RAVEN SKI CLUB

WAXING FOR SNOW 

WAXING AND SKI PREPARATION
FOR SNOW  

Well tuned and waxed skis will slide more easily, hold and release their edges more consistently in all snow conditions. Waxing skis also protects the sole from premature wear.
 First clean the skis, moisture allowed to lie on the steel edges over night will start to rust. Dry the skis off after skiing and if possible leave the skis in a warm room before waxing. If you have some wax remover use it to clean the base of the ski.
Repair any scratches or rips to the base with a petex candle. A quiet blue flame on the candle is ideal and produces little or no black carbon. Hold the lighted candle close to the repair area so the heat of the blue flame warms up the repair area. This encourages a good weld. For deep rips build up in layers going back and forth over the repair. For small scratches twist the candle over the repair painting the molten petex into the scratch. Once the repair area has cooled and hardened, scrape away the excess with a steel scraper until it is flush with the ski base.
  Next comes the edges, first lock the ski breaks out of the way turn the ski base up then using a flat file, file the two edges and base as follows. Place the file flat across the ski at a slight angle, grip with both hands and use smooth over lapping strokes. Either push or pull the file in the cutting direction. Do not over file on one spot only. You may file off some of the polythene base this is OK as the edges and base must be flush. Next comes the side edge filing, turn the ski on its side, if there are any large burrs use a Dreadnought file. For finishing off and fine tuning use the flat file. If you have an edging tool use it, if not hold the file in one hand thumb over the top and fingers curled under the file. The correct angle is maintained by utilising the skis base and running the fingers along it. Pull or push the file along the edge noting the direction of the cutting stroke. To test the edge for sharpness run the back of your finger nail across the edge and if a small sliver of skin is left behind, the edge is sharp enough. Too sharp edges at the tips and tails can cause hooking ( That's when the ski tip dips into the snow throwing you over) So using the file rub the sharpness off the first 5 cm of the inside edges and the first 10 cm of the outside edges at the tip and tail After use always clean your files using a nylon brush.
  On to base preparation. The skis will slide more smoothly and faster if the polyethylene sole has a textured effect ( Structure) This allows air molecules to harmonise with water droplets and snow crystals. Base structure is produced by scratching the base lightly with a wire brush or pan scrub length ways.
  Most companies who produce waxes have waxing systems for various snow temperatures and conditions, the method of applying the wax is normally with the use of an iron. Choose whose wax system you are going to use and then with a ordinary domestic iron on a medium heat (max. 129*c) hold the wax block against the iron and run the dripping wax along each side of the ski base. Then iron the wax into the sole, keeping the iron moving so as not to scorch the base. As the iron heats up the sole the wax will turn liquid, when the wax stays in its liquid form for 10 to 15 seconds you have probably ironed it in enough. When the wax is cooled scrap off all the excess wax with a plastic scraper. Once you have scraped the sole and can get no more wax off brush the sole with a stiff nylon brush to re introduce the base structure. The great advantage of hot ski waxing is that it penetrates the sintered polyethylene ski base and while skiing the wax slowly leaches out. On hard icy snow after only a days skiing, the wax will have to be re-applied. Frequent waxing  protects the ski base.
    For further information see Barry Eger.

BARRY EGER EDITOR RAVEN NEWS

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