The Question was "How much wax to wax a ski"?

[Jacques]

The answer I came up with is contained within.

What say you? Chime in with your thoughts and techniques on using expensive waxes.

 

[eltigra]

Cheap or Expensive - Ski wax is like money itself.......runs out when you need it most!

 

[Jacques]

Cheap or Expensive - Ski wax is like money itself.......runs out when you need it most!

Ha ha. As Freewheelin' Franklin used to say......."Wax will get you through times of no money, better than money will get you through times of no wax"

 

[Max Capacity]

I dip on enough wax to cover the ski base. You can always add more if you didn't put on enough. You'll know you put to much on as you scrape it off.
You'll learn over time.

 

[crgildart]

I slather on lots of it when it's also functioning as storage wax, probably a 1 inch by 2 inch chunk of the block per pair. If 's expected to be skied in the immediate future I am pretty stingy with it spreading out the drops a lot farther apart and trying to smear them out so not much gets wasted when I scrape it.

 

[Jacques]

I dip on enough wax to cover the ski base. You can always add more if you didn't put on enough. You'll know you put to much on as you scrape it off.
You'll learn over time.

I slather on lots of it when it's also functioning as storage wax, probably a 1 inch by 2 inch chunk of the block per pair. If 's expected to be skied in the immediate future I am pretty stingy with it spreading out the drops a lot farther apart and trying to smear them out so not much gets wasted when I scrape it.

Next time weigh it out and let us know how many grams you used, and what size the skis were.

 

[DanoT]

I have a friend who is the ski tuner for Canada's skier cross team. He lives at Sun Peaks but isn't around much, so when I do run into him I always pick his brain about ski tuning. One thing that I remember him saying one time is that the most important thing to make a ski fast is the finish you put on a ski.

In spring when it gets real sticky I carry a cork and a small piece of the real expensive spring wax ($100+ for a bar smaller than a pack of cigarettes). I think this is the stuff that if you hot wax without a respirator mask, the fumes can damage your lungs. I stop during a run, take the ski off and rub and cork on the wax. The result is great gliding for a run or two and repeat.

 

[Jacques]

I have a friend who is the ski tuner for Canada's skier cross team. He lives at Sun Peaks but isn't around much, so when I do run into him I always pick his brain about ski tuning. One thing that I remember him saying one time is that the most important thing to make a ski fast is the finish you put on a ski.

In spring when it gets real sticky I carry a cork and a small piece of the real expensive spring wax ($100+ for a bar smaller than a pack of cigarettes). I think this is the stuff that if you hot wax without a respirator mask, the fumes can damage your lungs. I stop during a run, take the ski off and rub and cork on the wax. The result is great gliding for a run or two and repeat.

Finish.........yes. I would take that to mean the structure of the base and the amount of scraping and brushing to clear the said structure and produce a high sheen.

 

[hbear]

For speed and racing, brushing is the key.....you almost can't brush too much.
Overlay flouros only last for about 50meters? perhaps a touch longer, but it's not long and less than a run for racers.

If you want fast skis, brush, brush, brush....

 

[crgildart]

Next time weigh it out and let us know how many grams you used, and what size the skis were.

Dude, it's wax, not cocaine. If I have a 2" by half inch by 6 inch cake I use 1/6th of it to lay it on thick. I maybe use 1/4th of that for a quick coat.

I've actually seen posts from people who say they gather up the scrapings and melt them back in to bricks to re use. That's an even higher level of stingy there hahahaha..

 

[crgildart]

In spring when it gets real sticky I carry a cork and a small piece of the real expensive spring wax ($100+ for a bar smaller than a pack of cigarettes). I think this is the stuff that if you hot wax without a respirator mask, the fumes can damage your lungs. I stop during a run, take the ski off and rub and cork on the wax. The result is great gliding for a run or two and repeat.

Ya, not even sure that you need to cork it if it's really warm.. The structure from rubbed on wax works well on its own if you have the right wax. Corking creates friction heat to melt it smoother.. We used to keep a cork on the bag for quick touch ups in cooler temps out on the mountain where ironing wasn't possible.

 

[Monique]

Dude, it's wax, not cocaine. If I have a 2" by half inch by 6 inch cake I use 1/6th of it to lay it on thick. I maybe use 1/4th of that for a quick coat.

I've actually seen posts from people who say they gather up the scrapings and melt them back in to bricks to re use. That's an even higher level of stingy there hahahaha..

I've done that. I stopped doing that. Even when it looks clean, it acquires grit. I qas only doing it becaise I was using an embarrassing amount of wax. I've gotten somewhat better.

 

[Jacques]

For speed and racing, brushing is the key.....you almost can't brush too much.
Overlay flouros only last for about 50meters? perhaps a touch longer, but it's not long and less than a run for racers.

If you want fast skis, brush, brush, brush....

I agree after wax wax wax that is!

 

[Jacques]

Dude, it's wax, not cocaine. If I have a 2" by half inch by 6 inch cake I use 1/6th of it to lay it on thick. I maybe use 1/4th of that for a quick coat.

I've actually seen posts from people who say they gather up the scrapings and melt them back in to bricks to re use. That's an even higher level of stingy there hahahaha..

Yea, I tried that once, but quit that. Even after filtering the wax I would end up with micro base particles in that wax.
And as far as the coke, I don't do that stuff. I learned that was a dead end road years and years ago!
Anyway what you say "2" by half inch by 6 inch cake I use 1/6th of it to lay it on thick." give a good idea. Prep. wax is not too spendy. The Dominator I use come out to $0.125 cents a gram, so even at 10gm per ski that's a whopping $1,25 per ski.

 

[Jacques]

Ya, not even sure that you need to cork it if it's really warm.. The structure from rubbed on wax works well on its own if you have the right wax. Corking creates friction heat to melt it smoother.. We used to keep a cork on the bag for quick touch ups in cooler temps out on the mountain where ironing wasn't possible.

Only problem with rub on without brushing is leaving a layer of wax only provides a layer for dirt, pollen, etc. to stick into.