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  • pro waxing question

    Just wondering if there's anything i need to let the shop know when giving them my boards to wax? Is waxing a ski different than waxing a snowboard? I think i remember reading somewhere that you want them to wax your skiboards like snowboards, but i could be wrong. Thanks.
    This Moonlife

    Line Weapons 94cm | Line FF Pro Bindings | Salomon Performa 7.0 Boots

  • #2
    That is correct. Skis and snowboards are generally waxed slightly differently, and you do want to get skiboards waxed like a snowboard.
    I do it because I can.
    I can because I want to.
    I want to because you said I couldn't.

    "The butterflies in my stomach have flown up through my throat and learned to love the open air." - World/Inferno

    Spruce Sherpas with Prime Pros
    '08 KTPs

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    • #3
      ...

      Thanks Ska. If it's not too complicated could you explain what the differences and consequences are in case you do wax them like skis?

      Is there anything else i need to make sure to tell them?
      This Moonlife

      Line Weapons 94cm | Line FF Pro Bindings | Salomon Performa 7.0 Boots

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      • #4
        I personally don't know the differences, but they aren't too major. Even if they do get waxed like skis they will still be waxed and it won't do any damage to your boards. It's just one of those things where it will give you slightly better performance.
        I do it because I can.
        I can because I want to.
        I want to because you said I couldn't.

        "The butterflies in my stomach have flown up through my throat and learned to love the open air." - World/Inferno

        Spruce Sherpas with Prime Pros
        '08 KTPs

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        • #5
          ...

          If i take my boards to the shop for a hot wax do they clean the bases for me or should i do that myself before i take it in?
          This Moonlife

          Line Weapons 94cm | Line FF Pro Bindings | Salomon Performa 7.0 Boots

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          • #6
            i say clean them first yourself, they might clean them there, or they might not. They also might say they will but not

            just give em a quick wipedown at home and you should be set
            1999 Groove Retro 82cm

            Days This Season - 9

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            • #7
              ...

              Is there something i need to wipe it down with?
              This Moonlife

              Line Weapons 94cm | Line FF Pro Bindings | Salomon Performa 7.0 Boots

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              • #8
                Many shops just machine wax and buff it off. Learn how ac the boards yourself it is easy once you do ita time or two. Here is an old post on the subject - Favorite Hot Wax?


                My favorite hot waxes are Swix CH8 for skiboards and Dakine all temp for my snowboards (because it is a little cheaper and cover more area for the buck) Dakine is nice for SB's as well, but seems to wear off quicker than CH8.

                I talk to lots of people on the slopes and always ask them if they hot wax. Almost none of them say they hot wax themselves. Some say they get it waxed once or twice a season at the shop.

                I think many snow addicts are confused with the subject of "to wax or not to wax." When you speak of hot wax, this should not be confused in any sense with car wax. (I tired car wax when I was ignorant about hot wax and it did little) They are totally different. Hot wax could better be compared to paint on wood. The paint is applied and fills the wood grain and protects it. If you put on car wax to raw wood you would not get much result. If it is a wood floor, the paint or urethane not only protects the wood, but seals it and makes the surface slippery. But, with use, the paint or wood coating will wear off. Hot wax works the same as paint in this comparison.

                Once you learn about hot wax, you can read the bottoms of your boards to see the wax condition. The wax starts to wear from the outer edges inwards and you see the sintered base hairs clearly where the wax is gone. I never liked the rub on cold waxes for as soon as they rub on - they rub off. They offer no filling protection as well. Hot wax fills and the wax becomes the base you ski or board on. But, if you have no other choice go with a quick, cold rub on. With hot wax, you glide on wax and not base. With rub on's you glide on bases that have been slicked slightly. The best way to describe hot wax is to compare it to an air hockey table. The air puck glides on the table with air underneath. This is the feeling I get from fresh hot wax. I can hardly snap into my bindings, as the boards refuse to stay still and move around from the hot wax. When the wax is gone, the boards stay still.

                If you hot wax yourself, you will know when the wax is good or not. Many fallacies with waxing. I was told that new skis comes waxed. The truth is many of the ones I bought did not have ANY wax that I can see or feel on them. Once you feel hot waxed skis you'll know what good wax IS. What should you feel? A greasy film is the best description I can give it. As much of the hot wax as possible should be removed and only an impregnation and greasy feel left. Similar to the streak a finger makes when a greasy dish is not washed properly. Leave too much wax on the bases and it goo's up and attacks dirt and slows you down instead of speeding you up. Enough wax should remain to be burnished. Experience will tell you once you start waxing and using you won wax jobs.

                Some persons say never remove wax, just keep adding it layer after layer. This is another fallacy. Bases should be striped periodically when the wax gets dirty. I do not strip with each and every wax, but I strip occasionally. A good cheap stripper is Gojo orange hand cleaner with pumice. Just use a damp towel to clean the pumice after stripping. Specialized base cleansers work as well but are expensive. Use cold temp wax generally below 28 degrees or all temp wax if you are lazy about changing it. Dakine all temp is my general wax, and sells for $5 per 60 grams. That is enough to wax 10 pairs of skiboards depending on how conservative you are. If you ski in spring temp, get warm temp wax. They even have race wax that sells for $75 per 40 grams...too rich for my budget. My standard wax is Swix CH8.

                Another fallacy I was told is to get skis waxed once or twice a season. The truth - hot wax wears off just after a few hard uses, it can be gone in a couple of days or much sooner. You can see the wear pattern on the wax on the bottoms of your boards. I wax my boards once or twice a week, depending on how much use they get. What about tuning? I was told that the factory tune job is the best the boards will ever get and my boards only need to be tunes once a season? This seems to hold up as true. One thing to be cautions of is this. I got some new imported boards that had the metal edges protected with a clear, hard, gooey covering like clear nail polish. I had to scrape the edges clean before using the boards and hot waxing them myself as well. Once the covering to prevent rust was removed, the boards were in tune.

                To test your edges, see if you can scrape some fingernail off with them. If they are sharp and not nicked up, no tuning required. Just make sure your tips are de-tuned so they do not catch. Some shops sharpen it all and only the effective edge needs sharpening for the most part. Tune your boards before waxing, so you do not gum up your files. I generally tune once or twice a season, if that. I have 5 pair of boards, so the wear gets spread around.

                Get a good video or book on tuning and waxing. It is not that hard once you get used to it. Buy an old iron at the Goodwill, without steam holes. Spread out some newspaper or kraft paper. clean and strip your bases - if needed, then drip the hot wax on the boards. Spread the wax evenly with the hot iron and cool. Then scrape it off with a Plexiglas scrapper. Use the metal edges as a guide and don't gouge the ptex if you use a metal scraper. Burnish your waxed bases with a cork block, scotch brite pad or similar item. I use scotch brite. You can even use paper towel to burnish with. Make sure there is no wax on your metal edges and that is it in a nutshell. If you are too lazy for any of this then pay your shop to hot wax for you. Just ask to see some of their work first and check out their wax jobs - hopefully you will get a good wax job and then see what all the fuss is about. Some ski shops use a machine to buff the wax off and not hand scrape it so ask if they do it by hand?

                If you want to buy hot wax, your proshop sell it as well as basic tools. "Riders Ed" and "Ross Powers Tips and Tricks" DVD's on snowboarding both have a fantastic one hour tuning sections that can be used for any skis or boards. "Warren Millers How to Ski" VHS tape I got from the library also has a good tune section on it. You spend a lot of money on travel and lifts, so get full pleasure from your boards.

                Start hot waxing today...it makes an amazing difference.


                Dan

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