Waxing wooden skis
jkell...@sprintmail.com
ski swap last weekend. I know I need to treat the bases with pine tar,
which I have. Still, does anyone have steo-by-step advice on the best
procedures for using pine tar on the bases, and then waxing the bases
themselves. Specifically I would like to know if I should iron in hot
glide wax and kicker on these skis. I would appreciate any help.
John K.
RalphCT
Back when I used wooden skis I burned in pine tar and wiped the hot ski with
rags to remove the excess. Then I wax the entire length of the ski for grip.
Sometimes I used hard wax on most of the ski with a softer wax in the "kicker."
I don't think it is advisable to iron in glide wax since it will inhibit a grip
was from adherring when you need it. The camber on the old woodies is different
from today's skis and that is why you wax them tip to tail.
Ralph Thornton
Aufrance Associates
>
> I found a lovely pair of old wooden Nordic touring skis at the local
Our dear friend Bert Larsson said the *really best wax* is actually made
from melted down 45s (yunno - RECORDS) because that is what he and his
friends used to wax their woodies with while growing up in Sweden.
For those who might not know, Bert is an icon of cross country skiing in
the Northwest. I was there the day he won the Leavenworth race outright
- doublepoling his way to first place overall as a 65 year old animal
skier who bested many a fit youngun that day!!! So, whatever Bert says
is The Gospel!!!
Now, I guess you might have to head back to some more garage sales to
find vinyl to go with your touring skis.
M. Kay
LAGLONG
waxing wood skis. I hope it helps - Al Herschlag
WOOD SKI BASE PREPARATION
If you are one of the fortunate individuals who still own a pair of wooden
skis or are able to purchase a new pair from a very limited supply, you are
indeed a member of a very select group. Wood skis, like the newer P-tex based
racing skis respond well to base preparation. The base prep for wood skis
allows you to have a faster base to ski on and as importantly provides
protection for your bases.
For starters you will want to thoroughly clean your bases of dirt and wax.
This can be accomplished using a metal scrapper or in cases where there is
excessive wax and dirt using a Citrus based solvent. If you use a solvent be
sure to dry your skis well, using a rag to wipe off any excess solvent and then
allowing the skis to air dry for approximately 30 minutes.
With your bases clean you can now inspect them. If your bases are clean and
relatively free of gouges or chips to the edges you are ready to pine tar your
bases. If the bases have some minor gouges and / or the bases are not flat
(they will usually be convex, meaning the edges are lower then the center of
the ski) you will need to take a little time to tune the bases before pine
tarring.
To flatten the bases or take out minor gouges, I have found working with a
metal scrapper to be the most effective tool. For the scrapper to be effective
it must be very sharp. If you have not used a metal scrapper in carpentry
projects or in preparing P-tex based skis you may want to bring your skis to
your local ski shop and have them go through the prepping of your ski bases
with you the first time.
With your bases flat and free of gouges you are now ready to pine tar your
skis. Like base waxes for synthetic based skis, there are a number of different
methods of applying pine tar to your ski’s bases. The method I like best may
take a few extra minutes, but I feel the pine tar penetrates the bases better,
offering more protection and lasting longer.
In a well ventilated area place one of your skis onto a ski form. Using a
small paint brush apply an even coat of pine tar to the entire base of the ski.
( In the past, the next step required using an open flame on your ski bases. I
would suggest using a hot air gun in place of the torch.) Using a hot air gun
(not a hair drier) carefully heat the pine tar working from the tip of the ski
to the tail. The pine tar should bubble but the air gun should not be burning
the wood or drying out the pine tar. (This step can be also accomplished using
a torch with a flare tip. All precautions concerning using an open flame in an
enclosed area need to be observed. Extra care will need to be taken not to burn
your skis’ wood bases.) Should you burn your bases using either the torch or
the hot air gun there is little that can be done to repair that section of your
ski. Further, the burnt area will not accept pine tar and will be exposed to
the elements.
After you have heated the pine tar and observed it bubbling into your base it
is time to wipe off the excess pine tar. This is accomplished by gently
reheating the base and wiping with a clean rag. It is important to wipe off all
the excess pine tar. I have found that by reheating a small section of the
base and by wiping immediately I am able to remove almost all the excess pine
tar in one pass. Be careful to keep the air gun moving and point it away from
the base when wiping. (If you are using an open flame you have the added
consideration of not burning the rag. Again, using an open flame, although
effective, can be very dangerous if you are not experienced.)
The final step before putting on the base wax is to wipe off any excess pine
tar that may not have come off in the last step. To accomplish this, take a
clean section of your rag and wipe the base vigorously, while the base is still
warm. When no more pine tar lifts into the rag you are ready to apply your
glider wax.
The traditional method of applying a base or glide wax to your skis is still
very effective. Using a colder kick wax (I like using green) crayon a thin
layer onto your bases from the tip to the tail. Cork the wax in ( I like to use
a synthetic cork as it generates more heat.) Repeat this step until the bases
of your skis have a glass like shine to them.
All that is left is to apply the kick wax of the day. How often you will need
to reapply pine tar to the skis’ bases will depend on how often you ski and how
abrasive the conditions you ski in are. Usually once a season will be
sufficient. Your skis are now ready to take you on many wonderful adventures.