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Cleaning up the tops of skis

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315jibber94
Posts: 880 - Karma: -39

ok so i picked up my girl some armada codas and really good cond. but i mean, there scratched alot, and i want to clean them up the best i can for Cmas... so im asking, is there any tricks you can do to clean up the TOPS of skis? casue theres alot to do to the bottom... anything to bring the shine back?

and yes, ik she going to scratch them up but i want them to be nice as they can when i give em to her and so her rents dont think im a cheap ass haha

Oct 20 2011 6:45PM
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willy_baller
Posts: 1622 - Karma: 693
buff them then go over it with a clear coat? thats the only thing I can think of.
Oct 20 2011 6:49PM
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315jibber94
Posts: 880 - Karma: -39
buff em with what though?
Oct 20 2011 6:51PM
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rozboon
Posts: 1642 - Karma: 868

Like 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper, I guess.

I took the bindings off my PEs and put them through a base grinding machine topsheet-down. Cleaned up all the ripped-up topsheet really nicely....

Oct 20 2011 6:55PM
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DGOskeeze
Posts: 140 - Karma: 34
Yep. Use a razor blade on the top edges to take off the big knicks and any hanging pieces and smooth them out. Use some sand paper on the top edges to smooth again and take off any small little sharp pieces. Use 1000 grit black water sand paper to go over the whole top sheets. Won't look new but will look a lot better.
Oct 20 2011 8:33PM
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Blake.P
Posts: 9894 - Karma: 3,585
use a razor to cut off any scraps hanging off
sand down any places where the topsheet is chipping so it looks smooth and cleaner
wipe down the tops
idk but maybe use some kind of car wax or something to make them shine and make the scratches less noticeable

also for the base/sides

steel wool to remove any rust on the edges.
it might not even be a bad idea to get a tune on them so it looks good
Oct 20 2011 9:32PM
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SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,535
how old is your girlfriend?
Oct 21 2011 12:48AM
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315jibber94
Posts: 880 - Karma: -39
thats what i was thinking with the high grit paper, i just didnt want to ruin them more if that did someething bad, so if i get them to a ski shop have them use the brush they use to brush the bottom? ya the edges are good and side walls too, they are just sratched and lost its shine... think im going to stop by my local mtn sometime soon and see what the shoup guy can do, but i have some black wet sand paper and home so i might try that
Oct 21 2011 9:18AM
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.RYAN66
Posts: 5381 - Karma: 235
.
Oct 21 2011 9:44AM
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washparkdub
Posts: 266 - Karma: 66
Razor off any scraps, use a bastard file to smooth it down a bit, then finally use the sandy papers
Oct 21 2011 10:42AM
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315jibber94
Posts: 880 - Karma: -39
bastard file? haha ok going to try it this week whn i get some time
Oct 24 2011 5:04PM
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kamron_708
Posts: 944 - Karma: 1,129
Pics of said gf??
Oct 24 2011 7:30PM
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stupendous-man
Posts: 8637 - Karma: 13,293
Click for larger image
Oct 24 2011 8:11PM
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FrostyBro
Posts: 58 - Karma: 10
As above, cut of hang-nails in the top sheet and maybe carefully fill w/ epoxy. I've seen car wax do wonders to nicked up skis: apparently you want to use a PASTE variety (not liquid) like the round tub of TurtleWax... Not sure how high grit sandpaper would work out with all the contours often found on the top of skis
Oct 24 2011 9:41PM
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Blake.P
Posts: 9894 - Karma: 3,585
what contours? all of my skis are perfectly flat on the top. unless you are talking about some race skis that have some weird thing on the top or something
Oct 24 2011 10:32PM
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315jibber94
Posts: 880 - Karma: -39

i used 370 grit paper, and then 900 and it cleaned up the scratches great, i need to wax the tops now, my dad said we have some but im not sure off hand if its liquid or not, they look KILLER after i wiped them down with acitone, but then when it drys they look pale... so i gotta try waxin

and here, shs 17 and im 17

CLAIM

Click for larger image

Oct 25 2011 8:52PM
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Skibumsmith
Posts: 5432 - Karma: 11,823
clear coat of spray pain to brighten em up after you sand. epoxy to fill in any chips.
Oct 26 2011 4:40AM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Hahaha, jesus, really dude?
Oct 26 2011 4:51AM
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rozboon
Posts: 1642 - Karma: 868

I kid you not. That year (the one with all the guys with guns on rooftops) had a REALLY thick almost clear layer on top of the graphic. If you so much as looked at it it flew into about 10000 pieces. I was getting them re-mounted so for shits and giggles we threw them threw on a wet belt (I think that was it, not a stone) upside-down. Came out really well, took all the knicks off and gave them a kind of fine brushed finish.

Dunno if it would work on many other skis though...

Oct 26 2011 6:30PM
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paige.
Posts: 1932 - Karma: 924
I could see the TurtleWax working very well to add shine to the skis/fill in some of the small knicks, this is what we always use on the bases of our skimboards (although they are wooden so the material is a little different)
Oct 26 2011 6:50PM
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ShredAZ
Posts: 1054 - Karma: 641
+1 on the 1000 grit sandpaper.
When you do it, make sure you use water. Decreases friction and gives you a smoother/more even finish. You can get it from any checker/oreilly/autozone/napa store.

After that, if you have access to car polisher, buff that shit out and throw a layer of wax on there so it looks like fresh peaches and shit.
Oct 28 2011 1:09PM
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jfarrell
Posts: 43 - Karma: 67
If your using wood skimboards, you clearly have clue what your doing!
Oct 28 2011 6:32PM
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315jibber94
Posts: 880 - Karma: -39
i sanded them down, but i took off the clear coat, i did 2 layers or MOTHERS califonia gold paste wax and it did nothing. what kind of clear coat should i do? spray paint or something else? like a P-tex base?
Nov 17 2011 8:04AM
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