Wax preference

[Osage]

Finally have enough ice to venture out on,I built a futuristic smitty sled,but need some advice on waxing the skis.I did a search ,but most recommend melting wax onto the skis,scraping it off,and waiting 8 hrs for it to do whatever it is supposed to do.I don't have the things needed to do it this way here in the bush,does anybody have their favorite backwoods homestead way of waxing their sled skis ? Thanks in advance.

[WYIfish]

Ski wax is soft and goes on quite well cold.  Pariffin or other wax melts good with a blow dryer if you don't wish to melt it on real good. I have not heard of the 8 hour cooling off period, just put it out in the cold and go. As for scraping, first time you drag it out on the ice the excess wax will scrape itself off.

[Osage]

I don't have ski wax,not really an option for melting on the wax.You tube is where I got some info,showed some pretty gal in a bikini melting on the wax,and waiting 8 hrs after scraping it off.......I think she was waxing a snowboard,or maybe it was a surf board,I can only recall what she was wearing 

[Tinker]

standard clothes iron for melting the wax, pick up a cheap one at a second hand store and don't use it on clothes anymore.  There are paste waxes available that you just rub on but I have never tried.  I have never waxed my smitty skis but think I will give it a go for this weekend, last time out I was thinking I need to lighten my load or I am older than I think I am but maybe a fresh coat of wax will bring back some of my youth.  I snowboard and have never waited 8 hours before scraping, just scrape after it has cooled but I could be doing it wrong.   

[AZbassernCO]

here is how i do it and no special tools needed

1 block parafin wax a propane torch and a spackle knife

heat the ski area with the torch and liberaly rub the wax on the ski let settle and place spackle knife across the ski and push to scrape the excess wax and done

[WYIfish]

here is how i do it and no special tools needed

1 block parafin wax a propane torch and a spackle knife

heat the ski area with the torch and liberaly rub the wax on the ski let settle and place spackle knife across the ski and push to scrape the excess wax and done

Yah, like he said.

[DR.SPECKLER]

will this also work on the bottom of sleds/shanties?

[Tinker]

I predict that if you get a propane torch near your plastic shanty tub or plastic sled that you are going to end up having a bad day.  I do know of a friend of a friend that took a car buffing wheel to his jet sled, I think he car waxed it as well but I don't know.  I have not seen or tried it but I guess it is way easier to pull than my friends un buffed sled. 

[slipperybob]

I've never heard of ski/snowboard wax waiting for 8 hours.  Maybe that's a surf board thingy.

scrapping the wax...bah, I want wax on it...not less of it.

[WYIfish]

will this also work on the bottom of sleds/shanties?

Grandpa made a smitty sled (before it was a smitty sled) in the early '60's and used the plain old parafin wax and the hand torch.  He did not burn the wood and did not scrape and it worked great that I can remember, hand pulled a 6 person shanty for about half mile a few times a year on the ice.

[Joe in T.C.]

Any bar wax for skis or snowboards will work fine.

I have a package of Holmenkol bar wax, but SWIX and TOKO are also common ski waxes.

I don't hot wax, just rub the wax on the skis and "polish" it with a cork block.

Good Luck All

[Foosty]

Zogs sex wax

[CowDawg]

I have several blocks of trapper's wax for leghold traps that I use, that works well.

All I do is rub it on the bottom of the skis until covered and then I use a heat gun and lightly melt and blend in the wax coating. I'll even to it a second time.

[caldwellite]

WYIfish's grandpa and I are the same. Been at it a lot of years,and plain old canning wax [Paraffin] works. You can heat it but it works just rubbing it on. Cross Country wax comes in a variety for kick or glide. The kick wax does not slide. With a Smitty sled flotation on the snow is as important as glide.  You can add a 3rd ski for more float if you need it.

[Osage]

Thanks everyone,I'm going to apply snow seal boot wax on my skis today,( I have some ) then when I make my annual trip to town I will purchase a wax suitable for skis.

[eriksat1]

Sno seal is bees wax very soft and will come right off, its purpose is to water proof boots.

[Osage]

Sno seal is bees wax very soft and will come right off, its purpose is to water proof boots.

   Yeah,it's just for today,I have trappers wax,and will try the heat / wax way tomorrow.I applied the sno seal to get me on the lake today,so far it's doing fine,it slid well,and has been sitting on the snow and ice for a few hrs now,and hasn't froze down.I will order wax,but I'm not certain what will work the best.