Tuning/waxing your own skis

[Kimmyt]

The Boy and I were talking about this last week, because, when you have as many sports as we do, tuning all the respective gear gets kind of expensive.

Neither The Boy or I are very mechanically apt. He's pretty good at electronics, but doesn't seem to have an urge to try his hand at tuning skis or bikes. I myself have no clue where to start. I need an instruction manual just to operate the remote control.

I'm thinking about learning how to tune and wax my own skis (or, starting simply, at least just wax) and was wondering what all you ladies do.

K.

 

[sskier]

Working in a ski shop.
Still tuning.

 

[Elangirl]

One day the guys from the Rental shop had a demonstration for all the Ski Instructors--how to wax your skis. I was amazed how easy it was to do and now I wax my own skis at least once a week.

We do have a wax bench and a wax iron in Ski School, so I am spoiled. I bought a wax iron for my husband last Christmas--it is important not to use too hot an iron---so, if you are going to save money, buy a wax iron and some universal wax, a scraper and a brass brush and have at it. You can use two chairs and a homemade vise to hold the skis. I steal rubber bands from the rental shop.

 

[volklgirl]

I learned from Skiing Mag many, many moons ago. I started with an old home iron, Hertel HotSauce wax, a file from the harware store, an old credit card as a scraper, and rubber bands from Broccoli or Cauliflower as brake retainers.

Waxing is actually really easy....tuning is a just a bit harder and requires more tools.

 

[Jilly]

Sort of like sskier, I help out in a shop, so skis are tuned for me. Since I don't get paid, it works for me.

 

[Cambridge Kate]

name that tune

I've been hot-ironing my skis for a decade now. They get waxed and sharpened after every 3 days of skiing. I learned how by reading how-to's on the web.

Last year I went to a tuning clinic at the Summit Ski Shop in Framingham MA. Mike, the tech there, is a former Volkl product manager and Olympic team ski tuner. He has a system for waxing that doesn't use an iron but rather employs the friction of a very rough cloth to work the penciled-on wax into the ski. It's an excellent system and very portable. He sells the set-up at the shop and that's what I now use. Info here:

Summit PTC Info

The first time Mike did the ceramic grinding of my ski bases, I couldn't believe my eyes. The bases were utterly smooth, like mirrors but with tiny striations to allow the skis to hydroplane. If you live in the Boston area, this is the place to take your skis for base restructuring and tuning. The tuning clinic is free.

CK

 

[volklgirl]

So they pretty much re-invented the old crayon-on and cork-in method?

 

[ISki]

One source of equipment and knowledge is https://www.tognar.com/.

I learned to tune in a racing camp as a teen.

Nowadays, I don't have a vise and my garage is cold so, if they need tuning, I take the skis to the shop.

 

[num]

I take mine in to a local shop.

I'm not up for learning to tune yet, but I'd like to learn to wax on my own.

 

[Jilly]

volkgirl - I still do that one my X-country's!! I've all these waxes, pine tar etc. I should look for new X-C skis I think. Hubby does his own Alpine skis, has the vice, iron etc. I just take mine to the shop. Sometimes have to help do about 15 more pairs. Love the smell of hot wax!

 

[volklgirl]

That's funny. I actually started out doing my own full-wax x-country skis...glide wax, grip wax, klister, corking, Ugh!!

I literally haven't touched my x-country skis, except to move them around the shed, since I learned to downhill 21 years ago - they probably still have the same coat of (admittedly dusty and yucky) wax on them to this day.

Now, mostly, hubby does the wax job, and I do the tune, scrape, and polish. Besides, I won't let him touch the edges on any of my skis cuz he just mucks 'em up . I too love the smell of hot wax.

 

[Little Lightning]

My SO used to wax our skis, sharpening edges was left to the shop. Now that we live in Colorado and tunes are so cheap we let the shop do them.

He still waxes for storage purposes at the end of the season.

Kathi

 

[Jilly]

Just for interest, what are shops charging across ski nation. Our local shop, not in a ski resort, but small town Canada is charging $ 29.95 plus taxes. Snowboards are $39.95. Racers get a $ 5.00 break. That is a full sharpen and hot wax.

 

[volklgirl]

Our local shop charges $20 before November and $35 (I think) now. Crystal is $35 standard and offers a $5 discount for season pass holders. Nub's Nob is $25 for their quick tune and $45 for their world class race tune.

 

[Shellski]

Husband does all the basic stuff, every 2-3 years I may get a full professional tune and base grind, but only if I can have it done by someone I know will do a world-class job.

 

[volklgirl]

That's exactly the way we do it, too. Hubby even tried fixing a core shot about 12" long right on the edge. It looks great, but he hasn't tried it on the snow yet.

 

[ISki]

$29.95 in suburbia. With coupon (beginning or end of season special) it's $14.99 - $19.99.

 

[liquidfeet]

This last weekend I waxed my skis for the first time. It's really really easy!

I think I wasted some wax by dripping too much on, but that's probably the only thing I did wrong.

This next week (gulp) I will try and sharpen the edges. Then the next week, (double gulp) I'll tackle those gouges that have been multiplying since there IS NO SNOW TO SPEAK OF on the slopes while meteorites abound.

 

[smpayne]

I taught myself last year how to wax and sharpen the edges. I was really surprised how easy it was. I'm not sure if what I actually do to the edges is really sharpening or just de-burring. I do use a flat file on the bases to remove some of the "hooks" left from the rock gouges.

My local shop charges $15 minor tune and $40 major tune (not sure the exact difference yet). I usually get a major tune about mid-season, after the rocks are gone.

 

[liquidfeet]

Now I've waxed my skis twice. I have two questions of you seasoned waxers. I am using the drip it on and iron it, then scrape it off method.

1. The plastic scraper gets gunked up with shreds of wax waste. Do I need to wash it off? Seems like its edges will get lulmpy if the wax is left on, but seems like using any kind of scrubber to remove the wax will take away the perfectly straight sharp edges.

2. Is there any way to save and reuse the wax waste that falls onto the newspaper that I've lined the kitchen with? I'm not perfect in guessing how much to drip on, and lots comes off. Seems like a waste of money to me, unless I can somehow brush this stuff up and reuse it.

Thanks for all this advice. What a great resource this forum is.