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Hot Waxing skis?

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van_roon
Posts: 404 - Karma: 1,557
i have wax for my skis but not sure how to apply it to my skis, it is hot wax. and also any other tips on sharpening skis?
Feb 6 2012 9:20PM
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ScuffDUFF
Posts: 2027 - Karma: 143
tips on sharpening skis.....dont. hot waxing: google.
Feb 6 2012 9:29PM
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Skittle.
Posts: 2537 - Karma: 718
get an iron. touch the wax to the iron while holding the iron vertically over your skis, drip the wax all over your bases. there will now be a bunch of little dots on your bases. run the iron along the dots. they will melt. once everything is melted smoothly all over, scrape off all that wax with a scraper untill no more wax comes off, you only want the wax to have been absorbed into the bases. YOUTUBE IT
Feb 6 2012 9:29PM
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MountainManDan
Posts: 305 - Karma: 297
Feb 6 2012 9:29PM
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van_roon
Posts: 404 - Karma: 1,557
does it matter what kind of iron i do it with?
Feb 6 2012 9:32PM
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613.
Posts: 827 - Karma: 164
I use a clothing iron... Probably not the best thing, but it works fine for me, just make sure not to put it too hot, or else it will burn the base.
Feb 6 2012 9:37PM
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MountainManDan
Posts: 305 - Karma: 297

You can use a normal clothes iron, but I have a dank one for skis and it was a wise investment.

Feb 6 2012 9:57PM
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james6345789
Posts: 4763 - Karma: 467
the problem with clothing irons is that the temp doesn't stay consistent. like oyu said, there's mroe of a risk of burning since you can't set it to an exact bumber
Feb 6 2012 10:00PM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37564 - Karma: 122,062
You gotta set the mood first. Maybe some marvin gaye for music. I mean it is foreplay after all, is it not?
Feb 6 2012 10:10PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,121
don't waste your money on a wax iron. just go and buy the cheapest iron you can find that doesn't have the teflon coating. Same goes for edge files, diamond stones ski clamps, scrapers and brushes. You can find all that stuff at a hardware store for much cheaper. All you really need to buy is a good file guides (not sure the actual term, the thing you stick the file into).

I guess if you are racing you might want to get one of those precision irons, but for most people a normal iron and a sharpie so you can remember the best temp is fine.

Feb 6 2012 10:18PM
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corona
Posts: 12805 - Karma: 32,827
Feb 6 2012 10:25PM
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
horrible investment. you would be an awful thrifty wife. marry someone rich.

go to goodwill or any second hand store. buy a shitty iron for $5. proceed to use that. it will do THE EXACT same thing as a $40 swix iron.

Feb 6 2012 10:25PM
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chiefbroseph
Posts: 720 - Karma: 523
he means edge bevels. each company depends on diffrent edge angles. most will use a 1 degree base and 91 degree edge bevel. these edging tools are pretty specalized so get all the basic shit first like wax, ski wax spesific iron, scrapers and a nylon brush to finish that shit off. shit will be expensive but its fun to use.
remember, a ski should be waxed ones every few shreds, not ones a year
Feb 6 2012 10:36PM
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corona
Posts: 12805 - Karma: 32,827
who uses a 91 degree edge bevel? I've almost exclusively seen 90 and 88
Feb 6 2012 10:47PM
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corona
Posts: 12805 - Karma: 32,827
91 would mean your base bevel is larger than your side bevel. which is just ridiculous.
Feb 6 2012 10:50PM
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van_roon
Posts: 404 - Karma: 1,557
thanks guys, ima try this tomorrow with a clothing iron, just set it to a lower temp?
Feb 6 2012 10:52PM
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corona
Posts: 12805 - Karma: 32,827
yea. low. if the wax is smoking it's too hot.
Feb 6 2012 10:53PM
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Tyler-49
Posts: 183 - Karma: -1
Nah man boyz 2 men and make sure to dim the lights. Remember it's a good pain. :)
Feb 6 2012 10:56PM
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snocompton
Posts: 2014 - Karma: 270
dont hold your iron sideways like that idiot in the video. and always work from tip to tail. and dont use a standard home iron. it doesnt work for a number of reasons. a basic ski wax iron costs like $40. and you should wax your skis every 2 days minimum.
Feb 6 2012 11:04PM
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corona
Posts: 12805 - Karma: 32,827
standard home iron works just fine. and you really don't need to wax your skis that often.
Feb 6 2012 11:06PM
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van_roon
Posts: 404 - Karma: 1,557
true, i had my friend do mine every 2 weeks
Feb 6 2012 11:10PM
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chiefbroseph
Posts: 720 - Karma: 523
how is that ridiculous? please explain your logic?
Feb 6 2012 11:12PM
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
name the reasons why a standard P.O.S. clothing iron wont work.

