What's your vice ...

Hi Pavel (& everyone else!),

Here's the thing, I'm not a great fan of vices and whilst I don't want to stop anyone else using them I just thought I would mention my thoughts on the subject.

I like to hold the skis while I work, I like the contact or connection I get from being able to position them in exactly the right place for any given task. When I use a vice I feel restricted and forced to work at the height / angle dictated by the bench and vice set-up.

Whilst writing this I have been trying to think of any tuning task that I have undertaken where I "had" to use a vice and I can't think of one. Naturally, once the course is underway, I will doubtless learn many techniques which are impossible to do without vices, but it should be interesting to see ...

In closing, I think the process of (hot) wax removal when holding the ski rather than using a vice allows a delicacy of touch to be developed that makes the process almost organic, more like a dance if you like, which brings you into a relationship with you skis which remains distant and elusive when the object of your labours is clamped in the jaws of a vice.

I was tempted to make a comparison here about human relationships and clamping your loved one in a vice whilst trying to created a special ambiance but wasn't sure if this was the time or the place!!

Obviously its all just MHO but I wonder what the rest of you think ??

Regards

Jan