Restoring Camber on Old Wood Skis

All -

Here in Lake Placid we have an annual race called the "Wood & Wool
Classic" - a 10K classic race on wood skis while wearing your old wool
socks, knickers, hats, 75 mm 3-pin boots, etc. My base prep and
waxing were superb, but the entire ski dragged on the downhills. I
soon realized that my skis have finally lost their camber - I'd
catch and pass folks on the flats and uphills, but it was
disheartening to see them zoom by me on the downhills.

Can I do anything to restore the camber? I've always stored the skis
w/ the tips and tails tied together, wedging a wooden block just under
the binding but this doesn't seem to be enough.

Thoughts?

- Bob

"Bob Maswick" wrote in message
om...
All -
Can I do anything to restore the camber? I've always stored the skis
w/ the tips and tails tied together, wedging a wooden block just under
the binding but this doesn't seem to be enough.

Thoughts?

- Bob

When I went to my favourite x-ski shop and told Joel, the owner, that I was
looking for new skis because mine had lost their camber, he smiled. He
talked about his recent tour of the Fischer factory, where engineers at the
lab showed him their test equipment. They told him that skis do not lose
their camber... adding that usually, those who claim their camber is just
not like it used to be may well be a little (?) heavier than when they first
bought their skis.

I guess Joel was smiling mainly because there is some truth in that: I am 15
pounds heavier that when I bought my last pair of skis! And also because he
knows that I would rather buy new skis than lose weight.

However, until I decide which skis I will get, I will try to kick wax
shorter and thinner. Maybe that will help offset the reduced glide due to
this "lost camber"!!!

JMC

P.S. In short, I don't see how to restore camber, if a ski can't lose it...

(Bob Maswick) wrote in message . com...
All -

Can I do anything to restore the camber? I've always stored the skis
w/ the tips and tails tied together, wedging a wooden block just under
the binding but this doesn't seem to be enough.

Thoughts?

- Bob

You can put them into a warm, moist sauna for 2-4 hours, then clamp
them, tips and tails tied together with a spacer block in the camber
section. The spacer block should be larger than the camber that you
want, to allow for "springback". You can also put them into a warm
water bath, if you have the vessel for that. Basically the wood needs
to be softened before you bend them back into shape. You will need to
allow the skis to dry and set before using them again.

Greg Fangel
www.woodenskis.com

I don't think sauna would help old ski much though.

I would heat the ski with iron spraying base with water so it doesn't
burn
until all the ski is hot to the touch and clamp with piece of wood
1.5 bigger then anticipated chamber and let it stay for 24 hr. or so.

I've never bent the ski like that, but bent plenty string bass
fingerboards which is ebony (very hard wood).

Wood bending temp. is slightly bellow burning (when iron leaves brown
marks), so be careful. You probably have to treat it with pine tar and
so forth afterwords.

Can I do anything to restore the camber? I've always stored the skis
w/ the tips and tails tied together, wedging a wooden block just under
the binding but this doesn't seem to be enough.


You can put them into a warm, moist sauna for 2-4 hours, then clamp
them, tips and tails tied together with a spacer block in the camber
section. The spacer block should be larger than the camber that you
want, to allow for "springback". You can also put them into a warm
water bath, if you have the vessel for that. Basically the wood needs
to be softened before you bend them back into shape. You will need to
allow the skis to dry and set before using them again.


If they are the really 'old time' solid wood one piece construction
the sauna thing may work. If they are the 'newer' type of wooden skis
made with many layers of laminations this will not work. On a
laminated ski it is actually the glue and adhesive that holds the
shape of the ski. Nothing you can really do to help it once the camber
goes.

Ron Bott