Feb 6 2012 11:19PM
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SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,535
I would say it varies person to person, and ski to ski depending on bases. I just eyeball mine and when the bases are looking chalky white and dried up I wax them which is usually every 2-4 days of use. Sure you don't have to but it just makes everything last longer and more enjoyable. Plus doing it yourself makes it so cheap anyways.
Feb 6 2012 11:21PM
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PON3
Posts: 3817 - Karma: 783
I usually play this song. It gets quite dirty with me and my skis with swix in the mix ;)
Feb 7 2012 12:53AM
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snocompton
Posts: 2014 - Karma: 270
standard home irons dont work for a few key reasons. 1 being that they heat and cool constantly. you want your iron to stay at a consistent temp when waxing. also, wax will eventually kill your home iron as the filament cannot handle the wax. that is the other main reason; the irons filament. ski irons are actually quite diff than your avg home iron. home irons also dont have temperature adjustments which is crucial to waxing.

irons are super cheap and most come with lifetime warrantys. and if you think a wax job lasts you 2 weeks youre smoking crack. it depends a lot on conditions but if youre out skiing ice/park, your wax will last 2 days if your lucky. and theres no such thing as over waxing your skis. the more the better!



i work in a shop doing this shit for my paychekcs fyi.
Feb 7 2012 1:14AM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,121
well I guess a wax iron might be worth it then. For sure the files and brushes and clamps are just a huge waste of money though.

absolutely no difference between a home depot file for less than a buck and a 10 dollar toko one.
Feb 7 2012 1:33AM
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r1z1a
Posts: 26 - Karma: 14
when he sais 91 i think he means 89,

tho only time i tune my edges is when i hit rocks, to take of the carbonized steel and tend to do it without a bevel
Feb 7 2012 4:12AM
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ShortTeeLongPole
Posts: 31 - Karma: 13
Dude, don't believe every marketing bullshit people tell you. Ski irons work exactly the same as clothing irons, only difference is the shape of soleplate and that the the dial is marked with temperature instead of dots or whatever on the latter. And yes, ski irons heat and cool as well during operation. Also, wax doesn't destroy soleplates, it just makes them dirty (duh).
Feb 7 2012 9:14AM
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GavinW
Posts: 574 - Karma: 89
any iron without holes should work fine
Feb 7 2012 10:41AM
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snocompton
Posts: 2014 - Karma: 270
no they dont. ski irons always remain a constant temp. they do no heat and cool. ill repeat it again, i work in a ski shop doing this shit every day. i know how ski irons work.
Feb 7 2012 11:50AM
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snocompton
Posts: 2014 - Karma: 270
the shape of ski irnos compared to home irons has a large impact as well. and w/ a home iron youre just guessing if your temp is right and hoping youre not burning the shit out of your bases. and if you have die-cute bases youll just torch the hell out of them eventually and need new skis cause the die-cuts cant handle the constant burning. also, if youre not getting the right temp, your wax wont even saturate properly into the bases wasting you even more money.


if you go and pay 500 bucks for skis, go pay $40 for a basic ski iron.
Feb 7 2012 11:55AM
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paprikapringles
Posts: 106 - Karma: 44
how are you ment to know what temp to wax your skis at ? is is specific for difrent waxs? i got my wax from freeze pro shop and came in a clear bag with no instructions, ive been waxing my own skis with a £3 iron from tesco seems to work ok, just check my bases arnt getting too hot. not that im saying dont buy a propa iron if u can afford it, ive got the joys of being piss poor in order to ski everyday :D
Feb 7 2012 12:49PM
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snocompton
Posts: 2014 - Karma: 270
depending on what company youre getting your wax from just get on their site if you cant find the iron temp on the back of the packaging. if you cant find it, just try to get as close to 120* as possible.
Feb 7 2012 1:09PM
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paprikapringles
Posts: 106 - Karma: 44
sweet, on a house iron do you think that would be closer to linen or cotton.
Feb 7 2012 1:11PM
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.RYAN66
Posts: 5381 - Karma: 237
i know why you have 9 karma, because you are a fucking retard.

