by Mr.
Klister
Applying Wax
There are two ways to apply wax to your skis: 1) by manually
rubbing it on, and 2) by ironing it in. The manual method
has some advantages: low cost, can be done anywhere, and
not much mess. It also has some disadvantages: less durability,
uneven wax thickness, and its hard to layer one type of
wax over another. Ironing in wax requires that you purchase
an iron, have a waxing bench, and have a way to catch
the drips. But, it produces more uniform, durable wax
jobs and allows you to take advantage of more complicated
waxing techniques.
I like to begin the ski season with a good, ironed in
wax job, which I repeat at approximately monthly intervals.
This schedule allows me to adjust the glide and grip wax
combinations to the snow and weather conditions of the
season. This allows me to use the cold waxes in January
and the warm waxes in March and April. In between, I make
manual adjustments to whatever ironed-in wax I have on,
as needed. Generally, these adjustments take place on
the trail to more closely match the wax I am using to
the conditions of the day. For the most part, glide wax
is left alone. Most adjustments are made to the grip wax
(see Grip Wax Selection for more details).
When manually applying wax, try to start with a warm,
dry ski. Waxing is more comfortable indoors and because
you are more comfortable you will do a better job of it.
Also, by not waiting until you reach the trailhead, you
will not annoy your no-wax friends. Rub the wax on in
short, rapid strokes, always stroking in the direction
of the tail of the ski, using the wax tin like a large,
stubby crayon. Avoid putting wax in the center groove.
Then polish the wax with a styrofoam cork using the same
type of short rapid strokes until you achieve a thin,
uniform coating of wax on the ski base. Many thin coats
fo wax work better than one thick coat.
When ironing in wax, pre-heat the ski base by running
the iron over it a few times before dripping on the wax.
That way the ski base will not cool the wax as quickly.
Work over a small area at a time. Thoroughly melting the
wax and working it into the ski base. Don't let the wax
get hot enough to smoke, however, and don't let the iron
sit in one place too long.
Melt the wax by holding it against the heating plate
of the iron. Hold the iron so that the melted wax will
run down the heating plate to its tip or a corner. That
way you can accurately drip the wax onto the ski. Finish
up by scraping the excess wax off with a plastic scrapper
and polishing the wax with a styrofoam cork. Its easiest
to clean out the center groove when the wax is still a
bit warm to the touch.
