My classic CC skis have become very slow. Driving me crazy whatever wax or anything I try. Just slow as a turtle!! This is most enlightening vid i have seen.
There just a few questions first. Like is this a feeling or have actually compared the glide of these skis with other ski in a proper glide test. Has anything change, like your weight. if you are sure your ski have slowed. Try a full base sanding, flattening or stone grinding.
Thank you. Fine structure produced with brass or steel brushes should be done before waxing. Coarser structures that are pressed into the base using structure or rilling tools like the Toko Structurerite are applied as a final step before skiing. --Saul
Hello and thank you ! I would like to understand more about how to treat the ends of my wax xc-skis for better glide. So far i've only rubbed in an all purpose glide wax and have enjoyed the results but can i do more? like develop this question of structure through brushing? Thank you for all this good work!
Very very nice video. I have been looking for such tutorials for a very long time, thanks a lot! But I wonder, do you rill before or after having applied glide wax on the skis? In other words, should I give a structure to the base when completely free from any wax, after having cleaned it? Thx
Taking my waxless skis out of storage I notice wear on the fishscales close to the tail. If I step on the skis, this area is contacting the ground at half weight and thus was dragging during all glide the previous season. What to do: Sand/grind the fishscales down or at least smoother, Ptex over it, or just glide wax it?
Hi Saul. How do you feel about the movement towards non- fluorocarbon glide waxes? Do you have plans to work with them? My understanding is that Swix has been working on these options since 2013 and will no longer manufacture fluoro options. They still require an iron for applications. I just recently purchased an all-canadian system called Ulla wax, and the added benefit of this system is that it is a cold and quicker application method. Testing has been promising. Another system called Yeswax has a cold application method but I think it is still a fluor product line. I am very curious to know your opinion. Thank you!
I have used Fluoro and Non-Fluoro waxes. Fluoros have benefits under very specific conditions that are only significant in racing. I wont miss these waxes. Rub-on waxes have been around for a long time some users are impressed with their performance/convenience. Most melt-on waxes can be applied using roto corks. More choices can be beneficial but also confusing.
You need some friction to cause microscopic melting. This will provide water droplets forming a lubricating layer that actually improves glide. When in doubt use harder wax, but it isn't always the fastest wax.
So the rilling/ structure tool would be used after scrapping and brushing? I don't see any pattern when I use my Toko tool at the end of the process. I wax, scrap, 3 different brushes and then add structure....maybe I'm brushing too much?
Assuming your skis have modern P-Tex bases, the Rilling tool should leave an impression with sufficient pressure in the base. P-Tex is malleable and rills are temporary.
@@velotiqueBetterWatchSaul yes, I have a modern base...maybe I need to press much, much harder...so to be clear, it's the last step of the process? P.s. I love your shop, we are out here in BC but have ordered many times...thanks!
Thank you so much for the information! Can you explain the difference between high flouro wax and the wax with Graphite And when to use them? Also, I have a clear based ski but I accidentally used graphite wax to seal up my base when the season ends, now my base is contaminated by the graphite, the base looks so dirty now. I’m so sad, don’t know if I’m able to remove that graphite marks with wax cleaner.
You're welcome. Fluoro's repel water. It is most effective in high humidity situations and wet snow. Graphite is thought to reduce electrostatic attraction (not scientifically proven) in dry snow. It is best used in dirty and old snow. It is thought to enhance the graphite content in black ski bases. The best way to clean you clear bases is to hot scrape with a soft glide wax, such as Swix Yellow CH10. It may take a few attempts to clean your base.
This video should be updated. Fluorinated waxes have been banned by the EPA and ski federations due to the serious harm the PFSAs in them cause not only to the environment but to users applying them. Swix and others have now moved to fluoro-free products
This 10 minutes practically quadrupled my knowledge about waxing and structure :) A late thx for a fantastic video!
Glad to hear it.
Best waxing video I've found on youtube.
My classic CC skis have become very slow. Driving me crazy whatever wax or anything I try. Just slow as a turtle!! This is most enlightening vid i have seen.
There just a few questions first. Like is this a feeling or have actually compared the glide of these skis with other ski in a proper glide test. Has anything change, like your weight. if you are sure your ski have slowed. Try a full base sanding, flattening or stone grinding.
