Waxing a Fast Ski

Hi,

This article was prepared to compile the waxing knowledge regarding skating

skis from several authors including Harry Campbell, Steven Gaskill, Bertel

Kleerup and Ralph Thornton. The information is just as applicable to the

glide portions of classical skis. Waxing for grip is a whole story in itself.

Check out the Wax Book from the Ski Research Group.

Waxing a Fast Ski-When Close is Not Good Enough

This article is for the personal use of the addressee.

The difference between winning and not winning can be only a few seconds

in a 15 km race. Racers must have fast skis. Of those things that make skis

fast, ski fit is critical! Bad pressure distribution can result in a ski

being 10% slower. That’s 15 to 20 minutes in a Birke! Bad flex-too soft

5 to 10%; too stiff 5%-another 10 to 20 minutes lost. Things like poor torque,

ski length, and the wrong base can mean a one or two percent difference-or

up to two minutes each. Technique, training, stamina and mental attitude

are also important qualities in a fast ski. To go fast, one must ski well.

Lessons from good instructors can be critical. You must also train. Don’t

expect to lounge around all summer and fall, then be able to ski like the

wind. Get into a regular training program. Given all this, though, among

fairly equal competitors, base preparation, wax combination and application

technique can make a big difference.

The following information assumes some basic knowledge of waxing and

ski maintenance. It is geared toward producing fast skating skis but the

techniques should be applied to waxing the glide zones of classical skis

as well. This article will not answer all the questions. In fact it may

result in more questions than answers. This is good. Inquisitive people

want to know. Persons with questions are encouraged to ask for assistance.

Your own experimentation will help fill the voids in knowledge. The main

concept, to be repeated later, is keep it as simple as possible but do not

neglect the important aspects of fast skis. Also, don’t be tempted to compare

the glide of your skis with someone else’s skis-there are too many variables

There are four basic requirements for consistently waxing fast nordic

skis:

1. Use a good iron. Proper wax uptake in a ski is dependent on evenly

heating a ski. Inexpensive irons can cool too fast and then, in an attempt

to heat back up they overheat, burning the wax and potentially damaging

the base-forever.

2. Keep good notes. Carry a small notebook in your wax kit to record

snow and air temperatures, type of snow, the wax combination used, structure

of the ski and a description of how it worked. Keep track of what worked

and what didn’t.

3. Test waxes both uphill and down. The fastest wax at high glide speed

is not necessarily the fastest for the whole course. Slower speed gliding

is especially important on uphills. Even so glide is only one aspect of

a well waxed ski. Durability is critical. There’s nothing worse than losing

your wax with 15 km to go and its mostly uphill.

4. Wax often. You learn more about your waxes and the skis work better

the more they are waxed. Waxing frequently also protects the ski bases from

oxidation-a real speed killer.

A really fast ski depends on properly prepared bases. This could be a

whole topic unto itself. Generally, new skis should have the base peeled

to remove any oxidized material. The appropriate structure is then created

and finally the ski is waxed. Some manufacturers pre-structure and prep

the base with wax to minimize the base preparation effort. This is great

if you can find a ski with the type of structure suited to your skiing needs.

Otherwise it’s a do-it-yourself deal.

How the final base preparation is done is dependent on what kind of conditions

you ski in. Warm wet conditions require large structure obtained through

rilling. Cold dry conditions require a fairly smooth base with fine structure.

Conditions in between require a structure that is not too large nor too

fine. How many pairs of skis you have and how long you expect to use a pair

can help make your decision. Remember that there is only one millimeter

of P-Tex on the bottom of the ski. Cutting in structure for wet snow then

peeling and sanding for dry snow removes base material quickly and the ski

will not last as long. If you regularly ski in both warm wet and cold dry

conditions consider buying two pair of skis, one pair for each condition

with corresponding pressure profiles suited to that condition. Those with

only one or two pair of skis for every condition might consider preparing

bases for the more common condition and leave it at that. This will extend

the life of the base but there are trade offs.

There are two important aspects to maintaining ski bases that should

be mentioned, regardless of what structure is applied.

1. Graphite, or black bases, require periodic replacement of the graphite.

This is done by waxing with a graphite wax once in every six or eight wax

applications.

2. The molecular mass of the ski base helps determine the amount of wax

the base can absorb. The higher the molecular mass the more wax the base

can hold. Sintered bases hold the most wax.

Choosing the Wax Combination

The right ratio of different waxes depends on how long you will ski;

whether it is machine groomed or new snow; in the woods, out in the open

or along a river; many steep hills that face the sun or fairly flat; and

the questions go on and on. All these and more can affect the choice of

waxes for optimum performance. The concept to note here is that more than

one wax will most likely be used at a time and they will be blended together

on the ski. By combining conventional paraffin waxes with synthetics, fluorinated

waxes and fluorine substances we can wax for somewhat contradictory conditions

such as cold temperatures and high humidity with good success.

