How to prepare skis for a walk: special and folk remedies

Lubrication is a necessary procedure for both plastic and wooden skis. The first ones just need to be treated with a holding ointment; the second ones require more attention and lubrication for gliding.

Why lubricate

Most often, amateur skiers ask the masters: “How to lubricate skis for better glide?” There is no universal answer. It all depends on the problem:

the ski slips, goes back when pushed (does not hold, skips),
the ski moves with difficulty, as if it is clinging to the snow (experienced skiers say in such cases that the skis are “dull”),
snow sticks to the soles,
Ice forms under the fastening.

All these problems can be solved with a holding lubricant, or ointment. As a rule, these are easy-to-apply materials that are rubbed with cork (natural or artificial) and are necessary for all types of skis: wooden, plastic, amateur, and professional. The purpose of such a product is to improve traction with snow so that a strong push is obtained, but without compromising the sliding speed.

Is it necessary to lubricate skis with notches?

Plastic skis with notches are positioned as “put on and go,” that is, they do not need to be processed; instead of ointment, they are held in place by notches. The disadvantage of such a projectile is that it does not cope with the task on hard snow, and it is almost impossible to correct the situation.

Where to lubricate

The holding ointment is applied to the place that is adjacent to the track during the push - on the block.This is a section on the running surface of the ski, it starts under the heel and ends approximately 15-25 cm above the binding.

A lubricant for increasing speed - paraffin - is distributed to the ends, that is, to the sliding surface, with the exception of the pad. This is already sports training, absolutely not necessary if we are talking about plastic / semi-plastic equipment and recreational skating. Wooden skis will most likely have to be treated with paraffin, but today well-known manufacturers, for example, Swix, produce “lazy” versions that are applied without an iron.

Advice
If you are aimed at amateur but fast skiing and choose plastic skis, take smooth ones without notches and always made of high-molecular material - these are more expensive, but they also glide faster.

In addition to paraffin, which homogenizes the structure of the wooden sole of skis and protects against scratching fractions of ice and snow, accelerators are used in sports, which consist almost entirely of fluorocarbon and significantly increase the sliding speed - such materials are applied to the ends of the projectile.

How often

Ideally, the holding ointment is renewed before each trip, taking into account weather conditions. Plasticine is applied on top of the old layer and rubbed with a cork. Liquid lubricants (klisters) must be removed with a scraper after each trip and redistributed before the next one, otherwise they will stain your hands, clothes and cover.

The resource purity-en.htgetrid.com recommends lubricating wooden skis at the ends with a classic sliding lubricant in the medium temperature range (-2-8), using an iron.This coating will last the entire or at least half of the season for amateur skiing, and before each ski trip you will only need to renew the holding ointment on the block.

Of course, ideally, the lubricant will need to be covered with a warmer or colder one if the weather changes, but in practice, few people go skiing at -20, and at zero, skis with a medium-temperature lubricant will go quite satisfactorily; here it is much more important to apply liquid ointment on the block (designed for warm weather and icy or wet ski tracks).

Do new skis need to be lubricated?

Usually yes. Skis in the middle price segment come “naked”, and after purchase they need to be lubricated for braking, and wooden ones also for gliding (and protection from moisture at the same time). However, there are also models that come already lubricated - this should be indicated in the instructions. Plastic and combi ones do not need lubrication for sliding if they are not intended for sports racing.

What to lubricate

As we have already found out, ointments are divided into holding ones - for the block and a strong push - and accelerating ones. Both are available in the form of braces or sticks, enclosed in polyethylene, foil or plastic, as well as in liquid form in tubes (klisters). Accelerators are also available in spray form.

For reference
The holding ointment for athletes is called plasticine, the accelerating ointment is called paraffin.

Experts recommend that beginners buy inexpensive kits that include 3-4 brackets of holding ointment, a plug and a scraper. These are easy to use yourself, without going to salons or specialists.

Manufacturers that have earned the trust of skiers:

Swix,
Wisty,
Toko,
Briko,
Festa,
Zet.

Available materials

Home methods for treating skis are quite often discussed on forums.The most common proposals are to replace the ointment with soap, candle paraffin, or lard.

Soap

The most useless material for lubricating skis for acceleration is soap. It will simply be washed away after a couple of meters of sliding. The material is not at all suitable as a holding ointment. Therefore, there is no need to waste your time.

Paraffin

Ski wax is based on this material. Medical paraffin shows fairly good ductility and moderate wear resistance. However, additives are added to special products that improve sliding or pushing at a certain temperature; good lubricants contain fluorine, which increases speed. Regular paraffin does not have this, but it is a perfectly acceptable material for those who have already learned to ride and are not going on a long route.

Wax

Wax, like paraffin, is an acceptable, but not very effective replacement for ski wax. Its main drawback is that it cannot withstand frost. Under such conditions, beeswax quickly vitrifies and peels off.

Advice
Conventional candles usually use not wax or paraffin, but stearin, which is much inferior in quality to its analogues. Therefore, you should not expect a good ride by rubbing the ends of your skis with a candle.

