• For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.

CalG

Out on the slopes
Pass Pulled
Joined
Feb 5, 2017
Posts
1,962
Location
Vt
A block plane works for me .

1583368089352.png
1583368089352.png
 

Wallace

Booting up
Skier
Joined
Jan 8, 2016
Posts
55
Jacques. I am with you on using a steel scraper. How do you sharpen it not too much?
 

Jacques

Workin' It on Skis Best I Can
Skier
Joined
Apr 24, 2017
Posts
1,615
Location
Bend, OR
Jacques. I am with you on using a steel scraper. How do you sharpen it not too much?
That's the easy part. Buff it with some 220 paper over a flat surface, then use a coarse fiber pad by hand.
Getting it base cutting sharp is another story. In a video I made I use a file only. This can be tough.
After that, use one of those rods for knives to burnish a bit and then you can get pretty good cutting action.

I will admit, that it does take a while to fully scrape a ski for me, but I love the "not too sharp" steel, and the way it can ever so slightly mellow a grind without removing more than a microscopic amount of base.

I tell you some of my fastest skis are structured with a burred steel scraper. Easily as fast as other stone ground structures I have had done.
 

oldschoolskier

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Dec 6, 2015
Posts
4,225
Location
Ontario Canada
I use a steel scraper as well. Except mine are sharp. The secret is how much pressure is applied. My approach is drag the scraper without pressure and let it do the work and it works fast.

I only switched to steel because I got sick and tired of sharpening plastic just to wax skis many years ago. I only use plastic to clean the edges if needed as you can dull your edges quickly.

Now to be fair, this is one if those things that you either have the feel for it or don’t do it because it can go wrong quickly. So proceed at your own risk.

One thing I’ve noticed about bases is that they seem to have less wear on the higher end skis (in my case race skis vs other family member skis).
 

Wallace

Booting up
Skier
Joined
Jan 8, 2016
Posts
55
Thanks for the info. I have been using the steel this season and was using a file to sharpen it. I will get some 220 paper.
 

jt10000

步步高升
Skier
Joined
Apr 21, 2019
Posts
1,128
Location
New York City
I want to mention sharpeners like the Toko one in this picture have a big flaw.
swix-multi-pack-jpg.58410


While it can get the scraper sharp, it's hard to resist the scraper sort of pivoting over the blade as you run it along. This results in the scraper edge becoming slightly concave if used regularly. If you use that scraper only rarely (such as in a travel kit) and have something better to use at home/in the shop, it's not a problem. But if that's your main or only tool it's no good.

Also I think it's worth using a true bar from time to time to check your scrapers or scraper-sharpening technique.
 
Last edited:
Thread Starter
TS
F

François Pugh

Skiing the powder
Skier
Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Posts
7,617
Location
Great White North (Eastern side currently)
Didn’t mean to come across as a high roller, that’s not a hobby machine in my garage, that’s how I make my living.
:thumb:No worries; you didn't. I appreciated the humour in your post. I just saw this sharpener and hadn't seen that option yet., so I thought I would share. Seems like it could work.
@jt10000 If you hold it flat against the side what's the problem?
Anybody, Have you seen one with a better guide that adjusts for thickness and does not require the skill and Popeye thumb ( thanks for the term @Jacques ) to hold it tight?
 

jt10000

步步高升
Skier
Joined
Apr 21, 2019
Posts
1,128
Location
New York City
@jt10000 If you hold it flat against the side what's the problem?
You can try to hold it flat, but as you push the scraper and the sharpener together to get the sharpener to cut, your pressure is literally on a knife edge (the sharpener blade) and it's really really hard to keep things perfectly aligned. Especially since both are handheld.

The Swixes in that picture are better (I have one). And there are other tools/approaches in this thread that work better.

The key to a good scraper sharpener is either that the cutting surface is flat ( such as the drywall screens mentioned up-thread or the Swix sharpeners in the earlier picture) OR the sharpener has some kind of guide to hold the scraper level is it moves across a blade as in this kind as show below (picture stolen from @OldJeep up-thread).

58518-18233d7ceb060f3b9ec8b346d4ab513a.jpg


Or both.
 

Noodler

Sir Turn-a-lot
Skier
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Posts
6,314
Location
Denver, CO
This past season my scrapers were relegated to only being used to knock off any wax that might have dripped over onto the side edges. The new lint free towels I found are so much better than fibertex, that there's just nothing left to scrape when I'm done ironing in the wax; I can just go straight to brushing out the ski. I wish I had discovered these years ago.

So the best wax scraper technique is "none of the above" - throw away your scrapers. ;)
 

ARL67

Invisible Airwaves Crackle With Life
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Jan 15, 2016
Posts
1,218
Location
Thornbury, ON, Canada
After reading the recommendations here at Pugski, I started using the Scott Pro Shop towels mid season, and scraping is rarely required. I often start with a few laps with a Toko copper brush, then go to nylon.
 

Noodler

Sir Turn-a-lot
Skier
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Posts
6,314
Location
Denver, CO
After reading the recommendations here at Pugski, I started using the Scott Pro Shop towels mid season, and scraping is rarely required. I often start with a few laps with a Toko copper brush, then go to nylon.

Did you see my post that I had found something even better than the Scott shop towels? Trust me on this one.
 

ARL67

Invisible Airwaves Crackle With Life
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Jan 15, 2016
Posts
1,218
Location
Thornbury, ON, Canada
^^^ missed that, I'll grab a box, thanks.
As usual, I'm happy to follow your lead. Heck, I may even try out some Zipfits. ogwink
 

jt10000

步步高升
Skier
Joined
Apr 21, 2019
Posts
1,128
Location
New York City
Did you see my post that I had found something even better than the Scott shop towels? Trust me on this one.
Do they work better? I can get the Scott towels really cheap at auto supply stores, Costco, etc.

With cross country skis at least, I can use disposable towels to wipe off some of the warm wax, but still need to scrape. They will not work for wiping off wax for cold conditions.
 

Noodler

Sir Turn-a-lot
Skier
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Posts
6,314
Location
Denver, CO
Do they work better? I can get the Scott towels really cheap at auto supply stores, Costco, etc.

With cross country skis at least, I can use disposable towels to wipe off some of the warm wax, but still need to scrape. They will not work for wiping off wax for cold conditions.

They are more expensive than the Scott shop towels, but one sheet handles a pair of skis per wax job. They do work better, but you would have to test yourself to determine if there is sufficient value.

I no longer use super hard waxes for cold conditions, so I don't have firsthand knowledge of how well the technique will work in that situation.
 

Sponsor

Staff online

Top