 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
After only 2 hours at Castleford last night on newly waxed skis my bases are really dried out. What's the best sort of wax to use to protect them?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| beanie1 wrote: |
| After only 2 hours at Castleford last night on newly waxed skis my bases are really dried out. What's the best sort of wax to use to protect them? |
Mine have Swix LF6 on them, which is a fairly low temperature wax (-6 to -12C).
It has lasted for about four sessions so far and doesn't need to be re-applied yet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
I've never been but from what I've read, the hardest racing wax for cold temps seems to be the best option, get it done properly then apply a coating of liquid wax over the top before each session
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
This just in from the monks in the archive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
comprex, does that mean I'm a monk now ? 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
D G Orf, with your resort of choice, the monk seems the better bet 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
marc gledhill, could be right 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
beanie1,
I've used Holmenkol Ultramix blue (-14 to -20C) which was excellent but I found it expensive as I'd only get two x 2hour sessions from one waxing & it's about £10 for 150g (I use about 30g per waxing for a pair of ski).
I now use SKS Universal wax which is under £23 for 2kg & one waxing is good for one 2 hour sesssion. If I haven't got the time to wax before the next session I use a teflon wipe( http://www.zardoznotwax.com ) which seem to work very well. I'll bring one with me on Mon for you try.
After every third waxing I perform a 'hot wax scrape' to clean the bases using the Brikko yellow/soft wax which works really well. It's amazing how dirty the bases get on an indoor slope. It's also a good base wax underneath the Ultramix.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Wed 3-08-05 20:46; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| rjs wrote: |
Mine have Swix LF6 on them, which is a fairly low temperature wax (-6 to -12C).
It has lasted for about four sessions so far and doesn't need to be re-applied yet. |
Thanks Rob, I'll have to try that.
Perhaps us Lions members could get together to bulk buy & save a few bob?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
beanie1, Another wax that may be worth trying is what i'm using, that is Datawa Polar X -16 to -24 C Plastic Slope Wax. Its a bit of a mare to put on but is lasting really well for me thus far. I also do what Spyderjon does with the Zardoz wipes each visit which also helps to prevent the egdes rusting supposedly.
If you remind me on Monday i'll give you some PolarX to play with as i've got a pack kicking about in my bag i take with me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
rockyrobin,
Cheers! I need to give these wipes a go too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
rockyrobin, I just got some of that, but I was going to mix it with a universal wax to try it out. May make it a bit easier to apply.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
marc gledhill, The trick with Polar X is to wax first with yellow (i.e. very soft) - scrape when hot, and then wax with Polar-X - getting the base hot first lets the wax penetrate. Definitely worth it tho' 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
marc gledhill, I was going to do that myself, but seeing how abrasive the indoor slope had been to my skis I thought any softening would be detrimental so just went neat.
ski's right about the bases needing to be warmed first, I too do a cleaning wax/scrape and it makes life easier than tring to nudge solid drops of ice round your cold bases.
Hope your careful with your skis using this stuff as I would be scared of overheating the bases, especially with foam cored skis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
rockyrobin,
I broke some skis like that once - the waxing iron somehow "stuck" to the base for just a few seconds longer than it should... lo and behold one big blister! Luckily they were old skis...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
rockyrobin, How long does Polar X wax last on the bases of your skis before you need to wax them again?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
beanie1, Storys like that make me very nervous when ironing. I'm glad you only did it to a pair of potential rockhoppers. I'd sulk for a week if I did it with a decent pair of skis. I always keep the iron moving and try to keep an eye on the base. I certainly take a lot longer waxing than I should just to play safe.
I have noticed that when the bases get really warm you can see an imprint or silhouette of the edges with all the mounting holes. Is this a sign i'm getting too hot? When they cool down it goes and the bases look great once i've scraped and brushed out the structure but i'm wary I may be gradually damaging my skis.