Excellent tips for waxing. The section on rilling was really interesting!!
Thank you.
Fine structure produced with brass or steel brushes should be done before waxing.
Coarser structures that are pressed into the base using structure or rilling tools like the Toko Structurerite are applied as a final step before skiing. --Saul
Wow, the best explanation I've heard so far. Thank you sir.
Thank you.
This was great! I was a bit sceptical at first, but I learned alot!
And that I`m a Norwegian! Haha.
Good work :)
Hello and thank you ! I would like to understand more about how to treat the ends of my wax xc-skis for better glide. So far i've only rubbed in an all purpose glide wax and have enjoyed the results but can i do more? like develop this question of structure through brushing?
Thank you for all this good work!
Try it and let us know how it works for you.
Very very nice video. I have been looking for such tutorials for a very long time, thanks a lot! But I wonder, do you rill before or after having applied glide wax on the skis? In other words, should I give a structure to the base when completely free from any wax, after having cleaned it? Thx
Taking my waxless skis out of storage I notice wear on the fishscales close to the tail. If I step on the skis, this area is contacting the ground at half weight and thus was dragging during all glide the previous season. What to do: Sand/grind the fishscales down or at least smoother, Ptex over it, or just glide wax it?
Hi Saul. How do you feel about the movement towards non- fluorocarbon glide waxes? Do you have plans to work with them? My understanding is that Swix has been working on these options since 2013 and will no longer manufacture fluoro options. They still require an iron for applications. I just recently purchased an all-canadian system called Ulla wax, and the added benefit of this system is that it is a cold and quicker application method. Testing has been promising. Another system called Yeswax has a cold application method but I think it is still a fluor product line. I am very curious to know your opinion. Thank you!
I have used Fluoro and Non-Fluoro waxes. Fluoros have benefits under very specific conditions that are only significant in racing. I wont miss these waxes. Rub-on waxes have been around for a long time some users are impressed with their performance/convenience. Most melt-on waxes can be applied using roto corks. More choices can be beneficial but also confusing.
When you talks about temperature, are you saying -15F or -15C? Thanks
Always Celsius.
@@velotiqueBetterWatchSaul Awesome, thanks for the great videos! Hoping I'll be able to achieve better glide!
Hi , why can't we use only use hard wax all the time ? since you said hard wax reduce friction .. ???
You need some friction to cause microscopic melting. This will provide water droplets forming a lubricating layer that actually improves glide. When in doubt use harder wax, but it isn't always the fastest wax.
To answer your question, we do always use hard wax when doing glide zones but we don't always use the hardest wax.
So the rilling/ structure tool would be used after scrapping and brushing? I don't see any pattern when I use my Toko tool at the end of the process. I wax, scrap, 3 different brushes and then add structure....maybe I'm brushing too much?
Assuming your skis have modern P-Tex bases, the Rilling tool should leave an impression with sufficient pressure in the base. P-Tex is malleable and rills are temporary.
@@velotiqueBetterWatchSaul yes, I have a modern base...maybe I need to press much, much harder...so to be clear, it's the last step of the process? P.s. I love your shop, we are out here in BC but have ordered many times...thanks!
Thank you, you are very kind. Yes it is the final step. I suspect you need to press much harder. Make sure the skis are held firmly in a vice. Saul
Thank you so much for the information! Can you explain the difference between high flouro wax and the wax with Graphite And when to use them? Also, I have a clear based ski but I accidentally used graphite wax to seal up my base when the season ends, now my base is contaminated by the graphite, the base looks so dirty now. I’m so sad, don’t know if I’m able to remove that graphite marks with wax cleaner.
You're welcome. Fluoro's repel water. It is most effective in high humidity situations and wet snow. Graphite is thought to reduce electrostatic attraction (not scientifically proven) in dry snow. It is best used in dirty and old snow. It is thought to enhance the graphite content in black ski bases. The best way to clean you clear bases is to hot scrape with a soft glide wax, such as Swix Yellow CH10. It may take a few attempts to clean your base.
This video should be updated. Fluorinated waxes have been banned by the EPA and ski federations due to the serious harm the PFSAs in them cause not only to the environment but to users applying them. Swix and others have now moved to fluoro-free products
Saul is the waxing god of Toronto.
Thanks for the high praise.