Calgary Norseman

[Manney]

Here’s my procedure…

1. Ski for the last time. Dry off the skis. Let them sit overnight indoors. A day or two later, brush them out. Brass, then nylon. Wipe them down with base cleaner. That stuff evaporates almost immediately.

2. Inspect the edges, remove burrs with a single pass fine file. Watch the fingers for slivers.

3. Use BP 88 or Swix PS 8. Apply with a waxing iron at the specified temperature. Let cool. Then rub liquid wax on steel edges. Put the skis in a bag once they cool down. Store in a safe, indoor space (not an attic or cellar). Under the bed has always worked for me. If you don’t have a bag, an old flannel sheet and some elastics will work… probably better because cotton flannel is more breathable than most ski bags. Mine are pretty ratty… their waterproofed days ended years ago.

A few weeks before ski season starts…

4. Remove the skis from bags or wraps. They won’t even be dusty.

5. Get the waxing iron going. Do a normal pass over the base (skip the grip zone so as not to contaminate gliding zones). Give the skis a hot scrape. Don’t brush them out until just before your first wax of the day. (It’s good procedure to always start a wax sesh with brushing anyway… force of habit.)

6. Clean off the edges with base cleaner. After that dries, tune the edges (sharpen to edge angle, hone). Apply another coat of liquid glide wax. Liquid wax on edges is good basic procedure anyway because it helps keep ice off the edges… especially the way the weather runs up here early in the season.

BP77 (yellow… pretty much the same as PS10), BP88 (red), BP99 (purple… pretty much the same as PS7) are all perfectly acceptable.

My choice of BP88 is because it’s easier (and as a substitute, one can always find PS8) and it’s closer to what is used up here when the ski season starts (25 to 39F). This makes my first “wax or the day” pretty much a no brainer unless we’re having an unusual year. Tbh, don’t really care about whether my wax of the day is the same as my storage wax. It’s just a matter of convenience… allows me to be a little lazier on my first waxing sesh knowing that the waxed base is 90% there anyway.

[mca80]

Thanks. By base cleaner which do you mean?... I see swix has "glide wax cleaner" and "base cleaner." I've heard it said the base cleaner or other solvent-based wax removers are not good.

[Manney]

My pleasure. Happy to help.

Either one works. Swix has a good reputation, though other brands are just as good.

Those cleaners were a bit harsh on painted skis back in the day. Polyester capped skis seem to shrug off base cleaner better. Always apply it damp anyway. Avoid pouring it on or anything like that.

BTW, confirmed stuff on the Swix website. The Base Preps are all $8 cheaper than their common glide wax equivalents (MSRP in USA). Don’t know if this is supply and demand (very few ppl have heard of base prep, much less use them) or if those formulations lack certain additives.

One thing for sure tho… Swix does say that PS7,8,10 can be used for base prep. So they are at least interchangeable one way.

The big take away is that buying actual base prep wax saves money. And we could all benefit from keeping more of that in our pockets.

In terms of use rate, a bar gets me through two seasons for 7 skis. 21 applications (one base prep for a virgin ski, a hot scrape at the end of the season, and a storage coat for summer storage) per year. So we’re talking ~$1 worth of wax per application.

A buck to prep, clean, and store each ski safely for a season. Sound economics.

[Lhartley]

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/introductio ... LpgP0VcabA

Might check this out at Norsemans

Introduction to XC-Skiing Equipment and Basic Waxing Clinics 2023/2024

[Manney]

Good idea. These clinics are great. Clubs and hills run them too… sometimes bring in a wax rep. Typically ex professional techs. Very knowledgeable.

[Inspiredcapers]

I’m seriously considering the wax clinics as well. Might have to take a flex day since travel is involved.

[Lhartley]

Here’s my procedure…

1. Ski for the last time. Dry off the skis. Let them sit overnight indoors. A day or two later, brush them out. Brass, then nylon. Wipe them down with base cleaner. That stuff evaporates almost immediately.

2. Inspect the edges, remove burrs with a single pass fine file. Watch the fingers for slivers.

3. Use BP 88 or Swix PS 8. Apply with a waxing iron at the specified temperature. Let cool. Then rub liquid wax on steel edges. Put the skis in a bag once they cool down. Store in a safe, indoor space (not an attic or cellar). Under the bed has always worked for me. If you don’t have a bag, an old flannel sheet and some elastics will work… probably better because cotton flannel is more breathable than most ski bags. Mine are pretty ratty… their waterproofed days ended years ago.

A few weeks before ski season starts…

4. Remove the skis from bags or wraps. They won’t even be dusty.

5. Get the waxing iron going. Do a normal pass over the base (skip the grip zone so as not to contaminate gliding zones). Give the skis a hot scrape. Don’t brush them out until just before your first wax of the day. (It’s good procedure to always start a wax sesh with brushing anyway… force of habit.)

6. Clean off the edges with base cleaner. After that dries, tune the edges (sharpen to edge angle, hone). Apply another coat of liquid glide wax. Liquid wax on edges is good basic procedure anyway because it helps keep ice off the edges… especially the way the weather runs up here early in the season.

BP77 (yellow… pretty much the same as PS10), BP88 (red), BP99 (purple… pretty much the same as PS7) are all perfectly acceptable.

My choice of BP88 is because it’s easier (and as a substitute, one can always find PS8) and it’s closer to what is used up here when the ski season starts (25 to 39F). This makes my first “wax or the day” pretty much a no brainer unless we’re having an unusual year. Tbh, don’t really care about whether my wax of the day is the same as my storage wax. It’s just a matter of convenience… allows me to be a little lazier on my first waxing sesh knowing that the waxed base is 90% there anyway.

Been trying to catch up on waxing and ski maintenance, and don't own any ski bags. Never cared to. But now with the attention being given to kick waxes I'm more concerned with dog hair contamination. I will purchase one good ski bag for transportation, but I have unlimited access to shipping plastic. You mentioned breathability, just wondering if I'd be working against myself if I wrapped my skis in plastic post waxing?

[Manney]

Plastic can lead to condensation, especially if the storage space has temperature swings. An old bedsheet and a few rubber bands works well to keep the dust off.

[Lhartley]

I figured that much. Ended up mooching some old bags from my parents and got everything dialed. Welcome back to the suspended accounts!

[Manney]

Thanks.

Save those silica gel packs that come with many consumer items… pop them in a ski bag at the end of the season.