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TDD536Got a file laying around?
JacksonScottNo how much are they?
rubyshilascraper sharpeners are like $20 and their main benefit is that they are precision to have a 90* angle when they sharpen the scraper. otherwise, just get a file. your dad or grandpa probably has one laying around that he isn't using, otherwise just stop by ace or menards or whatever and pick one up. also, tip, use base cleaner/mineral oil on the scraper before you sharpen it to clean off wax, it helps loads
JacksonScottCould I use rubbing Alcohol to clean the scraper?
hemlockjibber8rub wax on like your waxing a ledge, iron on wax. No scrape, no clean up. One run and any excess wax is gone. Obviously not as good but you probably won't notice and you won't have wax all over the fucking place.
hemlockjibber8rub wax on like your waxing a ledge, iron on wax. No scrape, no clean up. One run and any excess wax is gone. Obviously not as good but you probably won't notice and you won't have wax all over the fucking place.
hemlockjibber8rub wax on like your waxing a ledge, iron on wax. No scrape, no clean up. One run and any excess wax is gone. Obviously not as good but you probably won't notice and you won't have wax all over the fucking place.
Hugh_Conway_jrTo those saying this technique does nothing ... am I mising something?
If you rub on wax and then iron it , assuming that you are getting enough and even heat distribution, then this technique is spot on. Dripping gobs of excess wax everywhere only so you can scrape it off doesn't do anything extra...except waste wax.
this is how I wax now. No complaints. you can still scrape, but there is so little residue you can also just ride.
Can someone School me on why i may as well not wax if i'm waxing this way?
eheathWhen you melt the wax, it soaks into the porous bases on your skis, making your wax job last longer and helping preserve your bases. Just rubbing it on and then scrapping it of doesn't do anything. Like I said, if you're rubbing a block of wax on your skis, you might as well just not wax, you aren't doing anything for you skis.
Hugh_Conway_jrYou are clearly not reading the part where we iron on the wax.
Hugh_Conway_jrTo those saying this technique does nothing ... am I mising something?
If you rub on wax and then iron it , assuming that you are getting enough and even heat distribution, then this technique is spot on. Dripping gobs of excess wax everywhere only so you can scrape it off doesn't do anything extra...except waste wax.
this is how I wax now. No complaints. you can still scrape, but there is so little residue you can also just ride.
Can someone School me on why i may as well not wax if i'm waxing this way?
eheathYou might as well just not wax...
ElgThat's not how wax works, and wont affect the bases at all.
rubyshilaIf you were to take a close up photo of your bases, you'd see that they're grooved. This is called "structure". What this is for is to provide a place for the water to run off and to the side of the base, so you don't get suction (aka "wet friction"). Those grooves are set by a machine. While we do have some pretty amazing precision technology, the grooves are still deeper than we need, which is why we wax our skis - to fill up the grooves a little bit. Scraping helps to take off some of the excess, then brushing brings more wax out of the grooves, or "structure" of the base, allowing for "ideal" lack of suction. I feel I should also mention that there are different kind of waxes - some repel water very well (fluorocarbon) and some not as well (hydrocarbon). The fluorocarbon ones that are super expensive that racers use - they're very temperature sensitive. They really aren't necessary for anything other than the FIS or WC circuits.
Having said all of that, if you have grown up with your skis being waxed, scraped, and brushed regularly, you will notice a difference in the performance of your ski sliding on the snow if you choose not to scrape & brush. If you're used to not scraping & brushing, then carry on not doing so. It won't harm the skis - I'd say it's better to wax and not scrape than not waxing at all. If the snow is more gritty & granular (cold & old), it'll clear off the excess wax a lot faster than new snow at warmer temps.
Sorry for the run-on, but I hope that answers your question!
Hugh_Conway_jri used to care enough to wax my skis and use corks and texture brushed and fluro and temperature specific formulations .... then I Woke up one day and realized i was wasting my time.
sure, waxing can be cathartic and you can get all sciencey about it.. but at the end of the day, I notice zero performance benefits from following FIS waxing standards. I think most people focus more time than needed on waxing for their application... I find that the best waxing technique, and the most overlooked is the consistent application of even heat to the base... and a good clean before i get started.
I am now using paraffin wax (yes for canning from the grocery store), applied thinly, heated evenly. never scraped. ... the only time I change my formulation is in the spring.
eheathYou're right, ha!
Ski shops this this all the time I'm pretty sure to save wax. Carry on.
.jifSomeone please correct me, but wouldn't this burn your base?
JacksonScottMy scrapers are dull and I don't want to buy a sharpener.
