Keeping your skis waxed and ready for your next day on the slopes will assure the best performance and longevity of your gear. With a few special tools, good wax and an old household iron, you can fine-tune your skis at home and get the most out of your equipment. Most ski waxes contains some dangerous fumes, so make sure to find a well ventilated area for waxing.
Waxing 101
Step 1
Allow time for your skis to warm up to room temperature before waxing. The base of the ski will react more effectively with the heat of the iron when it is warm.
Step 2
Hook a strong rubber band around one binding brake arm, then lift the brake arm until it is above the base of the ski, and hook the other arm with the rubber band. This keeps the brake out of the way while waxing, without having to remove the brake entirely, according to REI.com.
Step 3
Situate each ski with their bases facing up. Having a way to fix the skis in place makes applying and removing wax easier but is not necessary.
Step 4
Set the iron to medium heat, and press the block of wax lightly to the base of the iron, allowing wax to drip onto the ski. Run the wax block up and down the length of the ski about two times, forming two rows of melted wax about 1/2 inch thick.
Step 5
Place iron on base of ski and smooth out wax drippings, creating an even layer of wax covering the ski base. Do this for two minutes, ensuring the ski base heats up and absorbs the wax.
Step 6
Allow freshly waxed skis to dry for at least 15 minutes.
Scraping 101
Step 1
Angle the plastic scraper with sharp edges at 45 degrees to the ski base, and begin scraping off wax with long even motions.
Step 2
Inspect ski base thoroughly to ensure even scraping, leaving as little wax as possible on the base. For dense wax deposits, try a firm rapid scraping motion, then smooth it out with longer scrapes.
Step 3
Remove all wax from the metal edge of the skis. This can be done with a dull side of the scraper or your fingernails.
Step 4
Place green scrubby on base and firmly run up and down the length of the ski. This provides a short lived texture to the wax and an aesthetic finish.
Tips and Warnings
- According to SkiWax.org, hot waxing is the preferred method to achieve superior results. There are numerous pastes and rub-on waxes that are effective, but hot waxing actually penetrates the base of the ski, protecting and enhancing the condition of your skis bases.
Things You'll Need
- Strong rubber band
- Wax
- Hot iron
- Sharp scraper
- Green scrubby
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