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Tahoe Spring Wax

Jacques

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Skied on Dominator FFC P2 paste on Wednesday at Saddleback in Maine. It held up most of the day. I had planned to try Fast Wax HSP40 there on Thursday but the tin I had in my bag was dried up. Ended up using an unopened free tin of Fast Wax HSX40 that came along in the order last year for the HSP40 on our skis for Thursday. The HSX didn't hold up beyond a few runs.

I'm planning for a few trips out to ski Superstar at Killington in May. I'm unsure about what I'll put on the skis for those trips.

I do have some Zardoz left over from a few seasons ago. Perhaps I could try putting that on under some other wax. In the bottom of a drawer in my shop I have a unopened pentagonal package of Maplus Universal Yellow that I have absolutely no recollection of ever purchasing. And a few bars of ignored Swix BP88 and Purl Yellow.

I feel as if I should use up some of the random stuff around the shop before ordering some more Dominator paste...
Zardoz under will prevent anything from sticking onto the base! You would need to hot wax that to mix it. Don't do it.
As you have found, the FFC as all the Dominator paste waxes hold up quite well. Used on a well-prepared, and clean base (brush out before applying) I have found them to be extremely durable. Look here.
 

SpeedyKevin

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Put some Dominator Elite W on top of the FFC2. Because there is no cure time, you can do it on the Mt. when it's needed. This assumes you have a place, and the time to get it done. Where I ski, I can ski right by my car. Like 20 ft.
I got some butter leftovers and a roto cork in the car :ogbiggrin:. What kind of durability are you getting with Elite W?
 

Jacques

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I got some butter leftovers and a roto cork in the car :ogbiggrin:. What kind of durability are you getting with Elite W?
I found it to last a good while. A day to a half later part of day. Needs to be brushed out good after buffing.
Under some conditions, there is no magic wax. Just keep that in mind.
 

Andy Mink

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Today's spring wax for Mt. Rose was Toko red though blue probably would have worked too.
 

4ster

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Okay, this may not be the thread for this & I am not currently in Tahoe but in Utah & I'm following this thread & it is Springtime... So,
After a warm spell last week & some really good corn skiing over the weekend we have had an inch or 2 of fresh snow everyday. The issue now is not the old snow but the new snow sitting on top of it! I have experienced this phenomenon before but not to this extreme!! The snow is a mixture of regular flakes & graupel falling at temps in the upper 20'sF over old somewhat frozen (dust on crust) corn. On the flats it was like skiing downhill with skins on, on the steeps I could go but it was still grabby. Tuesday was so bad that after my first run I pushed downhill back to my car & grabbed a pair of skis that I hadn't skied since Fall, they were better but not great. I thought maybe I didn't scrape, brush & buff well enough so when I got home I did just that & then also started fresh on another pair.
First I waxed & did a warm scrape to try & get any dirt or maybe some of the Butter I had rubbed on over the weekend out. Then I let them cool, did an extra vigorous scrape job, brushed like a madman & buffed with 3 different microfiber pads. Better, but still grabbing & slow on the flats.
Any thoughts?
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Oh & it wasn't just me but I definitely had intermediates who probably do nothing to take care of their skis passing me!!!
 
Last edited:

Jacques

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Okay, this may not be the thread for this & I am not currently in Tahoe but in Utah & I'm following this thread & it is Springtime... So,
After a warm spell last week & some really good corn skiing over the weekend we have had an inch or 2 of fresh snow everyday. The issue now is not the old snow but the new snow sitting on top of it! I have experienced this phenomenon before but not to this extreme!! The snow is a mixture of regular flakes & graupel falling at temps in the upper 20'sF over old somewhat frozen (dust on crust) corn. On the flats it was like skiing downhill with skins on, on the steeps I could go but it was still grabby. Tuesday was so bad that after my first run I pushed downhill back to my car & grabbed a pair of skis that I hadn't skied since Fall, they were better but not great. I thought maybe I didn't scrape, brush & buff well enough so when I got home I did just that & then also started fresh on another pair.
First I waxed & did a warm scrape to try & get any dirt or maybe some of the Butter I had rubbed on over the weekend out. Then I let them cool, did an extra vigorous scrape job, brushed like a madman & buffed with 3 different microfiber pads. Better, but still grabbing & slow on the flats.
Any thoughts? View attachment 201294 View attachment 201295 View attachment 201296

