Lesson 5 : Three Questions

I am going to gamble!

I never usually gamble because I know what the statistical odds of winning. But I am going to gamble this time on you!


I will do this because I know two very important things about all of you;
1. You are skiers that want to learn
2. You are skiers that really want to be great tuners

Why I am going to gamble is that I know that the message in this class will not be "understood" by all! I am gambling that you will keep this class somewhere in your computer or print it so that as you "learn" more concepts and terms you will understand the importance of the three questions all tuners must ask themselves.

1.What wax to use
2.What structure type to make
3.What angle to have on edges

I also am gambling that those who have their files ready and irons calibrated will by "patient" with me and allow me one more class with terms, concepts and issues!

I am doing this because very relevant questions were asked about snow, how to tune and wax a ski in varied conditions and not just in ice!

I have the dice....here it goes. I hope I hit 7 and we all win!

Once you have all learned to do the basic procedures ( filing, structuring, waxing) you will have to decide; what kind of wax to use, how to structure base and what angle to file side and base edge. Those three questions above!

I can not be beside you while you do this. You will have to decide for your needs and your conditions. To make this decision you must understand some very important issues and concepts that Jan and Ise brought up!

Allow me to introduce these concepts in a very "different way" but I promise you that it will in the end of this class relate to tuning and variable ski conditions.

Please be patient with me!

I assume and accept that we all want "happiness"! We want to feel we make good ,,, no "correct" decisions. So it is in ski tuning,,,you will see.

When you meet a girl you will have to make a decision if it is THE girl for you! So you "collect" information about her. Her tastes. Her dress! Her looks. Her interests! You try to get as much information about her that you can so that you can confirm you decision ,,ie to be happy with her!


If you want to buy a new house. You try to get all sorts of information about this house; cost, location, neighbors, age, size, etc...So that you will be happy there.


One more example and you will see where I am going!

If you are planning a ski tour for 3 days of camping, skiing and climbing, you will take in all sorts of information such as weather, equipment, food, safety material, etc... Because you want the trip to a success and thus you will be happy.

When you tune a ski you must also take in all sorts of information in order to make a decision! We all do this "intuitively" In technical terms this is called, "making a valid decision" In plain language it means is your decision "on the mark"!

In the tuning context it means "will the skis perform"!

Here is a golden rule! In life situations, be it a girl , a house, a computer program etcc... The more relevant information you collect,,,the better will your decision be!
That is called content validity!

In ski tuning what is the "important information" Jan mentioned some;
1. Snow conditions
2. Snow type
3. Temperature
4. Humidity
5. etc...


Here is now the 7 that magic number on dice! The thing you must all remember! You must decide how many sources of information you will use to make your decision on wax type and base structure!

I will teach you the procedures and some general guidelines ( not rules). You must put it all together based on your region your needs!

I will be there and I hope all of you will help each other in the coming months to make a "valid decision" on wax types and wax companies. You will recall that I did say that I do not sell products in this class! You will have to find the waxes that are "acceptable" for you!

I will tell you what I use, how I use it and how I select my waxes and techniques for that varied skiing conditions. Each of you will have to decide if I am relevant and valid for your skiing!

Let me be concrete! Pretend you have a bow and arrow and you must hit the target! You will decide on the size of that target! Nothing is free so if you are too demanding chances are you will miss that tiny target!

What relevance is this for skiing and tuning!
Remember I said to you all that this course is geared for recreational skiers? So the information you collect to tune should be more "generous", more flexible, more at the macro level rather than at the micro level!
In short,,,,make the target bigger so you will hit it!

In even more concrete terms it means, do not get lost in all sorts of minor ( for you) issues! Get to know you area!
get a great weather site geared for skiers and learn to read the ski conditions.

And yes you will sometimes be "off" and the wax will stick! That is why you must have a Log to note this!

There are some basic guidelines we all have to consider. They are in all good tuning sites like Toko, Kuss, etc...
At end of course you will all get a list from me!


Now to end this "heavy" class remember that if you do not understand all this, it is because I did not use relevant examples or terms. It is my fault so please send PM! I will try to find other examples!

In a short sentence, soon you will have to decide FOR YOU how to adapt, modify ski or apply wax! I will only suggest and share how I do it.

You must learn to get that right girl, that right house, that right program for you!


I promise no more "lecturing" let us get our hands dirty

Monday we will do initial base prep and serious filling!

Phew!!!!