Ski Waxing Questions

Gene Goldenfield posted the following questions back in '04. To my knowledge no one ever responded. They were good questions. Maybe someone will now?


1)About how many passes do you typically find yourself making with the
copper brush? At that stage, assuming you are using it first, what are
you looking for before you move onto the next brush?

2)Typically, I use fine fibertex (Swix white) somewhere after the copper
brush. Is there any benefit or problem created by that? To my eyes, it
helps clean up what the brush and a fiberlene wipe miss.

3)What is your most effective method for brush cleaning?

Thanks,
Gene

On Sun, 13 Feb 2011 23:56:37 +0000
Ed Miller wrote:

Gene Goldenfield posted the following questions back in '04. To my
knowledge no one ever responded. They were good questions. Maybe
someone will now?

1)About how many passes do you typically find yourself making with the
copper brush? At that stage, assuming you are using it first, what are
you looking for before you move onto the next brush?

2)Typically, I use fine fibertex (Swix white) somewhere after the
copper
brush. Is there any benefit or problem created by that? To my eyes, it
helps clean up what the brush and a fiberlene wipe miss.

3)What is your most effective method for brush cleaning?

Thanks,
Gene

Hmm, I wonder where he disappeared to..

Here's what I've been doing for the past three years with most every
(non straight fluoro) wax layer. This came from spending some time at
Zach Caldwell's old shop in BC:

- scrape, 3-4 passes with well-sharpened scraper, maybe a bit more at
specific spots (brushing usually picks up the leftovers)
- use Swix Pro Oval Wild Boar Brush for 8-12 passes, mainly depending on
how much wax appears to remain in structure*
- scrape again lightly one pass
- (use the Wild Boar a bit more if necessary)
- wipe with Swix Fiberlene (not fibertex)
- brush vigorously, i.e., hard and a lot, section by section, with Swix
Oval Stiff Black Nylon Brush
- fiberlene and brush some more if necessary
- go ski (that plastic brush is really good)

Additional sometimes:
- finish with Swix small blue soft brush, structure if conditions
call for it (Toko structure tool), and brush again lightly with the blue
- maybe add a rub-on wax (e.g., FastWax) and rub it in with the Jenex
OmniPrep or Toko pad (don't see it anymore) - or just let the snow
work it in

*the metal hair ends on this great brush should be ground down
(grinder) and then brushed on a concrete floor and skis that don't
matter for at least an an hour total before being applied to good skis

I don't systematically clean my brushes thoroughly, but use my hand
(nylon), rub on a clean surface, run under hot water and soap, and try
some wax remover. Maybe better ideas out there.

Gene

My tried and true method and what I've been teaching at Ride and Glide
for 10 years is

Assuming harder waxes (green/blue/red)

1) Apply wax and let cool
2) Scrape with one long pass and then repeat with overlapping 6-9inch
stokes
3) 4-6 passes with soft copper brush (toko) Look at bottom of brush
each pass. By 5 passes very little coming off. Never fails
4) 4-6 passes with horsehair brush. look at botom, when no white
residue seen you're done
5) Scrub as mush as you want with stiff white nylon brush
6) Polish with white fibretex

I use horse hair paint brush from Menards ($1) for cleaning powder off
skis. Antistatic, works well, and cheap
I use vegetable brush in other hand to brush off wax powder from brush
between each pass. That way I can monitor progress.

www.rideandglide.org/waxing_tools.htm

Hi Gene, from your old stomping grounds