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Brushing skis after waxing- How important?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
skisimon, comprex, thanks.

comprex, although there is one core shot-it is not very big and doesn't use an awful lot of ptex. Where can I get this epoxy stuff from and what else can it be used for? I need to get some more black ptex sticks now anyway. Ignore that question re the epoxy-have sorted it thanks.


Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 4-02-09 19:44; edited 1 time in total
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
comprex wrote:
VolklAttivaS5, the shop can use an extrusion gun on the spots and then do a "light" grind. How light light is depends on the guy running the machine.


Ok thanks. I am going to have to find another shop with a machine soon. I took my skis by the shop the other day and having not been by there since last January, I find a "To Let" sign and the shop all boarded up!

Obviously he has retired or gone bust or just packed it in!
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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?
VolklAttivaS5,

The base grind question is a really interesting one. I've skiid my first pair of skis for over two whole seasons and had begun to notice the effects due to a convex base. It was a bug to try to remove with a panzer file or with emery cloth.
It was interesting to see how much skiing I'd done though before this had ocurred. Although this had happened the structurisation in the base was not letting me down in my glide.
I got them flat at the beginning of this season by buying a cheapo belt sander from B&Q. This soon had me getting the bases flat in quite an ordered fashion without the cut being avoricious and uncontrollable. Five minutes in fact! After that I just waxed and edged them like I said earlier.
I guess that the real issue here is how many more nano seconds you want off your world record. Swix tell us to wax and brush about a half a dozen times but a couple will do me. I reckon that the same applies to structurisation of the base.
The other issue with having your bases ground is that you're sure using up your skis pretty quick. Forty euros for a grind and probably as much down the pan each time in ski life.
As I said, my first set of skis are two seasons old and are hardly worn and my second set have been used for about a season and a half.
I don't see many people passing me on paths where it's the gliding ability of the ski and nothing to do with the skiers ability. A fair test I think. Proof of the pudding as we used to say.
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Billy Whizz, yes. On that note I don't think they need a base grind yet, they haven't been used for as long as yours anyway. I will just fill the marks and gouges with ptex as part of a full tune as normal. I don't do however many passes with the brush, just when they look like they're done. Could be half a dozen passes something like that.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Quote:

so you've not been scraping it off either then, just waxing and leaving it yes?

Yes, 'fraid so. I'm just a peasant. If it's good enough for the ski instructors.....
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and I go just as fast down paths as most people....especially on my new longer £100 Rossignol Attraxion Vs. Maybe I've put on weight from being in the Alps since Christmas. wink My OH used to get left behind, not because of the state of his bases, but because of biodynamics. CEM and Andy McCann sorted him out, and having his skis flat on the snow has made more difference than any amount of brushing would have done.
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pam w wrote:
Quote:

so you've not been scraping it off either then, just waxing and leaving it yes?

Yes, 'fraid so. I'm just a peasant. If it's good enough for the ski instructors.....


Was interested to hear if you just meant, wax scraped off but not brushed or, wax not scraped off at all and not brushed. Hmmm well there is that...i.e. if it's good enough for him Laughing Although he did say he does 'em properly if he's off out somewhere mind you wink

Quote:

and having his skis flat on the snow has made more difference than any amount of brushing would have done.


Well it certainly helps to have them flat on the snow yes! Laughing wink

I must admit, the time I didn't bother doing them, and just left the wax on, I mean, didn't bother scraping it off even (thought I'd take a leaf out of that instructor's book wink ) they felt "slow running" in comparison-on the flat bits I mean. Makes sense I guess since the suction causes the ski to stick to the snow with no structure revealed. I wanted to see if it made any difference out of interest because I find the brushing, although doesn't take much time, is the most tiring part of tuning the ski so if I could get away with that bit, bonus!

I will just stick with doing the lot I think as when I do it feels like they've been done in a shop.

