The guy who runs our local ski shop (who does hand waxing as standard) advises that it's worth getting skis waxed soon after use to prevent the bases drying out over summer and also to get rid of any dirt caught up in the bases. he says that when cleaning these out they can actually crackle as the bits of muck pop out. I've never seen anything like that happen with my skis, but it seems to make sense to sort them out with new wax ASAP after use.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Seems a good idea. I was quite surprised how much muck and grit emerged floating about in the wax and being brushed out. There was still a reasonable coating on there (no grey areas) but they look better for a waxing.
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Linds, I'd be telling myself about the ironing being relaxing. I do the majority of it in our house. She claims I'm faster and better at it than her. 
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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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jmdohanlon, Now why didn't I think of that one!
Linds, I am now getting used to seeing men with an iron in one hand and a ski in another - spyderjon, did my Atomics last week as the "demo" so that Chris could see him in action. I will suggest to both that they apply for Extreme Ironing status
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