The same thing every season? You probably carry your skis or snowboards out of the dark cellar into the daylight full of anticipation. Oh dear: the edges are slightly rusty and the base is showing light spots. Here and there, deep gashes even reach into the core of your treasure. To prepare it for the demands of a wide range of conditions, i.e. to make the boards optimally rideable, there is only one thing to do: spit in your hands and get to work!
Congratulations, you have made your decision - now there's no turning back. With a little love, you can turn the handbrake into a racing car. A little tip: take your time - it's worth it.
If you have any doubts, however, then perhaps you should take the Brett in for a service. There, a very good foundation is laid, i.e. the base is sanded down and the edges are overhauled - in other words, the perfect foundation for what will hopefully be a good season.
Why wax at all?
Even if it's your first time on a snowboard or skis - with well-waxed equipment, you'll become better, safer, faster and an expert with less effort. Last but not least, waxing protects the base and thus considerably increases its service life. The friction generated when gliding causes snow crystals to melt slightly at the contact points due to the heat generated. This creates a lubricating effect between the board(s) and the snow. This allows you to glide. This means that friction plays a central role. When waxing, a basic distinction is made between cold and hot waxing.
Cold waxing
Cold waxing is the faster and easier option. However, good pre-care, e.g. after a service, is an advantage here. The wax is applied to the base in liquid form or as a paste and then the base is polished with a cloth from nose to tail. This option is ideal for spontaneous trips.
Hot waxing
Hot waxing is more time-consuming, but the effect lasts much longer and is simply the best way to show your boards true affection and get the most out of them... The all-round carefree package!
The right choice of wax
The following parameters, together with the wax table, can be used to determine the right wax and wax hardness.
Snow temperature: Hardcore perfectionists can use a snow thermometer to precisely determine the snow surface temperature. This parameter is very important for wax selection. Measure the snow temperature on the surface (do not insert the thermometer too deep into the snow) and in the shade.
Snow type: Due to weather influences, the snow is in a constant state of flux from the time it forms until it melts. Once you have determined the temperature, you can choose the right wax based on the graph on the packaging. Note that the snow temperatures are usually specified here, as they are a more reliable parameter than the air temperature.
Shopping list
- Wax remover
- Iron
- Wax (either special or all-round wax)
- A scraper blade (metal or plastic)
- An edge grinder and a pumice stone (tip: buy a large, high-quality car body file, it will last forever!)
- P-Tex repair material
- Textured brush
- Lighter, a few cloths and a non-slip base
A little snow lesson
Fresh snow: At low temperatures, the tips and edges of fresh snow generate a lot of friction on the surface of the pavement. At temperatures around 0°C, the crystals quickly lose their shape, these semi-degraded snow crystals lead to a large contact surface between the ski and snow and also increase the braking friction.
Old snow: Approximately 48 hours after the snowfall, we speak of old snow - a distinction is made between large and small crystals. The small crystals have a higher density and therefore a larger contact surface - with higher friction. In general, old snow is rounder than new snow crystals and therefore less abrasive.
Wet snow: If snow crystals are heated to 0 degrees, they begin to melt. The resulting water - but also from precipitation - forms a larger contact surface between the board and the snow and thus increases friction (suction effect).
Artificial snow: In contrast to natural snow, the crystals of artificial snow freeze from the outside in. Often not all the water in fresh snow crystals has frozen yet, but when it has finished freezing, the crystals break apart, forming sharp edges. As the crystals are approx. 10 times smaller than natural snow crystals, a high density is achieved on the slopes in a short time. However, high density also means a large contact surface - and in combination with sharp crystal shapes, a lot of friction.
A speed freak in just a few steps!
First, the surface must be cleaned. To do this, you need the aforementioned liquid wax remover and a cloth. This is available as a liquid or for spraying on. Shouldn't really be a problem. You'll see that even impurities from the last grass ride will disappear?
Now it's the turn of the deep wounds in the surface. If you have used the service, you can rejoice - job done. If not, it's now the turn of the P-Tex. Once heated, the now liquid material drips into the joints. You should generally work at room temperature. When repairing the flooring, it is also important to heat the flooring around the scratch slightly. This allows the materials to bond better. To avoid a sooty patchwork instead of the stylish graphics, you should ensure that there is as little airflow as possible so that no soot can form. When the whole thing is hard again, take a scraper (a metal blade is an advantage here), level the surface, perfect the result with sandpaper and the second step of the tuning operation is complete.
Part 3 is now for specialists, because it's the turn of the edges. The degrees on the edge sander need to be right, freestylers tend to take 90, carvers only 87 and beginners find themselves in the middle. Now place the grinder on the underside and pull with even pressure from the nose towards the tail. Repeat the same on the sidewall. Now use a pumice stone to break the edges at the front and back to a length of 5 to 10 cm each (this prevents blending).
Now it's time for the home stretch
Step number 4 is waxing. Grab an iron and don't heat it up too much so that the wax doesn't steam up. Then hold the wax block for the appropriate snow temperature - or all-round wax - to the iron, spread the drops evenly over the base and iron smooth.
If possible, you should not linger on one spot, as this could cause lasting damage to the base... If you're not sure, use all-round wax. It's absolutely fine and is suitable for a very wide range of applications. Now it's time to wait - the longer the better!
Remove the excess wax in step 5. Use a scraper to work from the nose to the tail. Proceed in different stages, i.e. first use a wider blade and later a smaller one for more pressure for the finer details. Repeat this a few times. Step number 6 is the structure, which completes the wellness treatment. To do this, take a texture brush and brush the base again to expose the structure of the base. Finally, polish the covering again with a polishing cloth. You know - for the eye or the drag path...
Base structure
When the base glides on the snow, small droplets of water form at the contact points between the base and the snow. If the contact surface becomes too large, the friction increases - creating a water film with an excessive suction effect. Of course, it is also difficult to achieve the desired lubricating effect if the contact surface is too small and friction is low. The pad structures provide a remedy here. They create a perfect contact surface and optimize the frictional forces. The selection criteria: At low temperatures and fine crystalline snow, a fine structure is selected. Warmer temperatures, coarse-grained snow and wet snow require coarser structures. So, have fun and grow beyond yourselves...
Text: Sebi Knauff