The basic wax collection should contain a range of paraffin based waxes

and a synthetic wax additive. You might also consider a fluorinated wax

and a pure fluorine substance. The last two items are optional and depend

on your needs. Here are some guidelines on how to adapt the wax ratio to

fit the conditions.

* For more durability use a slightly harder wax mixture.

* For more glide use a slightly softer wax mixture.

* For new and aggressive snow use a harder wax mixture.

* For older snow go a little softer.

* In colder temperatures go harder with more synthetics.

* In warmer conditions go softer and/or use a fluorinated wax.

* In wet conditions use fluorinated wax and a pure fluorine substance.

* When humidity is very high use a fluorinated wax.

The percentage of each type of wax to use is determined by the conditions.

Personal experience and keeping good notes will help in the long run.

Following is a brief overview of some of the waxes.

Synthetic Paraffin Waxes

Mixing synthetic waxes with conventional waxes is an exceptionally good

technique. The idea is to combine a hard synthetic like Toko Nordlite with

a soft wax like Toko Yellow. They do not combine to form a medium wax on

the ski base. Each maintains its own characteristics to give you the best

of both worlds. The durability of the hard wax is combined with the glide

of the soft wax for optimal performance. Change the ratio of the mix as

weather and course conditions dictate. Use less synthetic as temperatures

rise and more as temperatures fall. A 50-50 mix might be used at 15 degrees

F. The mix would then be adjusted when the temperatures rise or fall.

Fluorinated Waxes

Fluorinated waxes are paraffin based, possibly with synthetic hardeners

and fluorine substances added. They are designed to be ironed into the ski

base like any paraffin based wax. When there is a lot of moisture in the

snow the fluorinated waxes will provide markedly increased performance.

They produce high surface tension and repel water not allowing it to adhere

or suck the ski base. The more moist the snow the greater the advantage.

In cold high humidity situations a hard synthetic can be added to the mix

to improve durability and performance.

Pure Fluorine Substances

When conditions are very wet and when performance is especially important

use a pure fluorine substance like Toko Streamline or Swix Cera F. These

substances are hydrophobic and really improve glide in wet snow. They are

very expensive. Use them carefully and only for important events and in

the right conditions. There are some other draw-backs to these products

that will be covered later.

Which Waxes to Use?

There is an incredibly long list of waxes and companies who make them.

Every year there is some new secret weapon wax that, it seems, you just

have to have. Remember the prestige factor. Real prestige comes from fast

skis, not having a box full of one hundred waxes. Besides, most of us have

a wallet or purse that is too small to pay for all that so-called prestige.

The Ski Research Group suggests avoiding the mystery waxes. Stick with the

mainstream waxes that are known to work well in a variety of conditions.

Companies like Swix, Rex, Start, Briko, Toko, Ski-Go, Solda and Holmenkollen

all have good products but it is ridiculous to carry them all or even the

best of each line. The solution to this dilemma is simple. Keep track of

what is simple, works well, has a broad working range of temperatures and

will stay fast on the ski for a sustained period of time. Talk to other

skiers to find out what they use, but don’t be too quick to change your

wax just because of them. See if they have come up with the answers, especially

with respect to simplicity and durability. If they have, and it’s simpler

than what you are doing consider giving it a try.

The best advice is to use the easiest products readily available to you.

If just getting the product is not simple then maybe you should try something

else. Once you have experience with the common brands you will develop a

clear understanding of how changes in your waxes or waxing technique effect

the way your skis perform. Only then can you really make informed choices

or compare other products.

Waxing Techniques

Now that you have decided on what to use here are some waxing techniques

to make sure that the magic potion that you chose will be optimally applied.

Wax in Only One Direction

The amorphous or crystalline area on the surface of the base absorbs

and stores the wax. There are tiny fibers in this area. When you wax back

and forth these fibers end up pointing in all directions. This inhibits

wax uptake. Experimentation and examination of bases under electron microscopes

has shown this to be true. By always waxing from tip to tail the fibers

line up in one direction thereby improving wax uptake by the base.

Temperature Determines Wax Uptake

The base must be evenly heated to 125 degrees Celsius. This allows the

base to absorb the most wax per application or cycle. Unfortunately ski

bases can be damaged forever at 135o C. A good iron is essential. Even high

quality irons should be calibrated to 125o C with a thermomelt stick. With

a good iron you may need only two passes, one to spread the wax and a second

slow pass to heat the base for maximum wax penetration. Remember once the

wax and base has been heated to 125o C there is no need to iron the ski

any more. It will not result in any additional wax penetration.

Harder waxes and pure fluorine substances melt at higher temperatures

that are close to the 135 degrees Celsius that damages the base. A good

iron skillfully used is absolutely essential here.

Cool the Skis 45 Minutes

It takes this long for the bases to cool adequately. The more it cools

the greater the wax absorption. Don’t rush it though. Let the skis cool

slowly while at room temperature. Don’t cool them faster by placing the

skis outdoors. That is counterproductive. The skis will cool too fast and

not absorb as much wax.