Anyway, useful to hear another person's perspective thanks. Very Happy
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
I'm definitely peasant. One time, my OH scraped and brushed one of my skis and left the other with the wax on. I chucked them at random on the snow, then skied down to the chairlift trying to work out which was which (lifting the inside ski). I couldn't. So yes, I'm definitely a peasant, so ignore everything I have to say on the subject. It's like the princess and the pea, I suppose. Laughing
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pam w, Laughing who knows if it makes that big a difference or not-I could have imagined it knowing I hadn't done the "full job". Very Happy
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I don't like the feel of skis if the wax is left unscraped. They do eventually (maybe after a morning) begin to feel like they are running smoothly, but for the sake of an extra few minutes per ski I'd rather scrape them. I also give them a quick brush, which takes even less time than scraping, although I'm not certain that I can tell the difference in most snow conditions.
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pam w, Us peasants should stick together, which for some reason reminds me of a phrase:

"Cisterns of the world unite!, you have nothing to lose but your chains" Madeye-Smiley





P.S. edged and waxed 4 pairs of skis and two snowboards today. After re-considering the pros and cons, I scraped and brushed SOME of the skis, but which ones ??? Madeye-Smiley
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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.
Axsman, God 6 sets of all that Shocked -I've had enough by time I've done 2 pairs of skis on the trot.
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So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Axsman, it's an affront to ski-dom that you blessed a snowboard with a tune. Confused They chose the dark-side, may they forever suffer for it... wink
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
VolklAttivaS5 wrote:
Axsman, God 6 sets of all that :shock: -I've had enough by time I've done 2 pairs of skis on the trot.


VAS5, d'ya see the extrusion gun on offer?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
comprex, yeah I have ta. Funnily enough when I had a look at spyderjon's website last night I spotted that extrusion gun and then he puts the offer up next day. Very Happy It would certainly speed up these repairs I have to do.......
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Quote:

blessed a snowboard with a tune

maybe he did the turning edges really, really, sharp with tiny little bits of swarf left on?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
skisimon, pam w,

Yes it always pains me to have to mess about waxing and tuning the boards, because 1) They don't fit in the ski vices i have on my bench, and 2) the darksiders don't deserve it.

However as a dutiful parent I have to treat all my offsprings' choice of equipment with equal respect, and if I didn't I'd only have to put up with the whinging Evil or Very Mad


BTW I have left one axsette's ski unscraped, purely in the interests of scientific experiment Twisted Evil hehehehehe!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Axsman, next time leave both unscraped for the experiment, I think having just the one unscraped won't make a lot of difference really and they probably won't even notice.
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VolklAttivaS5, which would kind of prove my point. wink Toofy Grin
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Axsman, I haven't tried the just leave one unscraped experiment, I didn't scrape both of mine when I tried it and they definitely weren't as good-the times before they had been done really thoroughly so that was probably why I noticed or imagined that I noticed. wink
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VolklAttivaS5, Well if the Axsette in question does notice, hopefully by demonstrating a pirouette followed by a noseplant I'll do my best to capture the evidence on video Twisted Evil Laughing
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Quote:

I know what you mean about the mess-I did mine in the kitchen once on a tiled floor mind you, not carpet and if the wax bits get trodden on they're a ba$tard to shift off tiles even. I do mine in the garage now but it gets cold out there. Could you scrape the wax off outside? I've done that before outside on my patio to stop the mess.


put an old towel or sheet underneath? Puzzled
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
potrzebie, I did put an old towel down actually but even so, the wax scrapings ended up stuck to the tiles here and there (not as much as they would have done without a towel underneath but still-surprising where they end up the first time you do your own) and so I always do it in the garage now or outside so it makes no odds about the mess. Very Happy
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you're gonna need a bigger towel wink
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potrzebie, tell me about it, I was finding wax scrapings everywhere although I was careful to lift the towel and the scrapings and put them in the bin! It's messy work so no more kitchen for me!
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VolklAttivaS5, I sling a cheapie tarpaulin (£5 from Wilkos) on the floor when I'm scraping mine. They come in a variety of sizes - I think mine is 10 x 6 ft - and because they are plastic the scrapings don't stick to it. After you've finished just fold it up with the scrapings inside and then empty straight into the dustbin......piece of cake! wink
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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.
throw it away? have you seen the prices of some waxes?? if it's clean could it not be used again?
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
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potrzebie, I personally wouldn't re-use wax. Given how little you should use in waxing, the cost saving of re-use is minimal. Plus I buy my wax from that luvly chap Spyderjon who always has good prices for his tuning gear wink Bite the bullet, don't your skis deserve a bit of TLC after the hammering they get through use?..........I'm now off to snuggle up to my new Fischers again! Laughing Laughing
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Sleipnir wrote:
I'm now off to snuggle up to my new Fischers again! Laughing Laughing
Shocked I wouldn't do that with my Fischers, they're SL skis with razor sharp edges, so I'd be wary of an accident happening.
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skisimon, you should use protection!!!!! Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy wink
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Waxing serves to achieve a good glide in several ways.
A good base prep serves to clean the base and remove plastic and piste debris from the base. When you scrape you can often see the dirt and grime in the wax as it is scraped off. Hence not nice to re cycle!
The glide wax is much harder and helps trap the tiny hairs of plastic that get abraded out of the ski in use.
Subsequent scraping removes these, leaving a nice smooth surface. Failure to scrape means that you're going to get a hairy arsed ski as time goes by and instead of slipping you'll be gripping!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Billy Whizz, sounds like you're not using one of the double composition base prep waxes that have both the soft penetrant and the hard surface skin forming molecules so that the hairs float up in the penetrant and get fixed in the hard skin so you get most of them on the first pass.
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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?
comprex,
Wow! Didn't they make a movie about that? Fantastic Voyage or something.
Seriously, never seen that stuff in Sport 2000 or Intersport or the Swix catalogue for that matter.
Who does it where and how much?
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Billy Whizz wrote:
.......Who does it where and how much?.......