buy a ski iron, mine cost be 35 bucks, how cheap could you be? you just spent hundreds of dollars on new skis and you are going to risk burning the bases with a shitty home iron?

to op:

waxing can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be, if you are a park rat like the majority of this site then i wouldnt worry about the complexity of hot waxing, just keep it simple

1. melt it on with your iron set at the corect them for the wax
2. let it cool for about an hour
3. scrape
4. buff, this isnt needed but i will list it any way, use a brass brush to start, then a nylon, then some people use a coarse boar hair, and then re do the nylon and then finish with a horse hair. again this is probably way overkill for 90% of this site.
5. fibertex pad, i am going to say this is something you will want, this is one of the final stages of buffing the base, it will give your ski that new look. sometimes followed by a polishing clothe.

those are the basics, there is a thread in gear talk that goes pretty in depth if you want to know more.
Feb 7 2012 2:02PM
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Panda_with_Guns
Posts: 3040 - Karma: 1,620
DON NOT! I REPEAT, DO NOT USE YOUR WAXING IRON TO IIRON CLOTHES WITH, IT WILL FUCK EM UP. YOUR MOM WILL NOT BE HAPPY
Feb 7 2012 5:22PM
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chiefbroseph
Posts: 720 - Karma: 523
this, every thing he has listed is what a pro ski tech would do but if all you shred is park, then just get some rub on wax. rub on wax is a cheap salution for all you park, jewbagels out there.
Feb 7 2012 6:11PM
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Mister.F
Posts: 1206 - Karma: 169
The silk setting on a clothes iron works the best for creamy smooth silky wax application maneuvers
Feb 7 2012 6:16PM
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Blindsurfer
Posts: 2252 - Karma: 2,792
it will say on the packaging the wax came in, depends if its just regular basewax or high-fluoro wax, low-fluoro wax
Feb 7 2012 7:21PM
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SamtheEagle
Posts: 1658 - Karma: 713
I just wax and scrape them. Unless your racing there isn't even really a need to brush them. Its worth there 40 bucks to invest in a ski specific iron.
Feb 7 2012 8:22PM
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MountainManDan
Posts: 305 - Karma: 297
I will be an awful thrifty wife, considering all of the skis I'll be saving him by not fucking shit up with a clothing iron.
Feb 7 2012 9:07PM
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_Mac_n_Steez_
Posts: 259 - Karma: -6
who the fuck irons silk
Feb 7 2012 9:30PM
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ChaseW
Posts: 267 - Karma: 177
dont use an iron with big holes in it otherwise it will catch on fire and destroy the iron
Feb 7 2012 10:48PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,121
you won't destroy your skis with a normal iron. I know this because I have been waxing skis with a normal iron for over 10 years. I mean you could be stupid with it and ruin your skis but you could do the same with a wax iron.

We are freeskiers, not racers! you need two kinds of wax. blue and red. Also to save money get a chunk of the white stuff to clean with.
Feb 8 2012 2:45AM
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Billek
Posts: 5665 - Karma: 98
Turn the iron on high and heat the base of your ski up in 1/4 sections.  When you start to smell a little burning, rub wax on each section until the base cools down and the wax stops melting.  When each ski is done, let them sit for 3 minutes, and rub the excess wax off with a brillo pad.
Feb 8 2012 2:49AM
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Mister.F
Posts: 1206 - Karma: 169
Obviously the kind of person that buys a $6 iron at walmart
Feb 8 2012 10:15AM
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snocompton
Posts: 2014 - Karma: 270
NO NO NO NO NO. wtf? you do not go around heating your bases and then rub wax on. jesus fucking christ.


you melt the wax on with the iron, then iron it in working from tip to tail.


christ dont listen to anything this kid just said. get educated ffs.
Feb 8 2012 12:00PM
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SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,535
This. Don't know why people cut corners on the weirdest stuff.
Feb 8 2012 12:21PM
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.RYAN66
Posts: 5381 - Karma: 237
You sir are a fucking moron.
Feb 8 2012 3:06PM
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Billek
Posts: 5665 - Karma: 98
Your way is wrong.
Feb 8 2012 5:15PM
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