How do you wax your own skis?

Answer 1

Step one: clean the bases first with a solvent made for that. Look for an item called "base cleaner" at a ski shop. People have been known to use things like kerosene to clean the bases. Personally, I wouldn't recommend that route. All you have to do is dab some cleaning solvent onto a paper towel, and scrub down the ski. Easy enough.

Step two: apply wax. Different ways and beliefs here. The most important thing is to use the right temp wax. It does make a difference. When wax shopping, make sure to buy a little of all temp variations. Usually they are denoted by color: blue for cold, purple or red for in-between, and yellow for warmer...but check that out, it varies depending on the manufacturer. You may also end up using a little bit of two colors as well. To apply the wax, I just use an old iron I don't want for clothes anymore. Hold the wax to it, let the iron melt the wax, and hold the whole thing over the ski and go up and down, spreading wax droplets along the base of the ski. They sell specialized wax irons. I have never felt persuaded that they are necessary. Tip, make sure to put paper or towels underneath the ski, since you will be getting wax droplets on the floor. Don't wear nice clothes or shoes either! And also, don't burn your hand on the iron!

Step 3: iron the wax in. Run the iron up and down the bases, melting the wax. DO NOT hold the iron in one place. Just like clothes, you can burn your ski bases. What this does is force the wax molecules into the tiny pores in the petex of the ski bases.

From this point, people will go to war over the best procedures:

Step 4: deal with the melted, and dried wax. What I do is wait for it to cool, and then scrape it off with a ski scraper. You will need to buy one of those too. Other people scrape a little, then "cork" the base, rubbing vigorously with a cork buffing block to fine tune the wax job. I don't know...I just scrape as much as I can off, and go. Seems to work ok. If you are a racer, which I suspect that you aren't, then you would need to worry. Otherwise, just get the excess wax off and you are good to go!

Answer 2

I can only add to Hangin's great answer by offering a slightly different technique of applying the wax. Instead of dripping it on, I will hold the wax against the iron to melt it and then use it like a crayon on the base. This is only good for a single wipe or two and then I heat the wax on the iron again and repeat until the base of the ski is covered. It does the same basic thing as dripping the wax on but I find you'll use less.

Answer 3

Good day i wax my ski myself for many year i learn to wax on internet site just make search you probably find it , i have good site to go on KUU site hope it help you