Waxless Skis Icing Bad

[MikeK]

Yeah it seems that's the only real area where the wax isn't holding well. The scales on the other ski are slightly oxidized, but not near as bad.

The picture I took is after they had dried out for a few days after a couple hours of skiing. Like I said I had hot waxed the glide sections and paste waxed the scales before they went out.

I've always been liberal with the maxi on the scales on these skis, I'm not sure why that one got so crappy. It's the only ski I have that is even close to that bad.

These skis do have a lot of miles. The most of any I have and they've always taken a beating in that section, it's just where the scales happen to rub when you stride. I've also skied them in poor cover and really icy conditions.

If you look at the scales, not only are they discolored, but they are probably ground down about half their original height. I'm not sure how many more miles these skis have to be honest. The top sheets are great and they still flex like new, the wax pocket is still in tact with half my weight on it. I was never excited about the bases on these skis though.

[Woodserson]

Maybe it's your wax... or your waxing technique?

I've never had bases this bad, or, I haven't let the bases get this bad... I'm not criticizing, just mentioning. A good hot wax will open the pores and get that wax in there nice. Maybe one or two times will do the trick, they may have just gotten bad from not enough waxing and now it's caught up with you. (hypothetical)

I wouldn't fret about the scales grinding down. My 78's are ground down to perfect.... I find they adjust to skier weight. They were slow, now they're perfect after being ground down on spring granular. If you're slipping too much, then maybe they are too far gone, but I wouldn't retire a ski by looks. Even a little change in technique can keep the ski going-- I have skier friends with scales that almost don't exist anymore and they love them.

EDIT a shame you don't live closer, I'd bring you into my basement lair and treat the skis right up something good and throw my JuJu into them. Waxing ceremony includes libations.

[lilcliffy]

Maybe it's your wax... or your waxing technique?

I've never had bases this bad, or, I haven't let the bases get this bad... I'm not criticizing, just mentioning. A good hot wax will open the pores and get that wax in there nice. Maybe one or two times will do the trick, they may have just gotten bad from not enough waxing and now it's caught up with you. (hypothetical)

I wouldn't fret about the scales grinding down. My 78's are ground down to perfect.... I find they adjust to skier weight. They were slow, now they're perfect after being ground down on spring granular. If you're slipping too much, then maybe they are too far gone, but I wouldn't retire a ski by looks. Even a little change in technique can keep the ski going-- I have skier friends with scales that almost don't exist anymore and they love them.

EDIT a shame you don't live closer, I'd bring you into my basement lair and treat the skis right up something good and throw my JuJu into them. Waxing ceremony includes libations.

There is some ski culture resonating here! My close friend and I get together in his man cave, wax and tune skis and sip on whiskey. It is therapeutic to say the least.

All of the advice above is sound- BC grip waxing does not "need" to be anywhere near as complex as performance-track ski grip waxing (to be honest I keep my track waxing as simple as I can as well- I am not a racer).

Hard (cold) before soft.
Thin before thick.
Extend forward for extra traction- especially climbing.

[MikeK]

Could be my technique. I don't claim to know what I am doing with wax.

Never had any issue on my other skis though.

I'll draw a pentacle and sacrifice a virgin goat. Maybe next time will be better.

FWIW the Eons I was using in the same snow rubbed the wax right off too and are looking like they need a tune...

[lilcliffy]

If you end up sacrificing a buckling- don't eat it.

Goat meat is excellent- but never, never eat the buck.

[MikeK]

Haha - my Turkish friend told me goat is best when you dig a pit and cook it in the ground all day. I've been waiting to try it that way, but not many people have goats or make ground ovens in North America.

As for the skis... I think they just need to be waxed very, very often...

[Woodserson]

If you end up sacrificing a buckling- don't eat it.

Goat meat is excellent- but never, never eat the buck.

Taste wise or something about incurring the wrath of the snow gods?

[lilcliffy]

A young castrated male goat ("wether") makes excellent meat.

But, mature bucks have horribly intense and strong scent glands that deeply affect the taste of the meat...

I have never tried it- but apparently a mature buck is inedible...

And I love strong tasting and "gamey" meat. For example, I love strong-tasting mutton- but apparently a buck is a whole other level of "strong" tasting.

I have an excellent old book on home slaughtering/butchering. The section on goats says "never, never, ever butcher the buck!"

[MikeK]

I waxed those skis up last night and did the end portion of the scales both in the front and the rear (the rounded fishscale looking ones).

I didn't strip them, just cleaned them good with the bronze brush and waxed right over the old.

It wasn't that bad actually. If I ever have to do the center section with hot wax, that will be a chore. I paste waxed the rest and corked it real good.

Not sure if we'll use these skis this weekend... will depend on the conditions and where we go, but I'm hoping the wax holds.

[MikeK]

Just an update on this for anyone who's curious.

My wife skied the Glitts on Sat and Sun. Sat was really wet old snow. Sun was mostly refrozen old snow with a bit of dust in some areas.

After Sat the bases looked great. Still all black. I corked in some maxiglide on the scales before Sunday.

On the refrozen, icy, hard snow she didn't have any issues with icing or glide, but I looked at them before I put them in the car and they looked exactly like the picture I posted. All the wax I worked into the scales and near the tails had gone.

Abrasive snow + extruded bases = lots of waxing I guess?

I'm glad to say I think the icing issue was water contamination. They never got wet on Sunday and despite temps in the mid 20s starting and moving up to around 30 finishing, we never had any icing issues.