This really worries me with my B2's being foam cored skis. I have visions of the foam getting damaged and breaking down over time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
rockyrobin,
I think I may have cried when it happened...felt like such a prat! Once you've done it once though, you'll never do it again!
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Fri 5-08-05 19:37; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
davidb, I rekon i'm doing them about once a fortnight and am doing 5.5 hours a week at Castleford. But I am very lazy with my waxing and only wax once the majority of the base is light grey colour. If theres just small patches I won't bother and just sharpen my edges instead.
Only problem with PolarX is that if you don't brush out to the structure properly you will end up with a glass like finish on the underside of your skis. This doesn't bother me until I go looking for the chopped up stuff at the side of the slope. Its like someone putting the handbrake on! I learnt my lesson very quickly doing that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
beanie1, Sounds like I need to get doing what you did out of the way on some knackered skis before I burn something expensive. I'll keep an eye out for some ancient rockhopper and will see what damage I can do. Just imagine doing it to a £500 pair of skis! I'd have to go to the Doctor to try and get them to prescribe me some anti-depressants!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
rockyrobin, Just keep that iron moving !
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ski, Like my life depends on it, bit like ironing an expensive shirt 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
rockyrobin, i have some old planks you can play with to practice on
beanie1, you would be surprised how few people can actually prep skis properly, especially given it is not really difficult. We all ake some mistakes along the way though. Going off topic, blood is really bad for making your edges rust.
What has made me cry is breaking skis, normally about as far away from resort as is possible. At least that helps out your one legged skiing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
paulhothersall, Thanks, if I could borrow just the one for a week would be very grateful.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
rockyrobin, Where did you get your Datawa Polar X -16 to -24 C Plastic Slope Wax from & how much is it?
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
I know this is an ancient thread - and potentially things have moved on since 2005, but I just wondered if anyone could give me a bit of advice.
I've just bought my first pair of skis, mainly for bashing around at the Snowdome (Tamworth) rather than taking out onto the mountains.
I did an internet search to find information about tuning for skis that are likely to be used in a Snowdome (probably for 3 hours a week) i.e. what wax to use, how often to wax etc. I found this thread, and decided to buy some of the Datawax stuff, and the Zardoz wipes recommended (this was before I realised how old the thread is - I hope they're still good options!) so I'm more or less all set to go.
The reason I'm posting now is because I emailed the stockists who I bought the skis from, to ask for advice on which bevel to use with my files/stone to sharpen the edges, and was told that I shouldn't need to do DIY tuning (especially as they're my first pair of skis!!??) They said that I'd only need to get my skis serviced once a year, and give them a wax 'rub down' before I put them away after any holidays I take
I guess I didn't tell her I'd be skiing at the Snowdome every couple of weeks, but to me a once-year service doesn't sound anywhere near enough. Does anyone have an opinion? I wasn't exactly filled with joy at the prospect of doing my own waxing every fortnight, but it sounds like that's what is recommended on this site (by Snowdome users!), which evidently is not what is being suggested by these other people 
Any help appreciated!