Three Cycles are Required to Fill a Ski Base with Wax

For maximum wax performance three heating cycles are required. Apply

and heat the wax as described earlier. Let the bases cool 45 minutes then

scrape. Apply wax and heat the bases a second time, let them cool and scrape.

Once again for a third time apply wax and heat the bases, let them cool

45 minutes and scrape. After the third scraping you are ready to clean the

structure. If you do only one cycle you only fill the base one-third full

of wax. Four cycles just wastes wax.

This does not have to be done one-two-three. Three cycles are definitely

required for new or newly peeled skis. At other times, such as after a short

day of skiing, you could wax only once. After a hard long day of skiing

you might want to do one cycle at the end of the day and another in the

morning before the next ski.

If you ski mostly on weekends, you might do one cycle either Saturday

evening or Sunday morning with additional cycles done during the weekdays

between skiing. Try to start the first midweek cycle as early in the week

as possible. Do not let the base remain unwaxed for too long. Do your final

scrape and structure cleaning on Saturday morning before skiing.

Another twist is to have more than one pair of skis waxed and ready to

go. Do your scraping and cleaning just before skiing and rewax when done.

The next morning you could use the second pair that had received three cycles

since its last ski. This last technique permits the most skiing and the

least waxing on weekends when skiing, and reserves the waxing for the week

in between.

Whatever your system, try to keep it simple. If that means a slightly

slower ski for less important ski days, so be it. Save the big time waxing

for the big-time Birke type skis.

Applying Pure Fluorine Substances

Pure fluorine substance must be applied over an already waxed ski. Use

a fluorinated wax for the best bond for pure fluorinated substances. If

you’re only going to ski a short distance (15 km or less) consider corking

in something like Toko Streamline instead of ironing it in. For longer distances

ironing the fluorinated substance is required. However, be aware that it

is not a wax. It is a chemical and should be treated carefully. Do not inhale

the fumes. Follow directions on the label carefully and heat it in a well

ventilated area. A good iron is required because the melting temperature

of these substances is close to the temperature that causes damage to the

ski bases. Corking the substance eliminates most of the problems and hazards

but comes at a price of less durability.

Another disadvantage of these substances is that they partially seal

the base and it is very difficult to wax over them. It must be skied off,

which is easy to do if you have not ironed it in, or scraped off by peeling

before the base will accept additional wax.

Fluorocarbons are today’s magic potion for speed and glide, but you pay

a price. In fact you pay the price twice. Once when you buy the fluorocarbon

substance since they are expensive. And second when you scrape the base

because this removes material which was only one millimeter thick to begin

with. To minimize base loss use a base plane when you scrape and don’t iron

in fluorocarbons except for really important events.

Scraping and Brushing Out the Structure

After the skis have cooled 45 minutes following the final cycle of waxing,

you are ready to clean out the structure. First scrape the base with a sharp

plastic scraper. Keep your scraper sharp. It is best to sharpen your scraper

before each use. Use light even strokes. Remember all of these steps should

be done from tip to tail only as described earlier. Use a klister paddle

to clean out the grove of the ski.

Following scraping use a nylon (not brass) brush to remove the wax from

the structure. Several passes may be necessary to really get all of the

excess wax out of the structure. Continue brushing until no additional wax

comes off of the ski.

It may be necessary to periodically clean the brush. A scraper used across

the bristles will remove much of the excess wax. A soaking in wax remover

might be necessary for real tough wax buildup.

A horse-hair brush is best for that last bit of wax in the structure

and especially for fluorinated waxes and fluorine substances. A horse-hair

brush can be expensive and more difficult to clean so don’t use it on skis

that have not been adequately brushed first with a nylon brush.

It’s important to remember that we ski on the ski’s base, not the wax.

The wax acts as a molecular lubricant for the base but every bit of excess

wax must be scraped off for good performance.

Inconsistent Wax Jobs

If you have had problems with getting your skis to glide well and this

seems related to your ski bases or the wax job, here are four areas to think

about. They, of course, can build on each other where one problem can aggravate

another so that the combination of the two is greater than the sum of their

parts. Inconsistent wax performance can result from the following problems:

1. Inadequate heating of the ski base. This limits wax penetration and

durability.

2. The mixing of waxes within the base wasn’t right for the conditions

or you may have made the wrong choice of waxes.

3. The base may have been previously damaged by overheating which also

limits wax penetration and durability.

4. The base may have oxidized and will not accept much wax.

These problems can be avoided or corrected. Get a good iron. Keep good

notes of what works and what doesn’t; keep learning. Peel the base, restructure

and start over.

After the skis are scraped and the structure is cleaned, there is only

one thing left to do-go ski.

This booklet is a compilation of information from Ski Research News by

Harry Campbell, Steven Gaskill, Bertel Kleerup and Ralph Thornton. Published

by the Ski Research Group, PO Box 936, Eagle River, Wisconsin 54521 or phone

715-479-7285. Edited by Ralph Thornton. Graphics in original courtesy of

Toko of Switzerland.