Cross country ski-ing

“Tom Terrific was asking about waxes on another thread and I thought I'd start a thread on X-country ski-ing so that we could share information. Tom's skis are wood and so they will need to be tarred to waterproof them and for the wax to hold.

Use a hand torch and keep it moving to soften the old wax and wipe it off with a cloth. I use Coleman fuel to clean off the last of the wx. I never bothered taking off (same technique) the old tar, just brushed on tar and wiped down after warming with the torch. Do a little bit at a time. The tar will last for years.

Gotta go, but will add beta on waxes to-morrow. Someone else will for sure.”

“Wow, you must have some old skiis is you have to put pine tar on them. Newer skis are plastic, and have either waxable bases, or non-waxed bases with some structure like ridges or fishscales to provide grip on the snow.

With waxes, you get an assortment of waxes for different temperatures and snow consistencies, a thermometer, a cork to rub the wax smooth, and a container of wax solvent. You test the snow for temperature, or with experience you can estimate it pretty well, and then put on the wax that works at the temp. The waxes are color coded by temperature.

You put on a wax by smearing a thin layer on the base. Wax just under the center of the ski first, or additionally on the tips and tail, may do the trick, or you may have to put wax on teh entire bottom of the ski. Its easy to do, then you rub it down with the cork for smoothness.

You put a "warmer" wax on top of a "colder" wax, but not vice versa. If you have to go colder, you have to remove the warmer wax with a scraper or the solvent.

The non-wax skiis are way less hassle, but when you get the wax right, it is way faster and quieter than a no-wax ski.”

“I like to give the tips and tails of my waxless skis a base coat of hot wax. I also use glide wax on the tips and tails as needed for some extra push.”

“I started this thread for Tom Terrific who said he'd bought an old, wooden, Norwegian pair. I was going to add a few details a bit at a time as I remembers - I last pine tarred skis for the winter of 1974-75. These old skis are beautiful, while a little fragile, and still fun for light, easy trail touring.

BTW, I put 'polar' (White) wax full length on my skis and just wax the 'kicker', the 30 cm. or so in the middle.

I use The Capn's trick on my friends' waxless skis.”

“I pine for the smell of my waxing iron.”