Emm.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Emmeline, I used to ski a lot at the Snowdome in Tamworth when I was still in the UK. In terms of 'a lot' it was 2 or 3 times a week, plus some instructing
The snow (some would call it ice crystals) at the Snowdomw is very agressive and the bases of your skis do take a hammering. Plus there's the travelator and the odd screw of nail sticking up from the carpeting that you may be unlucky to catch
You certainly have the right gear to service your skis. By the "Datawax stuff" I guess you mean the Polar X wax? It's a very hard wax and many use it on the dry slopes too. I used to wax my skis once a week to keep them 'reasonable'. Certainly the Zardoz wipes will give old wax a bit of a 'zip' but it wears off in a short time. What you can do is rub the wipe over the base before you wax them. The waxing is a bit more tricky as the droplets of wax don't initially 'stick' to the base, but take it slowly, melting them as you move the iron across the base and what will happen is that the wax will melt and in effect combine with the Zardoz rather than it actually being on top of the wax. This was a trick that spyderjon, suggested and it does increase the longevity of the 'extra zip'
In terms of scraping the skis after waxing. If I had time (and the inclination!) I would scrape the Polar X, but you could leave it as after a few runs the snow will take of any excess. The one thing to remember with the Polar X is NOT to leave it too long to go cold before you scrape (if you are going to). If you left it overnight, you would need a chissel to get it off. What I used to do is wax one ski and leave it. By the time I'd waxed the second one, the first would be cold enough to scrape and so on
That's pretty much it!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Sleipnir,
Thanks for the response - and for the advice, I'm still really nervous about the thought of wax, irons etc. Sorry if this is too much info, but I had enough trouble when I tried to wax my legs the once, so am not relishing the thought of trying it with a pair of skis (cheap though they are)!  I might have to be girly and ask a bloke to do it for me 
I guess maybe if I start off doing it once a fortnight, then see how I go. I'm a bit naughty at the Snowdome too and I tend to shuffle up the travelator (cos I'm impatient, innit!) so that probably won't help. I presume I'll know when they need doing again, i.e. whether I need to ramp it up to once a week instead... Mm... to scrape or not to scrape
Yep, I mean the Polar X, I bought the waxing kit at the bottom of the page http://www.datawax.com/datawax/showrange.do?range=2 and the carbon stuff for good measure!
Seeing as the stockists were pretty unhelpful about the bevel, and I haven't heard back from the manufacturers either - do you know if I can get an all-purpose bevel?
Sorry for more questions - you can tell I'm a first time ski owner.... 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
+1 for Spyderjon
He's the man when it comes to all things ski tuning.
Emmeline, Don't get too stressed out about waxing the bases.....it really is a doddle. Just don't get the iron too hot - if the wax smokes the iron is too hot, so turn it down. And just take it slowly and you will be fine. You want to get a some heat into the bases and a tip so that you don't scorch them when there's no wax on the bases is to rub the wax on the base of the iron just to get it a bit soft and then 'crayon' it on the base like a big marker pen. Then you can run the iron over the base without any fear of burning them, dripping a bit more wax on if necessary
And to check if the base is hot enough, just use the back of your hand and hold it against the top sheet of your ski. After 3 or 4 passes with the iron you should just feel it getting warm - just warm is plenty enough
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
I've been using Ed's (datawax's) products for a while on the Dryslope at Gosling at Hemel when playing away
I use Polar X at Hemel and the Graphite Polar X at Gosling and it's ace; the P-X is, as said, VERY hard and good stuff for the fridges. The graphite Polar X is very hard too with added graphite for more zip; I also use Zardoz Felix method when prepping my race skis for plastic (apply zardoz on a prepared base; then hot wax and scrape).
Lent my "training" skis to one of the other instructors one Friday night "feck they are quick...."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
spyderjon, Wow - you ARE good.... but unfortunately my cheapo skis don't feature in your list!
scooby_simon, Great- glad to know I've ended up with a good product (thanks to rockyrobin, and beanie1 for starting the thread).
Cool about the graphite, if it makes skiing on a dryslope worthwhile then that would be ideal for me, as it's considerably closer and cheaper than the Snowdome That's what I meant when I mentioned 'carbon' above (that's the colour - d'oh!). Oooh, I've got some of the 'soft and slippy' too, maybe I could keep it (and the little bit of sponge!) in my pocket and top up as needed, would beat shuffling across a bit of old carpet that's sometimes got a bit of lubrication on, just to get a bit of speed up. Wow, we're well posh at our dry slope, I tell you!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Emmeline, what make/model of skis?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Emmeline, Better still book yourself to see Jon on one of his courses and spend some time learning how to do it from the man himself You will not regret the time spent learning how to do it properly whilst try to dent Jon's biscuit collection
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks kevindonkleywood, that's a good idea
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