Salo

Animal fat is actually and successfully used as an ointment for wood blocks. This is a folk technique that was used in ancient times by hunters of the North (both modern Russia and the Scandinavian Peninsula). Lard does a good job of removing snow from sticking and increasing speed. Apply it to the ends of the skis. Sometimes pieces of fat are attached directly to the sliding surface. The fact is that lard wears off quite quickly, and it needs to be renewed over the course of a long route.

Fur

Modern notches are just this weak and clumsy analogue of fur heels, which until recently were nailed onto hunting skis by residents of the North and Siberia. The secret is that the fur of some animals (primarily deer) grows strictly in one direction and is quite tough.

Skis with such heels do not go backwards, and, as skiers who have had the chance to try the method in action note, the most modern and effective ointments are not capable of surpassing fur heels. The disadvantage of such an attachment is that it is expensive, and replacing it is more difficult than renewing a layer of ointment.

Today there are skis on sale with camus (a fur or other insert that prevents the projectile from rolling backwards).

Silicone Grease

Silicone spray is a controversial issue. Its effectiveness depends on the quality of the material itself and the weather. Most skiers on the forums note that this lubricant wears off quickly and only lasts for half a kilometer. However, there are also successful examples where the silicone spray lasted the entire workout and quite acceptable increased the gliding speed.

The website purity-en.htgetrid.com considers it advisable to use silicone spray in moderate frost and only as an accelerator, that is, apply it over a special lubricant.

WD-40

But VD-40 is quite a suitable material, just not for lubrication, but for washing. Oils and white spirit in its composition are considered paraffins well, which means they will remove any remaining lubricant. The operating range of the product is from –18 to +145 degrees Celsius, and is considered safe for both plastic and wood. However, in practice, the oil is absorbed into the wood, so you should not treat new wooden skis with VD-40. It’s better to let the spray act as a wash, or, in extreme cases, as an accelerator at the start.Low viscosity makes it a short-lived ski coating.

Advice
The magazine purity-en.htgetrid.com recommends buying children's skis for the first steps that are plastic, but without serifs, and treating the last with holding ointment strictly in accordance with the weather outside the window. This way, the baby is guaranteed to spend energy only on coordination, without being distracted by slipping, icing, etc.

How to replace the iron

Many modern manufacturers offer both ointments and lubricants that do not require melting with a hot iron. They are leveled with a sponge, brush, or scraper. However, there is a situation when wooden skis are purchased, and in the box with fuel and lubricants there are only Soviet braces left that need to be melted. The advantage of such materials is durability, minimal abrasion, and wood impregnation.

As athletes note, a ski iron can be replaced with a household one, but! Firstly, it must be an old model, without steaming. Secondly, the sole will most likely be so dirty that the laundry appliance will no longer be suitable. Although there is a chance to wash it with a special ski wash. Thirdly, it is important not to overheat the unit.

If you want to tinker, there is an option to build an iron from a soldering iron with a power of 60-90 W. Instead of a sting, a tin plate is attached to it so that a “tail” remains, which will become the iron.

If we recall Soviet ski irons for amateurs, these were thick-walled metal irons that were heated, for example, on a stove, or by burning dry alcohol inside (the advantage is that they can be used on the ski track, without electricity). So, theoretically, any utensil in which you boiled water will help to melt paraffin: a ladle, a small saucepan, a bowl (it will be awkward to hold, because there is no handle), a frying pan, a stewpan.

This technique is impractical for two reasons: it is difficult to control the temperature and the bottom cools quickly if you pour out the water, and if you leave it, it is easy to splash it and ruin the lubricant or get burned.

How to lubricate

In principle, everything has already been told. To summarize:

Rub the holding ointment onto the block. Polish with cork.
Rub the ends of wooden skis with paraffin, smooth them with a brush (electric ones work faster and save a lot of time) and melt them with a ski iron.

Liquid ointments are applied in thick drops and smoothed with a scraper; no further processing is needed. After riding, remove with a scraper.

Important
Be sure to read the instructions to see if the ointment and lubricant require it to be melted with an iron. Beginner skiers should pay attention not to ointments, which just need to be rubbed with a cork. Professional products take a lot of time to apply, and there is no point in messing with them for a walk in the park.

When working with an iron, you need to follow several rules:

make sure that the layer of paraffin is sufficient, otherwise the iron will melt plastic skis or burn wooden ones;
To prevent the paraffin from burning and smoking, do not hold the iron at one point, but rather smooth the sliding surface.

On plastic amateur skis for walking with a classic or skating step, a holding/braking ointment must be applied. Skis with notches are very unsuitable for skating steps - they do not hold up on hard snow and negate the effect of the ointment.

At the beginning of each season, wooden skis need to be treated with paraffin lubricant and it is highly advisable to use high-quality material that requires melting with an iron. This coating will last longer.Just like plastic ones, you need to apply a layer of holding ointment to the block before each trip, focusing on the air temperature and snow conditions.

Despite the number of signs, lubrication of skis, and even with modern materials, is an easy and uncomplicated task. Follow the instructions for ointments and lubricants, follow our tips, and skiing will become your favorite activity.