Dominator Base Renew
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Quote:

The other issue with having your bases ground is that you're sure using up your skis pretty quick. Forty euros for a grind and probably as much down the pan each time in ski life.


Having your bases ground does not necessarily lead to your skis being ground away!
It does however, depend on the skill and expertise of the ski technician and also what machinery is being used.
Would you prefer to have skis which do not perform that well but last for 10 years or that ski really well but will be replaced after 5 years or so...most people will only keep their skis for an average of 5 years before replacement.
You could quite happily have your skis ground 2-3 times per season...
A belt grind will not achieve a flat base, this can only be acheived with a stone grind...but the stone grind also puts a structure into the base, which helps to break the surface tension when snow is turned to water through friction...which enables the ski to glide and turn with ease. Smile
And also, skis should always be scraped after waxing, no matter what your ski instructor says or does.
If i want to know how to ski, i will ask a ski instructor....if i want advice on how to service my skis, ill ask a ski tech! Laughing
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I'm a peasant too, along with pam w, andAxsman,it only takes 200m before the skis run cleanly. I have experimented with one ski scraped and brushed and the other left just waxed. I understand that if you are racing then that 200m is important, but how many of us ski in Lycra and baggy shorts with our skis on our shoulders? rolling eyes
BTW I have been sevicing skis for 30+ years. Blush
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Dypcdiver, that's probably partly why the chap I mention just waxes his and leaves them-he is probably prepared to just let the snow wear it off for what he needs the skis for i.e. speed is not important.

I think we have all come to the conclusion that people just do what they like to do or not do, just like everything else in life Very Happy
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darkskipoet, I didn't ask him for advice at the time, I was just chatting generally about it telling him that I just started servicing my own skis etc and wondered what he did with his out of interest because a friend of mine and me had had this conversation recently about which brush my friend uses on his skis. He (the ski instructor) definitely didn't advise me that I didn't need to use a brush, he just replied when I asked him that he doesn't bother with a brush all the time but yes a full service would involve brushing. Very Happy He hasn't given me duff information at all. Very Happy
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sorry, i didnt mean to imply that all instructors dont know what they are doing
as regards to ski tuning, i was just trying to make the point that most of us wouldnt dream of asking a driving instructor about car repair because it is not their field of expertise, so i dont really understand why many people seem to believe that the person to ask about ski tuning is a ski instructor. Smile
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darkskipoet wrote:
i was just trying to make the point that most of us wouldnt dream of asking a driving instructor about car repair because it is not their field of expertise, so i dont really understand why many people seem to believe that the person to ask about ski tuning is a ski instructor. Smile

For a very high performance tune to be able to compete in races you're probably right, a proper ski tech (not some guy in a rental shop) will undoubtedly know more than a regular instructor. But to be able to do prep a ski for recreational use so it glides smoothly and has reasonably sharp edges I think it would be reasonable to expect a fully qualified ski instructor to know what they are talking about. Whenever I've asked ski instructors equipment related questions such as edge angles, waxing, etc they have always been able to answer with authority.

BTW, few people service their own cars whereas lots of us service our own skis, so not sure if your driving instructor analogy holds up too well.
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