Help me identify my Dad's Northland Ski's WWII era

[minnesotamark]

Hello,

I have attached pictures of my Dad's Ski's. Just pulled them out of the attic where they have been for decades. My dad past away years ago but this is what we know/believe.

They are Northland Ski's from St Paul, MN.

My Dad served in the Air Force during WWII in Fairbanks Alaska. He supposedly had these ski's with him in Alaska. Dad was from Minneapolis, MN. We know that during the war he was able to get back to Minnesota a couple times while on leave. Dad was responsible for loading planes and there was a supply plane route from Mpls through Canada to Fairbanks Alaska and back. As an Air Force officer he was able to hitch a ride on the route both ways.

Does anyone know the model of these ski's. Would these be military ski's or did he buy them in Minnesota. It seems like most of the ski's I see online don't have the metal edges. Was this an option?

Thinking of cleaning them up and mounting them. Any suggestion on what to do and not to do to clean them? I am missing part of the binding on one. Are these available anywhere? Do you know the manufacture name or model?

Thanks for any information.

Mark Shirley

 

[BLiP]

Very cool. I bet you could reach out to Northland for info. It looks like they are back in business. https://northlandskis.com/our-story/

I'd be wary/careful with cleaning.

 

[James]

Think metal edges were pretty standard based on this 1941 training film. You’ll learn how to adjust the bindings. The film quality is amazing, at the least it’s 16mm.

 

[minnesotamark]

James, Thanks for posting the video! Very informative....

 

[no edge]

Nice find James

 

[Jack skis]

Those skis and bindings are similar though much longer than those I had when I first got on in skis in maybe 1943. Northland was a quality ski maker and those 7 footers were very good ones for the times. Skis made for the army were all painted white as far as I know so those don't appear to me to be army skis. The bindings with bear trap toe pieces were used in the early 1940's, but were holdovers from the 1930's, or earlier. The metal edges were not unusual for the times on higher end skis. When used they had base wax under running wax. The base wax would be painted on and last for a season, on recreational skis, the running wax would be corked on regularly depending upon snow conditions. The top finish was probably a clear varnish, which could be sanded off and refinished before each season if needed. Doubt anyone sells, stocks, or has even seen parts for those bindings for the last 80-90 years. I can't tell from your pics if the skis are laminated, some from that time weren't and were especially susceptible to warping. Since the skis are Nortland they are probably laminated. The metal edges look to be in great condition. In use they all too often were damaged, ripped off, but shops stocked both edges and edge screws. I could go on and on further down memory lane but will stop here.

 

[Tom K.]

Cool skis! My 87-year old Dad from St. Paul knows a bit about Northland skis, but could not answer your question.

He did, however, remind me that my avatar shows me on wodden Northland skis, and he thinks they had screw-in metal edges. That would have been circa 1963 or 1964.

Hope that helps.

 

[James]

Skis made for the army were all painted white as far as I know so those don't appear to me to be army skis.

Doesn’t look like the skis in the film were white. So could be just for training, or just for the film a non white ski shows up better on b&w film.

 

[Jack skis]

James I had that army training video, but never thought of it when I made my statement about the US Military using white skis. My white skis opinion was based n what I saw on the slopes for some years after WW II. Lots of long white skis and surplus box toed boots. That was in Colorado where army surplus equipment was in wide use as it was readily available and pretty inexpensive. The surplus skis lived on well into the 1960's as rental skis, many cut down as short as 6' with the center of the ski being cut out with a bevled V section and then glued back together. At least that was the case in the Denver ski shop I worked in.








Lo

 

[SlideWright]

The white skis comment reminded me of the 10th Mountain Division and this PBS, Coloradon Experience piece:


My first pair of skis were Lund skis and I think from Sears, iIRC.

 

[Tricia]

Nice find.
@Jack skis is a wealth of information on stuff like this.

I happen to have two pair of Northland skis.
I'll get pics when I get home. One pair belonged to my great great uncle Gunner, the other belonged to my great grandma June.

I have some images from the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame Museum in Ishpeming Michigan. They have a wall of the history of Northland Skis

 

[minnesotamark]

Those skis and bindings are similar though much longer than those I had when I first got on in skis in maybe 1943. Northland was a quality ski maker and those 7 footers were very good ones for the times. Skis made for the army were all painted white as far as I know so those don't appear to me to be army skis. The bindings with bear trap toe pieces were used in the early 1940's, but were holdovers from the 1930's, or earlier. The metal edges were not unusual for the times on higher end skis. When used they had base wax under running wax. The base wax would be painted on and last for a season, on recreational skis, the running wax would be corked on regularly depending upon snow conditions. The top finish was probably a clear varnish, which could be sanded off and refinished before each season if needed. Doubt anyone sells, stocks, or has even seen parts for those bindings for the last 80-90 years. I can't tell from your pics if the skis are laminated, some from that time weren't and were especially susceptible to warping. Since the skis are Nortland they are probably laminated. The metal edges look to be in great condition. In use they all too often were damaged, ripped off, but shops stocked both edges and edge screws. I could go on and on further down memory lane but will stop here.

Jack,

I appreciate you taking the time and letting me know your knowledge.

Fill me in on this statement if you would. "The bindings with bear trap toe pieces were used in the early 1940's" I know nothing about old bindings give us an education.

Do you know what the engraved numbers mean.

one ski has engraved 7 8608 and 1.42
second ski engraving is 7 1890 11.41
Thanks,
Mark

 

[James]

I used a bear trap binding as a kid rental in roughly 1970. They were still around. That means you had leather boots.

 

[cantunamunch]

I used a bear trap binding as a kid rental in roughly 1970. They were still around.

You have to wonder how late they stayed on elsewhere. Here is one from Japan, note the form of the heel straps:

 

[James]

You have to wonder how late they stayed on elsewhere. Here is one from Japan, note the form of the heel straps:

View attachment 233169

Probably mid 70’s. I doubt many made past 1980 at a ski area. It’s the boots that likely killed them off for good at places. On the leather ones wore out or they just switched to plastic.

 

[cantunamunch]

Probably mid 70’s. I doubt many made past 1980 at a ski area. It’s the boots that likely killed them off for good at places. On the leather ones wore out or they just switched to plastic.

Or they switched to rounded front lugs.