Ski Tips with Daron Rahlves: tuning and waxing maintenance part 2

[@Ambers-Adventures]

One of the best videos on getting your skis ready. Thank you.

[@wt2759]

Great video

[@patrickwilkins9911]

Loved this video! Just started waxing my skis and my ‘first year racing’ daughters as well. This is incredibly helpful, your explanations while you work are clear and I’m not sure there is a person I’d trust more with ski prep tips than someone with Mr. Rahlves experience and success. Also very cool to see him taking care of his own equipment. Really brings the sport full circle. Thank you!!

[@Skedawg88]

Very informative!

[@bobgibson3516]

Great video. Really grasp the process now.

[@patrickchase5614]

I also said this on the other video, but the bidirectional "scrubbing" with the brass brush at 8:30 goes against many brush manufacturers' recommendations. It's a particularly bad idea if you have a recent Red Creek or Swix brush in which the bristles are tilted such that they're designed to trail in one direction. The usual advice is to use metal brushes tip-to-tail only, and always with the brish pointed the same way (the direction marked on the brush if it has tilted bristles, or just some consistent direction otherwise). All others (horse, boar, nylon, etc) can be used in a scrubbing motion.

[@wt2759]

He isn’t using either of those brushes.

[@Landwy1]

I used a heavy iron like Daron uses for many years. Last year I bought a specialty iron for waxing and will never go back to a traditional iron. The specialty wax iron sold by Swix, Toko, etc. never seems to burn wax and tends to leave a more uniform surface before the skis are scraped. I use the cheaper iron without the digital readout, but remember (or write down) the rotary heat setting for a given wax. Sure the digital readouts are what the WC technicians use, but they are looking for every advantage they can find over any other technician. Sidewalls are neglected areas that many club racers fail to take care of. I usually use a solvent such as a mix of Napha and Lacquer Thinner on the sidewalls to get the wax deeply into the sidewalls.

[@Skedawg88]

A traditional iron will do the job but like you I have an iron designed for ski waxing. I bought a WINTERSTEIGER basic iron for about $35.00 on sale. Easier to use!

[@johnwatson8192]

Just about all ski base prep instructions say tip to tail in base and edge tuning but just how much of a difference does it make for a recreational skier? Question for Daron: Can you tell the difference if it has been done tail to tip instead?

[@hamsandwich1860]

Get a proper waxing iron jesus. With a proper wax iron you dont have to worry as much about overheating your bases. Also im pretty sure the rub on with roto brush pre treatment isnt doing shit. Corking in is for fluoro powders. Not regular wax.

[@Skedawg88]

Daron knows how to use that iron! I used a regular old iron with no heat control for years. Just gotta keep it moving when using. I have a WINTERSTEIGER nowadays. It is easier.