View attachment 201297

Oh & it wasn't just me but I definitely had intermediates who probably do nothing to take care of their skis passing me!!!
Zoom is not really a warm temp. wax. I'd suggest you try the Legacy Q2 in either Hot wax, or paste. Then apply some Butter over that.
Remember, to brush last. Don't use any fiber pads after you brush, only use those before you brush.
For some conditions, there is no magic wax. Structure of the base is very important too.
 

4ster

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Zoom is not really a warm temp. wax. I'd suggest you try the Legacy Q2 in either Hot wax, or paste. Then apply some Butter over that.
Remember, to brush last. Don't use any fiber pads after you brush, only use those before you brush.
For some conditions, there is no magic wax. Structure of the base is very important too.
Thanks.
This was more of an issue of the new cold snow over old frozen.
 

Jacques

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Thanks.
This was more of an issue of the new cold snow over old frozen.
Fresh snow that then becomes warm is the worst. That condition is almost impossible.
 

4ster

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Fresh snow that then becomes warm is the worst. That condition is almost impossible.
Yup, that's what I call Elmer's (named after the glue we all used in school). This was something different. Regardless, the skis ran great today! :)
 

Jacques

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Yup, that's what I call Elmer's (named after the glue we all used in school). This was something different. Regardless, the skis ran great today! :)
Conditions! When you hit it right, the best waxing for that will haul mail. Other times, it's just time to quit.
 

Philpug

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IMG_2320.jpeg

Wax choice for today and will be with me on the slopes.
 

SpeedyKevin

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Can't remember where I read it but they said using fluro eventually dries out your base if you don't clean it out. Any insights on this?

Also, I like to tune/wax at the start of the week and was wondering if it were OK to leave butter/fluro on the base for a week before using it.
 

1Turn2Many

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Can't remember where I read it but they said using fluro eventually dries out your base if you don't clean it out. Any insights on this?

Also, I like to tune/wax at the start of the week and was wondering if it were OK to leave butter/fluro on the base for a week before using it.
You’ll be fine.
 

John Webb

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I pull out a bar of Toko silver wax I bought 40 years ago at Hermans for $1.50. they stopped making it many moons ago.
Just smear it on thick. breaks up the suction. works fine.
 

jt10000

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Can't remember where I read it but they said using fluro eventually dries out your base if you don't clean it out. Any insights on this?
Pure fluoros (not fluorinated waxes, but fluoro overlays that came in powders or blocks and are applied at high iron temperatures) do not get into the base as much as wax (particularly softer waxes). They sit on top. So only using those over time would result in bases getting "dry" - there would be no wax in the base. Not sure if this applies to pure fluoro liquids - I have no experience with that.

If you want healthy bases in the long-term, you need to put a mix of waxes, some soft and some hard, into the base It's fine if these are fluorinated waxes.
 

Jacques

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Can't remember where I read it but they said using fluro eventually dries out your base if you don't clean it out. Any insights on this?

Also, I like to tune/wax at the start of the week and was wondering if it were OK to leave butter/fluro on the base for a week before using it.
Fluorocarbon wax will prevent absorption of subsequent waxing, so that's what that's about.
Fluorinated hydrocarbons don't really have that effect, so I wouldn't get too worried about it.
Leaving the wax on for a week prior to use should be no problem, but butter will melt at very low temperatures, so putting them somewhere real hot, mat not be the best idea. I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world, though.
 
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Don't Skip Leg Day

Don't Skip Leg Day

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Fluorocarbon wax will prevent absorption of subsequent waxing, so that's what that's about.
Fluorinated hydrocarbons don't really have that effect, so I wouldn't get too worried about it.
Leaving the wax on for a week prior to use should be no problem, but butter will melt at very low temperatures, so putting them somewhere real hot, mat not be the best idea. I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world, though.
Hey Jacques, what is the difference between fluorocarbon wax and fluorinated hydrocarbons?
 

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