wax 'flaking' off during scrape

Just had my first attempt at waxing skis!

It seemed to work ok on some very old skis but on new ones the wax keeps 'flaking' or shattering during sraping leaving small areas without wax. This was mostly at the tips.

I'm using a very hard cold wax (for dry slope) and scraping before it goes completely cold.

Am I doing something wrong or is it the new skis?

Right or wrong ?, here's what I do with low temp wax.

I first wax and scrape with a medium temp wax. Then crayon the hard wax onto the base. To do this, just rub the bar of wax lightly on the base as if you were colouring a large area with a crayon. You will only apply a very thin layer of wax in this way. Now apply the iron to melt it in. The layer of wax is so thin that you hardly have to scrape, just use a a scouring pad (the green flat plastic kind not the metal type).

Trencher

Thanks Trencher, I might give that a go.

I think there is something odd about the skis. In the same areas the wax goes very white when cooling as if the wax there is very thick. The bases also look a bit concave. Perhaps a stone grind is in order to get them flat.

It's just occured to me that perhaps it's supposed to flake off. How much wax should be left on the ski?

As always you find just the right topic to "interest" other skiers.

Peeling wax issue ?????

Perhaps you have just found a "better" way to get hair off legs!


Several causes come to mind about your problem.

1. Make sure the ski base is clean from oils, dust, etc...

2. You should pre-heat the base so that the wax will penetrate INTO the base. How do you do this ?

Take a very small bead of wax down center of base. Move iron up and down base fast ( never stopping) for about 10-15 times! The real fanatics have a heat box made in which the ski is heated for 10 hours, then wax is appliedé

3. The harder the wax , the thinner the layer since hard wax does not flex with same range as ski. That is why at tips and tails the wax "peels" off.

To answer your question, for hard wax you want the wax INTO the base, with very thin layer at top.

Like Trencher I found that applying hard wax in steps will solve issue. Also I thin out my application at tips and tails so that there is very little wax in those areas.


You also note some "strange" reactions. That is typical if ski was never waxed. You should have applied a softer wax first ( it penetrates ski base better). I suspect you might have to apply two or three thin coats BEFORE you could apply the hard wax.

You see ski bases are like sponge and if you have old ski the wax penetrations is variable on the base. Some spots will have "white areas" those areas need more wax. Only when you have a nice even coat from tip to tail , do you have a "fully saturated" ski base!

I suspect no hard wax will be hard enough for the type of skiing surface you are using. I suggest you just get old ski and wear it out.

Speaking of "strange skiing surfaces", I am just writing about skiing on sugar. Hope you enjoy story!

On closer inspection of the skis the bases are pretty uneven. The same areas are become apparent during ironing, sraping and indeed in wear after skiing on them.

Hopefully today I'm having them stone ground to get myself a good starting point. We'll see how I get on then.

Ellistine,

You are discovering something very important.
As smart skier you must at all times "check" if your ski base is true. before doing any work.

I was surprised last year to hear the Rossignol racing tech tell me that he checks all NEW racinf world cup skis for "wavy" bases. Imagine! These are top of the line RACING skis and still he finds "imperfect" skis!

In my tuning classes I ask all new students to go to stores and find at least five "rejects" .They do!

Pavel