wood skis help?

B

Briarbrow

Joined
Aug 18, 2010
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Looks like I may be forced up into the attic this weekend. Arg

But while I'm up there I think I'll dig out my XC skis. I put the bindings from the woods on a fiberglass pair; I'd like to switch 'em back.

I have no idea how to, or where to get the stuff needed to make them work again. which is why I took the bindings off some long time ago

These are not all that old. 1950's, 60's maybe even later??

How do you tune up wood xc skis? where to get skins and pitch/tar-whatever it is that was used?
 
I think all that is necessary is to scrape the old wax off and rewax them for the conditions you expect to encounter.
 
Moved to Gadgets & Gear.
 
That is an excellent tutorial on how to maintain wooden skis. Pine tar is used for a couple of reasons, one to keep moisture out of the wood, and secondly to hold your grip and glide waxes. Back in the 60's wooden skis were the standard. In the 70's the fiberglass and synthetic skis came about, partly because they did not need pine tar treatment making them more convenient for the skier. Pine tar needs to be reapplied about every 50 miles, so it needs to be done often for regular skiers.

After cooking on the pine tar you will need to apply glide and kick/grip waxes. How you wax will determine sucess or failier on the trail. Pay attention to the temperature range of the wax, if you don't your experience may be ruined and you will not want to ski again. Change waxes as conditions change, for that reason you will need several different grip waxes. For glide wax, one hard wax such as green will do, but if you ski at -20C or 0F then get the polar white wax.

I use several different kind of grip waxes as these are the ones that provide grip when you take a step, but let you glide when the ski slides forward or down hills. If the wax used it too soft (too warm) the skis will stick to the snow, and no glide.

If the wax is too hard (too cold) there will be glide but no grip, and the skis will slide uncontrollably. But with the right wax, the skis will work like a bicycle and give you a good mechanical advantage.
 
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Wood skis are great! I still ski my Bonna 1800's on groomed trail.

Jeff
 
Mine are asnes marka.

Thanks for the help so far.

Another problem these are too short for me- I am 6 foot. The skis just under 6.
I think they are 180cm. I should perhaps, according to the sizing instructions from the site I posted, have over 200- up to 230 cm length.

does it matter that I cannot ski well at all- very little practice. 0 instruction.

Is it worth the effort to even try using them; or should I attempt to trade them off now since they are in such good shape?

The no wax skis I put my bindings on are a little longer. I have used these(tried to:D) I hope this year will be snow and more snow. Not the usual scenario in Oklahoma(maybe why there are not many nordic skiers around here)
 
Briarbrow you will need 210 or perhaps 215 but not longer. 180 is on the short side for you, but if you are a beginner they will do okay and will be easier to steer than the longer skis. However shorter skis will not float so well in off trail use.

No wax skis don't work properly or usually don't work at all when compared to a properly preped ski with the right wax for the snow conditions and temperature range.

Many people will get their first impression of this sport the first time they ski, and if the wax is wrong, most people will never want to ski again. If the wax is right they may have a new addiction.
 
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