Waxing Tips

Making skis fast in the cold is simple, so it is a surprise to learn how few people know how to do it. First is proper base prep, followed by waxing, scraping, and finally, the key: brushing, brushing, and brushing.

Cold snow is slow because the snow crystals are sharp and there is very little liquid water to lubricate them. It is very similar to skiing across tiny pieces of broken glass. As snow ages and gets warmer, the crystals become more rounded and the snow pack contains liquid water that serves as a lubricant. Imagine this as skiing across microscopic marbles with some oil on them.

So when it is cold, the abrasive snow creates two problems - friction and durability. There are also some electrical issues, but we're going to pretend those don't exist because I'm not smart enough to explain them.

The goal of base prep is to make the ski as flat and featureless as possible to reduce drag against those sharp crystals. That means either stone grinding the ski specifically for cold, or using a metal scraper to peel the base. Use only a sharp metal scraper, and at your peril. A metal scraper in untrained hands is quick to ruin skis. Practice on a pair of rock skis first. Once you have a smooth base, finish by brushing with a soft metal brush followed with a Fibertex, which combs the microscopic base hairs down.

Next, iron in several layers of cold glide wax such as Swix CH4 and LF3. Any remnants of warmer wax will slow the ski significantly, so multiple layers are needed. The good news is this stuff is cheap. The bad news is that it is a pain to apply.

Cold wax is very hard in order to prevent those sharp crystals from penetrating the ski base and also to give the wax extra durability. In order to achieve this hardness, the wax is made of a synthetic compound that has a melting point approaching that of the ski base itself.

So, with a quality wax iron, carefully apply several layers of cold wax. Mom's old clothes iron is not the best choice because it probably does not have a precise thermometer, and will therefore fluctuate as much as 50ºC. This is dangerous when you need to heat the wax within 20ºC of the base's melting point.

The iron should be just hot enough to melt the wax quickly. For those who are ignoring the advice about quality wax irons - that is probably somewhere between permanent press and linen, when the smoke turns deep black.

Drip or grate the wax and melt it into the base, moving the iron very quickly in multiple passes. Each pass should take no longer than 10 seconds. Test for overheating with your hand - if it is too hot to touch, give it a rest.

The wax is melted adequately once it has a smooth appearance and there is no evidence of the original drips. Let it cool to room temperature, but before it gets too brittle, remove as much as possible with a sharp plastic scraper. You may want eye protection for this step.

Now the important part: brushing. Take a soft metal brush and brush until your arms cry for mercy. Then brush for five more minutes. The goal is to polish the base to a glass smooth finish so nothing drags on that abrasive snow. Be cautious with roto-brushes, as they can burn bases if used improperly.

With skis brushed to a shiny polish, place them out in the cold for 15-30 minutes (or longer), or better yet, ski on them for 2-5km. This will contract the pores in the ski base and squeeze out additional wax. Then, lucky you, brush again and again and again. The more you brush, the faster your skis will be. This can make a 30% difference in ski speed.

If you are classical skiing, you will need extra durability for your kick wax due to the abrasive snow. Begin with a clean kick zone after you have finished glide waxing. Rough the kick zone with 100-grit sandpaper, then apply a thick layer of cold kick wax. Using a torch, heat gun, or iron, melt this layer into the base and let it cool. After corking smooth, apply and cork many thin layers of the final choice of kick wax. Absolutely do not get any glide wax in your kick zone, when ironing or brushing, as it will greatly reduce durability and kick.

Submit all waxing tips to Dan NolanorErnie Brumbaugh

Created on ... November 02, 2003